Culture of secrecy: How Alabama’s public records law fails transparency with 10% compliance rate

By: John Sharp, AL.com, Updated: May. 25, 2025

Want to find out how much money your mayor makes? How about a copy of that building permit for the large structure going up around the corner?

Cities, counties, and states must provide that information under open records laws - whether it’s a journalist or just a curious citizen asking.

But whether you get the information immediately, weeks or months later, or not at all, many times depends on where you live.