Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §200-I is enacted to read:

§200-I.__Public Access Ombudsman

1.__Public Access Ombudsman.__The Attorney General shall appoint a Public Access Ombudsman, referred to in this section as "the ombudsman,"__within the Department of the Attorney General to assist in compliance with the freedom of access laws in Title 1, chapter 13.

2.__Duties.__The ombudsman shall:

A.__Prepare interpretive and educational materials and programs concerning the freedom of access laws in cooperation with the Freedom of Access Advisory Committee established in Title 1, section 411;

B.__Make available to elected or appointed public officials the freedom of access laws and educational materials concerning the freedom of access laws;

C.__Respond to inquiries made by the public and public agencies and officials concerning the freedom of access laws;

D.__Respond to and work to resolve complaints made by the public and public agencies and officials concerning the freedom of access laws;

E.__Furnish, upon request, guidelines and other appropriate information regarding the freedom of access laws to any person or public agency or official in an expeditious manner; and

F.__Make recommendations to the Legislature and the Freedom of Access Advisory Committee concerning ways to improve public access to public records and proceedings.

3.__Assistance.__The ombudsman may request from any public agency or official assistance, services and information to enable the ombudsman to effectively carry out the responsibilities described in this section.__Every public agency and official shall cooperate with the ombudsman and provide the assistance, services or information.