ST. PAUL (AP) — The Minnesota Department of Human Services plans to delete emails more than a year old starting next month unless its employees decide the messages contain official government records.

The change raises concern among advocates for government transparency and public records who worry it could dramatically limit the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the huge agency, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.

The newspaper said the new policy also underscores how state and local agencies often don’t treat emails as official records.

“Lawmakers talk a lot about transparency, but it doesn’t seem to be a priority,” said Don Gemberling, of the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information.