Source: https://www.rcfp.org/open-government-sections/5-electronic-records/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 18:35:12+00:00

Document:
The definition of public records encompasses electronic records, though it does not refer to them specifically as such. It includes all items "regardless of format or physical characteristics" with the specific exception of "proprietary software programs." The law also provides for dissemination through a state-maintained internet site of postings by state agencies called the Alaska Online Public Notice System. In rejecting a claim that using private email accounts to conduct official business was an obstruction of access and therefore a per se violation of the Public Records Act, the Alaska Supreme Court noted that “using private email accounts is no more an obstruction of access to public records than communicating through paper letters. … [T]he (Records Management) law requires a state employee to retrain records; whether the record exists in paper or electronic form does not change the analysis.” McLeod v. Parnell, 286 P.3d at 515.
The fact that public records may be stored in a computer does not affect their status as public records. Cal. Gov't Code § 6254.9(d). Section 6253.9 of the CPRA requires public agencies that have information which constitutes an identifiable public record not otherwise exempt from disclosure that is in an electronic format to make that information available in an electronic format when requested by any person. Cal. Gov't Code § 6253.9. This statute, effective January 1, 2001, supersedes portions of an earlier statute (Section 6253(b)) that allowed public agencies to determine the form in which computer data would be made available. See Sierra Club v. Superior Court, 57 Cal. 4th 157, 165, 158 Cal. Rtpr. 3d 639, 302 P.3d 1026 (2013) (discussing provision); see, e.g., Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training v. Superior Court, 42 Cal.4th 278, 288 n.3, 64 Cal. Rptr. 3d 661, 165 P.3d 462 (2007) (noting that information stored in commission’s computer database qualified as “writing” within meaning of CPRA); County of Santa Clara v. Superior Court, 170 Cal. App. 4th 1301, 89 Cal. Rptr. 3d 374 (2009) (allowing for disclosure of county’s GIS basemap data); Cal. Ops. Att'y. Gen. 04-1105 (2005) (parcel boundary map data maintained by county assessor in an electronic format is disclosable in that format under CPRA). Section 6253.9 further requires agencies to make the information available in any electronic format in which it holds the information, but does not require release of records in electronic format where "release would jeopardize or compromise the security or integrity of the original record or any proprietary software in which it is maintained." Cal. Gov't Code § 6253.9(f).
Records maintained in electronic or digital format are declared to be "public records." Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-72-202(7).
The Act specifically defines public record to include "computer based or generated information,” “data” and “data fields.” O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70(b)(2).
When certain records are available in electronic form—including judgments, orders, and decrees—Courts “should FOI” to make them remotely accessible. Id. 9(E). A public agency that maintains public records in an electronic data storage system must make “reasonable efforts” to provide the requestor “a copy of all disclosable data contained in the records on paper, disk, tape, drum, or any other method of electronic retrieval if the medium requested is compatible with the agency’s data storage system.” Ind. Code § 5-14-3-3(d).
Further, the definition of “public record” includes information generated on “magnetic or machine readable media, electronically stored data, or any other material, regardless of form or characteristics.” Ind. Code § 5-14-3-2(r). The statute was amended in 1993 and 1995 to provide “enhanced access” to electronically stored information if the public agency provides access in that manner. Ind. Code § 5-14-3-3.5. “Enhanced access” is the inspection of a public record (a) by means of an electronic device other than one provided in the office of the public agency, or (b) which requires compiling or creating a list that doesn’t result in permanent electronic storage of that information. Ind. Code § 5-14-3-2(f). A state agency or public agency “may or may not” provide enhanced access solely at its discretion. Ind. Code § 5-14-3-3(c)(1); see also Ind. Code § 5-14-3-3.6(b) (“As an additional means of inspecting and copying public records, a public agency may provide enhanced access to public records maintained by the public agency.”); § 5-14-3-3.5(a)-(b) (authorizing the same for a state agency, as defined in Ind. Code § 4-13-1-1).
Public records include all records, documents, tape, or other information, stored or preserved in any medium. Iowa Code § 22.1(3); see United States v. Story Cty., 28 F. Supp. 3d 861, 871 (S.D. Iowa 2014) (noting there is no difference between cases that “were stored in electronic format as opposed to having been stored in hard copy format”).
Since 1994, the Kentucky Open Records Act has treated all public records similarly, regardless of their format. A requester is entitled to obtain a hard copy of a public record or an electronic file if available. As with all public records in Kentucky, a requester intending to use the information for commercial purposes may face a higher fee.
"Information contained in electronic data processing equipment" is specifically included in the definition of "public records." La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 44:1(A)(2). Electronic information therefore is subject to the general provisions of the Public Records Act. See Ops. Att'y Gen. 98-366 (records stored via electronic imaging system); 90-576 (computer records of 911 calls subject to Public Records Act), 90-576 (computer information generated by office of assessor is subject to Public Records Act), 90-398 (computer information regarding student records subject to Public Records Act). However, privacy issues may be raised. See Ops. Att'y Gen. 01-155 (monitoring and electronic recording of board members' private computer equipment under a public records request would violate individual members' right to privacy).
Electronic information is treated like printed information. Mont. Code Ann. § 2-6-1006(13).
“Data which is a public record in its original form shall remain a public record when maintained in computer files.” Neb. Rev. Stat. §84-712.01(1). Requesters can obtain records in the form and media in which they are maintained, including “electronic data, discs [and] tapes . . . .” Id. If a record is maintained on the custodian’s website, the custodian need not provide a copy of it so long as he provides “the location of the public record on the internet to the requester.” Id. If a requester does not have reasonable access to the internet due to lack of computer, lack of internet availability or inability to use a computer or internet, the custodian must produce copies for the requester. Id.
The NPRA applies to electronic records. NAC 239.861.
The North Dakota Century Code states, “Automation of public records must not erode the right of access to those records.” N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18(3). As public entities increase their use of and dependence on electronic recordkeeping, they must provide reasonable public access to records electronically maintained and must ensure that exempt or confidential records are not disclosed except as otherwise permitted by law. N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18(3).
Furthermore, public entities may not enter into a contract for the creation or maintenance of a public records database if that contract impairs the ability of the public to inspect or copy the public records of an agency, including public records online or stored in an electronic recordkeeping system used by the agency. N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18(3).
An electronic copy of a record must be provided upon request at no cost, other than the standard costs allowed, unless the nature or volume of the public records requested to be accessed or provided requires extensive use of information technology resources. N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18(3). In that case, the agency may charge no more than the actual cost incurred for the extensive use of information technology resources incurred by the public entity. N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18(3). “Extensive” is defined as a request for copies of electronic records which take more than an hour of information technology resources to produce. N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18(3).
So if a public office keeps recorded information that qualifies as an "electronic record," that information would be available to the public to the same extent it would be if the public office stored the information on paper.
Another statute, Ohio Rev. Code § 9.01, authorizes public offices to store information electronically as well as by other means, including electronically. Section 9.01 requires all public offices using non-paper media for records storage to "keep and make readily available to the general public the machines and equipment necessary to reproduce the records and information in a readable form." Ohio Rev. Code § 9.01.
The Ohio Supreme Court's first thorough analysis of applying the Public Records Act to electronic records was in 1992, when it ordered the City of Cleveland to make copies of magnetic computer tapes containing data about how long it took for police to respond to calls for service. State ex rel. Magolius v. City of Cleveland, 62 Ohio St.3d 456, 584 N.E.2d 665 (1992).
Since then, the court has routinely applied the Public Records Act to order public offices to allow the public to inspect electronically-stored records. E.g., State ex rel Data Trace Info. Servs. LLC v. Cuyahoga Cty Fiscal Officer, 131 Ohio St.3d 255, 963 N.E.2d 1288, 2012-Ohio-753 (electronically-stored digital replicas of deeds and similar real estate records); State ex rel. Toledo Blade Co. v. Seneca Cty. Bd. of Commrs., 120 Ohio St.3d 372, 899 N.E.2d 961, 2008-Ohio-6253 (deleted emails); see also State ex rel. Bott Law Grp., L.L.C. v. Ohio Dep't of Nat. Res., Ohio App. 10th Dist. No. 12AP-448, 2013-Ohio-5219, ¶ 51 (Nov. 26, 2013) (ordering public office to “search its journal for responsive e-mail correspondence that were deleted in violation of its records retention policy, and … make reasonable efforts to identify all responsive records stored on the shared servers or on the personal computers").
Included in the definition of "record" is "data files created by or used with computer software, computer tape, disk and record . . . regardless of physical form or characteristic." 51 O.S. § 24A.3.1. Excluded from this definition of record is "computer software."
recordings, or other documentary materials regardless of physical form or characteristics," which has been construed to include records in electronic media. S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-20(c). Someone has the “right to inspect, copy, or receive an electronic transmission of any public record of a public body,” except as provided by a lawful exemption from disclosure. S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(A)(1). A public body though “is not required to create an electronic version of a public record when one does not exist to fulfill a records request.” S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(A)(2). The Supreme Court of South Carolina has held that a public body may obtain a copyright on “specially-created digital data” to prevent commercial use by recipients, but limited the reach of that ruling to restrict subsequent commercial use by noting that the public must be given access to the data subject to the copyright. Seago v. Horry County, 663 S.E.2d 38 (S.C. 2008).
As previously mentioned, the statute specifically includes electronic records. Wyo. Stat. § 16-4-201(a)(v). A subsection of the Act, Wyo. Stat. § 16-4-402(d), specifically addresses records which are kept solely or primarily in an electronic format. The section requires an agency to extract information, or create a new record or document from a computer database upon request unless the creation of the new record or the compilation of the information would impair the agency's ability to fulfill its duties. The custodian may charge for the cost of creating the new record. Further, the custodian may charge for the search and retrieval costs of providing an electronic record for inspection. Cheyenne Newspapers, Inc. v. Laramie Cty. Sch. District No. 1. 2016 WY 113.

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