Resources

The Right to Know is Article II, Section 9 of the Montana Constitution. But did you know you also have a right to quality education (Art. X, Sec. 1), a right to a clean and healthful environment (Art. II, Sec. 3), and that children in Montana have the same rights as adults (Art. II, Sec. 15)? Our constitution contains the many rights we retained for ourselves to protect this great state we call home.

The Montana Freedom of Information Hotline is dedicated to keeping the operations of government in Montana open to public observation and participation. It seeks to accomplish that by providing free legal advice and assistance to journalists and members of the public confronted with improperly closed government doors or sealed documents.

If you have already submitted an information request and need legal advice about how to proceed, you should contact the Hotline, not MTP.

MTP and the Hotline work closely together on joint endeavors and collaborate in protecting the Right to Know in Montana.

The National Freedom of Information Coalition is a great resource for state-by-state Right to Know resources. The Coalition is a nonprofit organization promoting “press freedom, legislative and administrative reforms, dispute resolutions and litigation… to ensure open, transparent and accessible state and local governments and public institutions.”

The Office of Public Information Requests is a helpful state agency that handles all information requests for agencies that report to the Governor. Their website has more information about the Right to Know.

You can submit many information requests directly to OPIR, but we are happy to consult before you submit your request.