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Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, a member of the Commission on Open Government, has filed a bill that would clarify state law to ensure that foster children get the records - free - and establish an appeals process when they don't. The Florida Department of Children and Families supports the legislation. "It's just a fundamental right," DCF Secretary George Sheldon said.

Mr. Sheldon says DCF has established a child-care database and a document-imaging initiative - required by the federal government - so the agency will have electronic copies of records in addition to paper copies. These efforts, he said, should help increase access. "I don't think this is any conspiracy," he said. "Community-based care organizations subcontract with various providers, and sometimes the records are sitting out with these providers and the kids move around. We've got to do a better job centralizing these records so children have access to them."

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