2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 1 - Provisions of General Application › Chapter 14 - Freedom of Information Act › Section 1-211. (Formerly Sec. 1-19a). - Disclosure of computer-stored public records. Contracts. Acquisition of system, equipment, software to store or retrieve nonexempt public records.

(a) Any public agency which maintains public records in a computer storage system shall provide, to any person making a request pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, a copy of any nonexempt data contained in such records, properly identified, on paper, disk, tape or any other electronic storage device or medium requested by the person, including an electronic copy sent to the electronic mail address of the person making such request, if the agency can reasonably make any such copy or have any such copy made. Except as otherwise provided by state statute, the cost for providing a copy of such data shall be in accordance with the provisions of section 1-212.
(b) Except as otherwise provided by state statute, no public agency shall enter into a contract with, or otherwise obligate itself to, any person if such contract or obligation impairs the right of the public under the Freedom of Information Act to inspect or copy the agency's nonexempt public records existing on-line in, or stored on a device or medium used in connection with, a computer system owned, leased or otherwise used by the agency in the course of its governmental functions.
(c) On and after July 1, 1992, before any public agency acquires any computer system, equipment or software to store or retrieve nonexempt public records, it shall consider whether such proposed system, equipment or software adequately provides for the rights of the public under the Freedom of Information Act at the least cost possible to the agency and to persons entitled to access to nonexempt public records under the Freedom of Information Act. In meeting its obligations under this subsection, each state public agency shall consult with the Department of Administrative Services as part of the agency's design analysis prior to acquiring any such computer system, equipment or software. The Department of Administrative Services shall adopt written guidelines to assist municipal agencies in carrying out the purposes of this subsection. Nothing in this subsection shall require an agency to consult with said department prior to acquiring a system, equipment or software or modifying software, if such acquisition or modification is consistent with a design analysis for which such agency has previously consulted with said department. The Department of Administrative Services shall consult with the Freedom of Information Commission on matters relating to access to and disclosure of public records for the purposes of this subsection. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to software modifications which would not affect the rights of the public under the Freedom of Information Act.
(P.A. 75-342, S. 4; P.A. 90-307, S. 3, 5; P.A. 91-347, S. 1, 5; P.A. 97-47, S. 5; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-9, S. 26, 50; P.A. 11-51, S. 76; 11-150, S. 21.)
History: P.A. 90-307 added Subsec. (b) re disclosure of copy of voter registration data maintained in a computer storage system; P.A. 91-347 repealed former Subsec. (a) which had required agencies to provide printouts of data, relettered former Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (a), amending provisions to apply to “public records” instead of “voter registration records”, to substitute “nonexempt data contained in such records” for “voter registration data”, to add clause “if the agency can reasonably make such copy or have such copy made” and to add a sentence re cost for a copy, added new Subsec. (b) re prohibition on contracts and obligations impairing public's right to inspect or copy computerized nonexempt public records, and added Subsec. (c) re agency requirements before acquiring computer system, equipment or software to store or retrieve nonexempt public records, effective July 1, 1992; P.A. 97-47 substituted “the Freedom of Information Act” for “this chapter”; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-9 amended Subsec. (c) by substituting “Department of Information Technology” for “Office of Information and Technology”, effective July 1, 1997; Sec. 1-19a transferred to Sec. 1-211 in 1999; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Department of Information Technology” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Administrative Services”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-150 amended Subsec. (a) to add reference to electronic copy sent via electronic mail and make technical changes, effective July 1, 2011.
Annotations to former section 1-19a:
Cited. 174 C. 308; 181 C. 324; 184 C. 102; 190 C. 235; 192 C. 234; Id., 310; 204 C. 609; 205 C. 767; 206 C. 449; 207 C. 698; 208 C. 442; 209 C. 204; 210 C. 590; Id., 646; 212 C. 100; 213 C. 126; Id., 216; 214 C. 312; 216 C. 253; 217 C. 153; Id., 193; 218 C. 256; Id., 757; 220 C. 225; 221 C. 217; Id., 300; Id., 393; Id., 482; Id., 549; 222 C. 621; 228 C. 158; Id., 271.
Cited. 4 CA 468; 14 CA 380; judgment reversed, see 210 C. 646; 16 CA 49; 19 CA 352; Id., 539; 20 CA 671. Printout copies, not computer diskettes, are appropriate responses to information requests. 22 CA 316. Cited. 29 CA 821; 35 CA 111; 37 CA 589; 42 CA 402; 43 CA 133.
Cited. 41 CS 31; Id., 267; 42 CS 84; Id., 129; Id., 291.
Annotations to present section:
Section does not empower commission to order agency to separate exempt from non-exempt data when request incorporates both and no inquiry is made into whether agency can reasonably separate such data or whether non-exempt data alone would satisfy requester. 307 C. 648.
Subsec. (a):
Applicable to request for digital copy of all fields of information typically produced for every adult within Department of Correction database. 261 C. 86.