2024 -- H 7327 | |
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LC004278 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PUBLIC RECORDS -- ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Azzinaro, Hull, Noret, Solomon, and Kennedy | |
Date Introduced: January 26, 2024 | |
Referred To: House State Government & Elections | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 38-2-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 38-2 entitled "Access to Public |
2 | Records" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 38-2-4. Cost. |
4 | (a) Subject to the provisions of § 38-2-3, a public body must allow copies to be made or |
5 | provide copies of public records. The cost per copied page of written documents provided to the |
6 | public shall not exceed fifteen cents ($.15) per page for documents copyable on common business |
7 | or legal size paper. A public body may not charge more than the reasonable actual cost for providing |
8 | electronic records or retrieving records from storage where the public body is assessed a retrieval |
9 | fee. |
10 | (b) A reasonable charge may be made for the search or retrieval of documents. Hourly costs |
11 | for a search and retrieval shall not exceed fifteen dollars ($15.00) per hour and no costs shall be |
12 | charged for the first hour of a search or retrieval. For the purposes of this subsection, multiple |
13 | requests from any person or entity to the same public body within a thirty (30) day time period shall |
14 | be considered one request. |
15 | (c) Copies of documents shall be provided and the search and retrieval of documents |
16 | accomplished within a reasonable time after a request. A public body upon request, shall provide |
17 | an estimate of the costs of a request for documents prior to providing copies. |
18 | (d) Upon request, the public body shall provide a detailed itemization of the costs charged |
19 | for search and retrieval. |
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1 | (e) A court may reduce or waive the fees for costs charged for search or retrieval if it |
2 | determines that the information requested is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute |
3 | significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not |
4 | primarily in the commercial interest of the requester. |
5 | (f) Any person requesting a document under § 38-2-2(4)(D) shall pay any outstanding |
6 | balance owed for prior records requests from law enforcement agencies before a new request will |
7 | be processed. |
8 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC004278 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PUBLIC RECORDS -- ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS | |
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1 | This act would require a member of the public to pay any outstanding balances due and |
2 | owing for previous requests before being provided copies of records and documents on a new |
3 | request from law enforcement agencies. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC004278 | |
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