In wake of protests, New York lawmakers repeal law used to keep police misconduct records secret

In the wake of widespread protests against police violence and racial injustice, New York lawmakers voted on Tuesday to repeal Section 50-a of the state’s Civil Rights Law, a provision used to keep police disciplinary records secret.

The move comes days after the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press strongly urged New York officials to repeal Section 50-a, arguing that it has become an insurmountable barrier for both the press and public to access law enforcement records of police misconduct.

Since the 1970s, Section 50-a of the New York...