Changes to the Open Records and Open Meetings Laws
Effective May 4, 2005
Effective May 4, 2005
Open Records:
- A public entity may charge up to 25¢ page for copies made on 8.5x11” and 8.5 x14” paper. For any other kind of copy, the entity may charge a “reasonable fee” - defined as the actual cost of making the copy including labor, materials, and equipment.
- A public entity also may charge up to $25/hour after the first hour for excising confidential or closed material.
- If a request is made for a record located on a computer backup, the public entity may charge a reasonable fee for making a copy of the back up, which includes costs for information technology resources.
- Bids or proposals are exempt from the open records laws until all the proposals have been received and opened by the public entity and all oral presentations have been heard.
- When the law requires a public entity to disclose confidential records to another public entity, the records remain confidential and cannot be released by the receiving entity.
- Active investigatory work, including civil investigations and work done that may lead to litigation, is exempt.