Union County adopts new rules for AI-generated records requests

Union County commissioners have adopted a new right-to-know policy that gives the county chief clerk authority to deny open-records requests generated or submitted via artificial intelligence when the requester cannot be verified or contact information is missing. The measure passed at the commissioners' public meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2026, with Commissioners Preston Boop and Jeff Reber voting in favor and Commissioner Stacy Richards opposed.

Under the new procedures, Chief Clerk Susan Greene is empowered to require verification of identity and valid contact details before processing requests that appear to originate from AI tools or lack clear human origin. The policy aims to address concerns about automated systems that can generate voluminous or spoofed requests, placing extra burdens on staff and potentially overwhelming records operations.

County officials framed the change as a way to preserve staff resources and protect personal data while maintaining transparency. Opponents voiced concern at the meeting that heightened verification requirements could create barriers for legitimate requesters, including journalists, researchers, and residents who rely on right-to-know laws to hold government accountable. Commissioner Richards' dissent highlights a balance the county is still negotiating between preventing misuse of records systems and ensuring unfettered public access.

The new policy arrives amid growing public debate about how local governments should respond to AI-driven interactions. Municipal clerks across the region are grappling with the same questions: how to distinguish human requests from automated scraping tools, how to prevent impersonation, and how to do so without chilling legitimate requests. For Union County, the chief clerk's gatekeeping role centralizes that decision-making at the administrative level, which may speed determinations but concentrates authority in a single office.

At the same meeting, the board approved a detention agreement with Tioga County to house pre- and post-sentenced prisoners at a rate of $85 per day per inmate. That contract will affect where some detainees are held and the county's corrections budget considerations, reflecting ongoing inter-county arrangements to manage jail capacity.

For residents and local journalists, the policy change has immediate practical implications. Requests submitted without a verifiable name, phone number, or email may be rejected outright; those filed through new technologies should include clear contact information and a human point of contact. The county's approach is likely to influence how other government offices process digital inquiries and could set a local standard for handling AI-related public records activity.

Our two cents? If you plan to file a right-to-know request, make sure your submission includes verifiable contact information and a clear statement of the records sought. Doing that now can help avoid delays and ensure your request isn't sidelined by new verification checks.