(Newsrooms: Sunshine Week is an initiative spearheaded by media organizations. Sunshine Week 2008 marks the fourth year of the national effort to initiate a public dialogue in the United States about the people's right to know. In this story, Associated Press Writer Chet Brokaw reports on the status of open records in South Dakota.) PIERRE, S.D. (AP) A measure that sought to open more government records to the public was defeated after an intense battle in this year's South Dakota legislative session, but the chief sponsor says the debate likely will continue in future sessions.

State Senator Nancy Turbak Berry of Watertown says she'll keep working at it.

Her legislation would have changed state law to presume that state and local government documents are open to the public. It passed the state Senate but died in a House committee. One study says the other 49 states already have laws that include some kind of presumption of openness for government documents.

Turbak Berry says some government officials seem to act as if government documents belong to them rather than to the public.

But Governor Rounds and some Republican legislators opposed the bill, arguing it could lead to the disclosure of private information about people. Rounds says he's on the side of protecting people's private information.

House Republican Leader Larry Rhoden of Union Center says he thinks the news media might see things differently than the people do. In his words: "I would hope in the future there is more of an interest in solving the problem rather than just possibly pandering to the press," end quote.

By AP Writer Chet Brokaw (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 03-15-08 2230CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list