The Honorable Themis Klarides
AGO 2019-5
No. 2019-05
Connecticut Attorney General Opinion
Office of The Attorney General State of Connecticut
August 7, 2019
The
Honorable Themis Klarides
House
Minority Leader
Legislative
Office Building
300
Capitol Avenue, Suite 4200
Hartford,
CT 06106-1591
Dear
Minority Leader Klarides:
You
have asked for a formal opinion as to whether records in your
possession that are related to your service on the board of
directors of The Partnership for Connecticut, Inc., are
subject to disclosure under the Connecticut Freedom of
Information Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 1-200, et
seq. (FOIA).
The
Partnership for Connecticut, Inc., is a non-profit, non-stock
corporation created by Connecticut Public Act 19-117,
§§ 183-189. Using a mix of state and private funds,
the corporation's purpose is to strengthen public
education in the state, support financial inclusion, social
entrepreneurship, and economic development in under-resourced
communities, promote upward mobility by connecting at risk
high school age youths and young adults to educational and
career opportunities, and expand collaboration between the
state and philanthropic entities in carrying out these goals.
PA 19-117, § 183(b). Section 185 of the Act states that
the corporation's first thirteen-member board of
directors shall include the minority leader of the House of
Representatives, as well as the Governor, president pro
tempore of the Senate, the speaker of the House, and the
minority leader of the Senate. Therefore, as the minority
leader of the state House of Representatives, you are an
ex officio member of the corporation's board.
You
note that as a state legislator, you are subject to FOIA,
which generally requires you to treat records in your
possession as public records subject to disclosure. The
corporation, however, is exempted from FOIA pursuant to
Public Act 19-117, § 183(c). Given this situation, you
question how you should respond to requests from the public
seeking disclosure of records related to your service on...