"Under rules proposed by Gov. Bill Lee's administration, the authority overseeing the $5.6 billion Ford investment in West Tennessee could shield otherwise-open information from the public's eye, a public records expert warns.

"The legislation, carried by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, establishes the structure and regulations for the Megasite Authority of West Tennessee.

"The authority, governed by a seven-member board appointed by state officials and leadership in the legislature, would oversee the development of Ford's proposed electric vehicle and battery plant.

But proposed regulations could allow authority officials to keep confidential contracts, agreements, and whatever information they deem "sensitive" in nature, warned Deborah Fisher, executive director of Tennessee Coalition of Open Government."

Like Tennessee, Kentucky landed a new, multibillion-dollar electric vehicle and battery manufacturing plant in September. But unlike the corresponding Tennessee legislation providing for what Fisher describes as "megasecrecy," Senate Bill 5, enacted by the Kentucky General Assembly in the recent special session, and signed into law by the Governor on September 9, does not provide for additional limitations on access to records related to development and oversight.

Kentucky's existing statutory restrictions on public records access were presumably deemed sufficient.

But beware! In 2019, Kentucky lawmakers attempted to quietly broaden those "economic development" exceptions to the open records law — based, at least in part, on the claim that Kentucky's expansive open records laws discourage investment — but were thwarted when there efforts were exposed.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/…

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/19rs/HB387.html

The 2022 legislative session looms ahead.