NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennesseans could be banned from filing public records requests for one year under a new bill that would allow public agencies to ask courts to punish people for making too many requests deemed as harassment.

The bill was introduced this week by Republicans House Majority Leader William Lamberth and Sen. Joey Hensley.

Under the proposal, harassment would be defined as someone who makes three or more public records requests in a year and each request was made in a manner where the records custodian could be abused, as well determining the requests were not made in "good faith" or for a "legitimate purpose."

Lamberth says the bill is needed to give public agencies an option to stop people from abusing the public records system.