HB1919

House Bill 1919, titled the 'Public School Access and Transparency Act,' amends the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act of 1967 to explicitly include school learning materials as public records. The bill defines 'learning materials' to encompass a wide range of instructional resources, such as curricula, lesson plans, and digital assets, while specifically excluding student assessments and tests. It prohibits public school districts from using copyright or intellectual property claims as a justification to deny public access to these materials. Furthermore, the bill prevents schools from requiring nondisclosure agreements or waivers as a condition for viewing learning materials. It also mandates that digital learning materials must be made available for physical inspection if digital copying is deemed impractical. The act stipulates that any individuals who access copyrighted materials under these provisions are still restricted by federal 'fair use' copyright laws and are prohibited from unauthorized publishing or distribution.