Transparency

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Below are all of the transparency laws that match your search criteria. Many include a See related provisions prompt which searches our database for laws that may pertain to your result.

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State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Type of obligation Actor
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 47:1A-8 Common law right of access
Nothing contained in [the state open record law], as amended and supplemented, shall be construed as limiting the common law right of access to a government record, including criminal investigatory
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records of a law enforcement agency.
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 47:1A-1 Legislative findings and declarations
Government records shall be readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination by the citizens of this State, with certain exceptions, for the protection of the public interest, and any limitations
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on the right of access accorded by P.L.1963, c. 73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.) as amended and supplemented, shall be construed in favor of the public's right of access;
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New Jersey N.J. Stat. Ann. § 47:1A-5 custodian of government records - obligations The custodian of a government record shall permit the record to be inspected, examined, and copied by any person during regular business hours; Obligation to respond to public records requests All
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Louisiana La. Stat. Ann. § 44:31 Public Records Requests
Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter or as otherwise specifically provided by law, and in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, any person of the age of majority
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may inspect, copy, or reproduce any public record.
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Louisiana La. Stat. Ann. § 44:32 Reasonable fees
For all public records, except public records of state agencies, it shall be the duty of the custodian of such public records to provide copies to persons so requesting. The
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custodian may establish and collect reasonable fees for making copies of public records
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Louisiana La. Stat. Ann. § 44:31.1 Exception to general duty to respond to public record requests
For the purposes of this Chapter, person [to whom a custodian must provide records] does not include an individual in custody after sentence following a felony conviction who has exhausted
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his appellate remedies when the request for public records is not limited to grounds upon which the individual could file for post conviction relief under Code of Criminal Procedure Article 930.3. Notwithstanding the provisions contained in R.S. 44:32, the custodian may make an inquiry of any individual who applies for a public record to determine if such individual is in custody after sentence following a felony conviction who has exhausted his appellate remedies and the custodian may make any inquiry necessary to determine if the request of any such individual in custody for a felony conviction is limited to grounds upon which such individual may file for post conviction relief.
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 22-1-90 Monthly reports of moneys collected; treasurer's record
Every magistrate shall, on the first Wednesday in each month or within ten days thereafter, make to the auditor and treasurer of his county a full and accurate statement in
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writing of all moneys collected by him on account of fines, penalties or forfeitures during the past month together with the title of each case in which a fine has been paid. The county treasurer shall keep a record of the title of each case in which the fine has been paid, the nature of the offense for which the fine was imposed and the amount thereof. In default thereof the magistrate or treasurer, as the case may be, shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding two months or both, at the discretion of the court.
Obligation to respond to public records requests Municipal court
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South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30 Right to inspect or copy public records; fees; notification as to public availability of records; presumption upon failure to give notice; records to be available when requestor appears in person
Each public body, upon written request for records made under this chapter, shall within fifteen days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) of the receipt of any such request
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notify the person making such request of its determination and the reasons therefor. Such a determination shall constitute the final opinion of the public body as to the public availability of the requested public record and, if the request is granted, the record must be furnished or made available for inspection or copying. If written notification of the determination of the public body as to the availability of the requested public record is neither mailed nor personally delivered to the person requesting the document within the fifteen days allowed herein, the request must be considered approved.
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Kansas Kan. Stat. Ann. § 45-218 nspection of records; request; response; refusal, when; fees
All public records shall be open for inspection by any person, except as otherwise provided by this act, and suitable facilities shall be made available by each public agency for this purpose. No
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person shall removal [remove] original copies of public records from the office of any public agency without the written permission of the custodian of the record.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 2-6-1003 Access to public information--safety and security exceptions--Montana historical society exception
A public officer may withhold from public scrutiny information relating to individual or public safety or the security of public facilities, including public schools, jails, correctional facilities, private correctional facilities,
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and prisons, if release of the information jeopardizes the safety of facility personnel, the public, students in a public school, or inmates of a facility. A public officer may not withhold from public scrutiny any more information than is required to protect individual or public safety or the security of public facilities.
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Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 2-6-1006 Public information requests--fees
(1) A person may request public information from a public agency. A public agency shall make the means of requesting public information accessible to all persons. (2) Upon receiving a request
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for public information, a public agency shall respond in a timely manner to the requesting person by: (a) making the public information maintained by the public agency available for inspection and copying by the requesting person; or (b) providing the requesting person with an estimate of the time it will take to fulfill the request if the public information cannot be readily identified and gathered and any fees that may be charged pursuant to subsection (3). (3) A public agency may charge a fee for fulfilling a public information request. Except where a fee is otherwise provided for by law, the fee may not exceed the actual costs directly incident to fulfilling the request in the most cost-efficient and timely manner possible. The fee must be documented. The fee may include the time required to gather public information. The public agency may require the requesting person to pay the estimated fee prior to identifying and gathering the requested public information. (4) A public agency is not required to alter or customize public information to provide it in a form specified to meet the needs of the requesting person. (5) If a public agency agrees to a request to customize a records request response, the costs of the customization may be included in the fees charged by the agency. (6)(a) The secretary of state is authorized to charge fees under this section. The fees must be set and deposited in accordance with 2-15-405. The fees must be collected in advance. (b) The secretary of state may not charge a fee to a member of the legislature or public officer for any search relative to matters pertaining to the duties of the member's office or for a certified copy of any law or resolution passed by the legislature relative to the member's official duties.
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Arizona Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 39-121 Inspection of public records

Public records and other matters in the custody of any officer shall be open to inspection by any person at all times during office hours.

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Arkansas Ark. Code Ann. § 14-14-110(a) Public Records

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, all records and other written materials in the possession of a local government shall be available for inspection and copying by any person

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during normal office hours.

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California Cal. Gov. Code § 6253(a)-(b) Inspection of Public Records: Time for inspection of public records; “Unusual circumstances”; Posting of public record on Web site

(a) Public records are open to inspection at all times during the office hours of the state or local agency and every person has a right to inspect any public

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record, except as hereafter provided. Any reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be available for inspection by any person requesting the record after deletion of the portions that are exempted by law.(b) Except with respect to public records exempt from disclosure by express provisions of law, each state or local agency, upon a request for a copy of records that reasonably describes an identifiable record or records, shall make the records promptly available to any person upon payment of fees covering direct costs of duplication, or a statutory fee if applicable. Upon request, an exact copy shall be provided unless impracticable to do so.

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Georgia Ga. Code Ann. § 15-13-31 Receipt For Fees To Be Given; Penalty

Every public official mentioned in Code Section 15-13-30, his deputy, or his agent shall, when required, give a statement of the fees demanded and a receipt for the same to

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any person paying any lawful or pretended fees of office, on pain of forfeiting $10.00 for every such neglect or refusal, to be demanded in court within 12 months and recovered by the person paying the fees and making the demand.

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Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-712.06 Public record; portion provide; when.

Any reasonably segregable public portion of a record shall be provided to the public as a public record upon request after deletion of the portions which may be withheld.

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Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-712 Public records; free examination; memorandum and abstracts; copies; fees

(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, all citizens of this state, and all other persons interested in the examination of the public records, as defined in section 84-712.01,

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are hereby fully empowered and authorized to (a) examine the same, and make memoranda, copies using their own copying or photocopying equipment in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, and abstracts therefrom, all free of charge, during the hours the respective offices may be kept open for the ordinary transaction of business and (b) except if federal copyright law otherwise provides, obtain copies of public records in accordance with subsection (3) of this section during the hours the respective offices may be kept open for the ordinary transaction of business.

(2) Copies made by citizens or other persons using their own copying or photocopying equipment pursuant to subdivision (1)(a) of this section shall be made on the premises of the custodian of the public record or at a location mutually agreed to by the requester and the custodian.

(3)(a) Copies may be obtained pursuant to subdivision (1)(b) of this section only if the custodian has copying equipment reasonably available. Such copies may be obtained in any form designated by the requester in which the public record is maintained or produced, including, but not limited to, printouts, electronic data, discs, tapes, and photocopies. (b) Except as otherwise provided by statute, the custodian of a public record may charge a fee for providing copies of such public record pursuant to subdivision (1)(b) of this section, which fee shall not exceed the actual cost of making the copies available. For purposes of this subdivision, (i) for photocopies, the actual cost of making the copies available shall not exceed the amount of the reasonably calculated actual cost of the photocopies, (ii) for printouts of computerized data on paper, the actual cost of making the copies available shall include the reasonably calculated actual cost of computer run time and the cost of materials for making the copy, and (iii) for electronic data, the actual cost of making the copies available shall include the reasonably calculated actual cost of the computer run time, any necessary analysis and programming, and the production of the report in the form furnished to the requester. State agencies which provide electronic access to public records through a gateway service shall obtain approval of their proposed reasonable fees for such records pursuant to sections 84-1205.02 and 84-1205.03, if applicable, and the actual cost of making the copies available may include the approved fee for the gateway service. (c) This section shall not be construed to require a public body or custodian of a public record to produce or generate any public record in a new or different form or format modified from that of the original public record. (d) If copies requested in accordance with subdivision (1)(b) of this section are estimated by the custodian of such public records to cost more than fifty dollars, the custodian may require the requester to furnish a deposit prior to fulfilling such request.

(4) Upon receipt of a written request for access to or copies of a public record, the custodian of such record shall provide to the requester as soon as is practicable and without delay, but not more than four business days after actual receipt of the request, either (a) access to or, if copying equipment is reasonably available, copies of the public record, (b) if there is a legal basis for denial of access or copies, a written denial of the request together with the information specified in section 84-712.04, or (c) if the entire request cannot with reasonable good faith efforts be fulfilled within four business days after actual receipt of the request due to the significant difficulty or the extensiveness of the request, a written explanation, including the earliest practicable date for fulfilling the request, an estimate of the expected cost of any copies, and an opportunity for the requester to modify or prioritize the items within the request.

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Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-712.01 Public records; right of citizens; full access; fee authorized

(1) Except when any other statute expressly provides that particular information or records shall not be made public, public records shall include all records and documents, regardless of physical form,

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of or belonging to this state, any county, city, village, political subdivision, or tax-supported district in this state, or any agency, branch, department, board, bureau, commission, council, subunit, or committee of any of the foregoing. Data which is a public record in its original form shall remain a public record when maintained in computer files.

(2) When a custodian of a public record of a county provides to a member of the public, upon request, a copy of the public record by transmitting it from a modem to an outside modem, a reasonable fee may be charged for such specialized service. Such fee may include a reasonable amount representing a portion of the amortization of the cost of computer equipment, including software, necessarily added in order to provide such specialized service. This subsection shall not be construed to require a governmental entity to acquire computer capability to generate public records in a new or different form when that new form would require additional computer equipment or software not already possessed by the governmental entity.

(3) Sections 84-712 to 84-712.03 shall be liberally construed whenever any state, county, or political subdivision fiscal records, audit, warrant, voucher, invoice, purchase order, requisition, payroll, check, receipt, or other record of receipt, cash, or expenditure involving public funds is involved in order that the citizens of this state shall have the full right to know of and have full access to information on the public finances of the government and the public bodies and entities created to serve them.

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Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-712.03 Public recrods; denial of rights; remedies

(1) Any person denied any rights granted by sections 84-712 to 84-712.03 may elect to: (a) File for speedy relief by a writ of mandamus in the district court within whose jurisdiction

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the state, county, or political subdivision officer who has custody of the public record can be served; or (b) Petition the Attorney General to review the matter to determine whether a record may be withheld from public inspection or whether the public body that is custodian of such record has otherwise failed to comply with such sections, including whether the fees estimated or charged by the custodian are actual added costs or special service charges as provided under section 84-712. This determination shall be made within fifteen calendar days after the submission of the petition. If the Attorney General determines that the record may not be withheld or that the public body is otherwise not in compliance, the public body shall be ordered to disclose the record immediately or otherwise comply. If the public body continues to withhold the record or remain in noncompliance, the person seeking disclosure or compliance may (i) bring suit in the trial court of general jurisdiction or (ii) demand in writing that the Attorney General bring suit in the name of the state in the trial court of general jurisdiction for the same purpose. If such demand is made, the Attorney General shall bring suit within fifteen calendar days after its receipt. The requester shall have an absolute right to intervene as a full party in the suit at any time.

(2) In any suit filed under this section, the court has jurisdiction to enjoin the public body from withholding records, to order the disclosure, and to grant such other equitable relief as may be proper. The court shall determine the matter de novo and the burden is on the public body to sustain its action. The court may view the records in controversy in camera before reaching a decision, and in the discretion of the court other persons, including the requester, counsel, and necessary expert witnesses, may be permitted to view the records, subject to necessary protective orders.

(3) Proceedings arising under this section, except as to the cases the court considers of greater importance, shall take precedence on the trial docket over all other cases and shall be assigned for hearing, trial, or argument at the earliest practicable date and expedited in every way.

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Nebraska Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-712.04 Public records; denial of rights; public body; provide information

(1) Any person denied any rights granted by sections 84-712 to 84-712.03 shall receive in written form from the public body which denied the request for records at least the

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following information:(a) A description of the contents of the records withheld and a statement of the specific reasons for the denial, correlating specific portions of the records to specific reasons for the denial, including citations to the particular statute and subsection thereof expressly providing the exception under section 84-712.01 relied on as authority for the denial; (b) The name of the public official or employee responsible for the decision to deny the request; and (c) Notification to the requester of any administrative or judicial right of review under section 84-712.03. 

(2) Each public body shall maintain a file of all letters of denial of requests for records. This file shall be made available to any person on request.

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