CO SB037

Amends the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) to update statutory language describing public records kept in electronic or digital form, including digitally stored data and electronic mail messages.

Requires official custodians to provide records in any nonproprietary file format and storage medium specified by requestors, including digital copies on common storage media, via electronic mail, online storage locations, or direct electronic access.

Mandates provision of records in the same database or file format as maintained by the custodian unless doing so would disclose confidential or proprietary information of third parties or security details, in which case custodians must export data into an alternative machine-readable digital format.

Requires official custodians to electronically manipulate or delete confidential data from records in response to requests; removal of confidential information does not trigger standard generation or copying fees, though custodians may charge for actual storage medium costs and research and retrieval time.

Takes effect September 1, 2016, subject to voter approval if a referendum petition is filed within ninety days after the legislative session ends.