2025 -- S 0582
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LC001972
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC RECORDS -- ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS--COST
Introduced By: Senators E Morgan, Rogers, de la Cruz, and Paolino
Date Introduced: February 26, 2025
Referred To: Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 38-2-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 38-2 entitled "Access to Public 1
Records" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
38-2-4. Cost. 3
(a) Subject to the provisions of ยง 38-2-3, a public body must allow copies to be made or 4
provide copies of public records. The cost per copied page of written documents provided to the 5
public shall not exceed fifteen cents ($.15) per page for documents copyable on common business 6
or legal size paper. A public body may not charge more than the reasonable actual cost for providing 7
electronic records or retrieving records from storage where the public body is assessed a retrieval 8
fee. 9
(b) A reasonable charge may be made for the search or retrieval of documents. Hourly costs 10
for a search and retrieval shall not exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) per hour and no costs shall be 11
charged for the first hour of a search or retrieval. For the purposes of this subsection, multiple 12
requests from any person or entity to the same public body within a thirty (30) day time period shall 13
be considered one request. 14
(c) Copies of documents shall be provided and the search and retrieval of documents 15
accomplished within a reasonable time after a request. A public body upon request, shall provide 16
an estimate of the costs of a request for documents prior to providing copies. 17
(d) Upon request, the public body shall provide a detailed itemization of the costs charged 18
for search and retrieval. 19
LC001972 - Page 2 of 3
(e) A court may reduce or waive the fees for costs charged for search or retrieval if it 1
determines that the information requested is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute 2
significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not 3
primarily in the commercial interest of the requester. 4
(f) The fees for costs charged for search, retrieval or copying shall be waived for members 5
of the general assembly who certify that they are acting in their official capacity and require the 6
copies for the discharge of their legislative duties. 7
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 8
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LC001972
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LC001972 - Page 3 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC RECORDS -- ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS--COST
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This act would provide that fees for costs charged for search, retrieval or copying of public 1
records shall be waived for members of the general assembly who certify that they are acting in 2
their official capacity. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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LC001972
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