Alabama law says citizens have a right to inspect and copy public records, but a state senator proposing to rewrite the law says the statute is “toothless.”

An Alabama Senate committee has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday on a bill by Sen. Cam Ward R-Alabaster, called the Alabama Public Records Act.

Ward said it would add teeth to the law by setting a 14-day time limit on when public agencies have to respond to requests for records. The lack of a specific deadline in the current law allows delays and defeats the intent of the law, Ward said.

Ward’s bill would also set limits on how much agencies can charge for copies. It would prohibit agencies from charging people for taking photos of documents with their phones or making copies with their own equipment.

The legislation would create the position of public access counselor to hear appeals of disputes between people who request public records and the agencies holding the records. Under current law, people who want to challenge the decision of a public agency to withhold records have no way to appeal except file a lawsuit.

The public access counselor would grant or deny requests from state agencies for more time to respond to requests, issue advisory opinions on access to public records and respond to inquiries from people who request public records.

The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee will hold the public hearing on Ward’s bill at 12:30 p.m. in Room 825 of the Alabama State House.

Ward proposed a similar bill last year but it stalled in the committee after organizations representing city and county governments and school boards expressed concerns about the legislation.

Legislators return on Tuesday for the 11th meeting day of the legislative session, which can last up to 30 meeting days.