The Idaho Senate has approved a plan allowing law enforcement officials to remove their addresses and phone numbers from some public records. Police officers, corrections workers, prosecuting attorneys, and other peace officers would be able to use a P.O. Box or their work address instead of their home address on public records.

Sen. Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, said the proposal should protect those who serve and protect. “Officers routinely get threatened in their line of work. It’s part of their line of duty. We send them into harm’s way.”  McKenzie said allowing them to use an alternative address would prevent those threats from extending to their family. He said there has been some anecdotal evidence of threats against police and other law enforcement when they are off-the-job. “I think this is an appropriate policy," he said.

Any officials who wants their home address or phone number taken off public records would need to submit a request to public agencies. The records exemption would need to be renewed every four years. Elected law enforcement officials, including judges, sheriffs, and prosecutors, wouldn't be included in the records exemptions.

The Senate approved the legislation on a 33-0 vote. The plan now moves to the House. Read IdahoReporter.com's story on the introduction of this proposal here. The text of the legislation is available here.