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ID H0302
Bill
AI Summary
HB 302 Summary
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Public agencies may require written requests for public records that include the requester's name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number, with requests and delivery permitted via electronic mail.
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No fees may be charged for the first two hours of labor or the first 100 pages of paper records; fees for additional labor and copying are limited to actual costs based on the lowest-paid administrative staff member's hourly rate, or attorney rates if redactions are required.
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Fee statements must be itemized showing per-page costs, hourly rates, and actual time spent; lump sum costs are prohibited.
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Agencies may waive fees when examination and copying would contribute significantly to public understanding of government operations and is not primarily in the individual interest of the requester.
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Related requests may be aggregated to prevent circumventing fees; agencies must credit received fees to the applicable account and return excess advance payments to requesters.
Legislative Description
Amends existing law relating to public records to provide that public agencies and independent public bodies corporate and politic may impose certain requirements relating to requests for public records; to provide that requests for public records and delivery of public records may be made by electronic mail; to revise provisions relating to inquiries by custodians in connection with requests for public records; to revise fee provisions; to provide that under certain circumstances there shall be no cost or fee charged for examination or copying of public records; to provide that statements of fees shall be itemized; to provide for the aggregation of related requests under certain circumstances; to provide for advance payment of fees; to provide for the crediting of moneys received to certain accounts and to provide for the expenditure of such funds by an agency.
PUBLIC RECORDS
Last Action
Ret'd to St Aff
3/29/2011