SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- A study funded by the Congress found 49 of the 50 U.S. states restricted access to information deemed vital to U.S national security after Sept. 11, 2001.
The report released Thursday by the Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary's University in Texas showed lawmakers in every state but South Dakota closed access to meetings, and prohibited access to disaster-response plans, emergency evacuation routes and documents on mass-transit, Stateline.org reported Friday.
The majority of restrictions covered sensitive information on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, but some states limited access to public health and terrorist investigations.
Pete Weitzel, an adviser to the study, said the restrictions are easing as states struggle to find a balance between safety and security
"The flames of Sept. 11 confused the meanings of 'safety' and 'security' in the minds of the public and … the responses of the body politic," Weitzel told Stateline.org.
The report outlines six categories of restricted government information: critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, first response, political structure, public health and terror investigations.
The study found 14 states acted in all six categories, eight acted on all but the critical infrastructure issue, seven failed to move on cybersecurity, and two -- Hawaii and Minnesota -- imposed restrictions in only one category, political structure.
