Colorado needs to bring its open records practices into the 21st century, but that’s looking unlikely this year. Too bad.

Senate Bill 40, which this editorial board supported about a month ago, would require that any public record kept in a digital format be released in that format when a citizen requests it.

Now, however, the addition of an amendment – presented by State Affairs Committee Chairman Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction – might prevent this common-sense bill from becoming law.

That amendment would require the judicial branch to comply with the Colorado Open Records Act. While that change is smart and ultimately necessary for Colorado, it sends SB 40 off course by introducing an open records rewrite that already failed in committee last month.

Read more at The Loveland Reporter-Herald.