Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb3114%20intr.htm&yr=2013&sesstype=RS&i=3114
Timestamp: 2018-03-24 07:19:42
Document Index: 578881615

Matched Legal Cases: ['§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29']

HB 3114 Text
Introduced Version House Bill 3114 History
H. B. 3114
(By Delegates Miley, Armstead, Boggs, Ellem,
Fleischauer, Lane, D. Poling, Ireland, Manchin,
Sobonya and Moye)
A BILL to amend and reenact §29B-1-2 and §29B-1-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §29B-1-3a; and to amend and reenact §29B-1-4 of said code, all relating to the Freedom of Information Act; redefining the term “public record”; establishing reporting of actions taken to Secretary of State; directing Secretary of State to establish web site of FOIA responses; and revising the exemption for communications received or prepared by any public body.
That §29B-1-2 and §29B-1-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that said code be amended by adding thereto one new section, designated §29B-1-3a; and that §29B-1-4 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
(1) (a) Every person has a right to inspect or copy any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by section four of this article.
(2) (b) A request to inspect or copy any public record of a public body shall be made directly to the custodian of such public record.
(3) (c) The custodian of any public records, unless otherwise expressly provided by statute, shall furnish proper and reasonable opportunities for inspection and examination of the records in his or her office and reasonable facilities for making memoranda or abstracts therefrom, during the usual business hours, to all persons having occasion to make examination of them. The custodian of the records may make reasonable rules and regulations necessary for the protection of the records and to prevent interference with the regular discharge of his or her duties. If the records requested exist in magnetic, electronic or computer form, the custodian of the records shall make such copies available on magnetic or electronic media, if so requested.
(4) (d) All requests for information must state with reasonable specificity the information sought. The custodian, upon demand for records made under this statute, shall as soon as is practicable but within a maximum of five days not including Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays:
(a) (1) Furnish copies of the requested information;
(b) (2) Advise the person making the request of the time and place at which he or she may inspect and copy the materials; or
(c) (3) Deny the request stating in writing the reasons for such denial. Such A denial shall indicate that the responsibility of the custodian of any public records or public body to produce the requested records or documents is at an end, and shall afford the person requesting them the opportunity to institute proceedings for injunctive or declaratory relief in the circuit court in the county where the public record is kept.
(5) (e) The public body may establish fees reasonably calculated to reimburse it for its actual cost in making reproductions of such records.
(f) The Secretary of State shall maintain an electronic data base of notices of requests as required by section three-a of this article. The data base shall be made available to the public via the Internet and shall list each freedom of information request received and the outcome of the request. The Secretary of State shall provide on the web site, a form for use by a public body to report the results of the freedom of information request, providing the nature of the request and the public body’s response thereto, whether the request was granted, and if not, the exemption asserted under section four of this article to deny the request.
Each public body that is subject to a freedom of information request, shall within thirty days upon a final action of a freedom of information request, submit a form provided on the Secretary of State’s web site providing information required by the Secretary of State.
(8) Internal memoranda or letters received or prepared by any public body Internal or external communications received by any member or employee of the public body expressing opinions and mental impressions intended to facilitate deliberation of a matter pending before the public body’s deliberative decision-making process: Provided, That those communications received after a public body’s decision shall be disclosed.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to redefine public record, to require the Secretary of State to maintain a record of FOIA requests and responses; to require public bodies to submit information to the Secretary of State following final action on a FOIA request, and to redefine exemption as to internal communications to protect deliberative process.
§29B-1-3a is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.