HB394--PUBLICRECORDS
SPONSOR: Falkner
Thebillmodifiesthedefinitionsof"publicbusiness","public
meeting",and"publicrecord"andaddsadefinitionfor"transitory
records"forthepurposesoftheSunshineLaw."Transitory
records"shallnotbeconsideredapublicrecord.Currently,the
definitionof"publicrecord"providesthatpersonallyidentifiable
studentrecordsmaintainedbyapubliceducationalinstitutionmay
beviewedbyaparentorguardianofthestudent,orbythestudent
ifovertheageof18.Thisbillmodifiesthisprovisiontoapply
toallpublicgovernmentalbodiesratherthanjustpublic
educationalinstitutions. Also,thedefinitionof"publicrecord"
excludesanyinternalmemorandumreceivedorpreparedbyapublic
bodyconsistingofcertainadvisorymaterialunlesssuchrecordis
retainedbythepublicbody.Thisbillrepealstherequirement
thatsuchrecordwasretainedbythepublicbody.
Basesforclosingrecordsandmeetingsaremodifiedtoinclude
certainrecordsrelatingtononjudicialmentalorphysicalhealth
proceedings. Thebillauthorizesapublicgovernmentalbodyto
closerecordsandmeetingsrelatingtosecuritymeasures,GPSdata,
andinvestigativeandsurveillancetechniquesofanylaw
enforcementorpublicsafetyagencywhich,ifdisclosed,hasthe
potentialtoendangerindividualorpublicsafetyorhealth.
Currently,apublicbodymaycloserecordsrelatingtooperational
guidelines,policies,andresponseplansforuseinrespondingtoa
criticalincidentwhichisorappearstobeterroristinnature.
Thisbillrepealstherequirementthatincidentsbeterroristin
naturetobeconsideredtoendangerindividualsorpublicsafetyor
health.Thebillfurtherauthorizestheclosureofexistingand
proposedsecurityprotocolsofapublicbody.
Apublicgovernmentalbodyisauthorizedtocloserecordsthatare
relatedtoemailaddressesandtelephonenumberssubmittedtoa
publicgovernmentalbodybyindividualsorentitiesforthesole
purposeofreceivingelectronicorothercommunications.
Thisbillauthorizestheclosureofpublicrecordsthatare
retainedbyapublicgovernmentalbodythatarerelatedtoa
constituentofthepublicbodyaswellasrecordsrelatedtoa
dignitaryorforeignleader.Medicalandmentalhealthrecordsof
aconstituentmaybeclosedintheirentiretyandothersuch
recordsshallberedactedtoremoveindividuallyidentifiable
informationoftheconstituent. Thebilldefinestheterm
"constituent"toexcludealobbyistorlobbyistprincipal,a
statewideelectedofficial,oranelectedofficialofapolitical
subdivision,oranemployeeofsuchelectedofficial.
Thebillauthorizestheclosureofinter-agencyorintra-agency
memorandaorlettersthatwouldnotbeavailablebystateor
federallawtoapartyotherthananagencyinlitigationwiththe agency,providedthatthisexceptionshallnotapplytorecords
created25yearsormorebeforethedatetherecordswererequested
ortorecordstoorfromaregisteredlobbyistorlobbyist
principal.
Further,anyrecordmaybeclosedthatisretainedintheofficeof
amemberoftheGeneralAssembly,oremployeesoftheGeneral
Assembly,thatcontaininformationregardingproposedlegislation
orthelegislativeprocess. Theseauthorizations tocloserecords
shallnotapplyiftherecordhasbeenofferedinapublicmeeting
ofeitherhouseoftheGeneralAssemblyor,forlegislative
records,toanyrecordaddressedto,orfrom,alobbyistor
lobbyistprincipal.
Currently,requestsforrecordsmustbeacteduponwithinthree
businessdays.Thisbillchangesthisrequirementtofivebusiness
days.Accesstoandproductionofrecordsmaybeconditionedupon
thereceiptofpaymentoffees.
Whereasinglerecordcontainsbothopenandclosedrecords,the
publicbodyshallmakearedactedversionofsuchrecordavailable.
Currentlawauthorizesapublicbodytochargeforresearchtime
requiredtofulfillrecordsrequests. Thisbillauthorizesthe
publicbodytoalsochargeforthetimeneededtoredactdocuments
usingemployeesofthebodythatresultinthelowestcharge.
Currently,paymentofcopyingfeesmayberequestedpriortothe
makingofcopies.Thisbillmodifiesthisprovisionsothat
paymentofanyfeesmayberequestedpriortofulfillingthe
request. Exceptasprovidedinthebill,arequestforpublic
recordstoapublicgovernmentalbodyshallbeconsideredwithdrawn
iftherequesterfailstoremitallfeeswithin30daysofa
requestforpaymentofthefeesbythepublicgovernmentalbody.
Thepublicbodyshallincludenoticetotherequesterthatthe
failuretoremitthefeeswithin30daysshallresultinthe
requestbeingconsideredwithdrawn. Ifapublicbodyrespondstoa
recordsrequestinordertoseekclarificationoftherequestand
noresponsetotheclarificationrequestisreceivedwithin30
days,thensuchrequestshallbeconsideredwithdrawn. Therequest
forclarificationshallincludenoticetotherequesterthatthe
requestshallbeconsideredwithdrawnifthereisnoresponse
within30days.Ifthesameorasubstantiallysimilarrequestfor
recordsismadewithinsixmonthsoftheexpirationofthe30day
periodandnofeewasremittedfortheoriginalrequestorno
responsetotherequestforclarificationwasreceived,thenthe
publicbodycanrequestpaymentoffeesmadefortheoriginal
request.
ThisbillisthesameasSB174(2023).