Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 12 - Finance and Administration › Part 2 - Public Records Request Procedures › Chapter 1 - Rules for Accessing Public Documents › Rule 12-2-1.8 - Costs of providing public records

Current through June 25, 2024
(a)
Costs for
				paper copies.
Section
				25-61-7(1),
				Miss. Code of 1972, reads as follows: "Except as provided in subsection (2) of
				this section, each public body may establish and collect fees reasonably
				calculated to reimburse it for, and in no case to exceed, the actual cost of
				searching, reviewing and/or duplicating and, if applicable, mailing copies of
				public records."
A requestor may obtain standard 8 ½" x 11" black and
				  white photocopies for $.25 cents per page and color copies for $.50 cents per
				  page. Copy charges for some specific types of records are set by statute and
				  may exceed the amount stated above. Examples of specific DFA copy charges
				  include, but are not limited to, the following:
8 ½" x 11" - $.25 per page
8 ½" x 14" - $.35 per page
11" x 17" - $.75 per page
$15 per hour...........for basic copies or clerical
				  assistance
$15-$75 per hour.......to evaluate, research, redact,
				  reproduce based on the pay scale of the lowest level employee competent to
				  respond to the request
$40 per hour............for technical or professional
				  assistance
$50 per hour................for automated records
				  search
Actual costs.........................for postage, UPS,
				  Federal Express, temporary agency personnel, and reproduction at an outside
				  print facility
The DFA charges $.25 per page for a standard black and white
				  photocopy of a record selected by a requester. A statement of the factors and
				  the manner used to determine this charge is available from the Director of
				  Communications.
Before beginning to make the copies, the requester must
				  pre-pay all reasonably estimated costs of copying all the records selected by
				  the requester.
The Director of Communications or designee may also
				  require the payment of the remainder of the copying costs before providing all
				  the records in an installment before providing that installment. The DFA will
				  not charge sales tax when it makes copies of public records.
The DFA will notify the requester of the costs to obtain the
				  information prior to processing the request. The requester will be required to
				  reimburse the DFA for reasonable costs sufficient to cover the actual expenses
				  incurred by the DFA to furnish the requested information. Payment must be made
				  in advance of the receipt of documents. If the actual cost is higher than the
				  estimate, the requestor will be required to pay the difference before receiving
				  the information. If the actual cost is lower than the estimate, the DFA will
				  refund the difference.
Please note that the following types of public records
				  requests usually require additional research and staff time and can have
				  significant costs associated with filling the request: (1) Requests for very
				  large volumes of material (2) Requests that are too broad (3) Requests that are
				  unspecific in scope (4) Requests for information that have already been
				  archived and (5) Requests for documents that are unusual in size.
(b)
Costs for electronic
				records.
The cost of electronic copies of records shall be determined on
				a case by case basis for information on a CD-ROM. If the DFA office has
				scanning equipment at its offices: The cost of scanning existing DFA paper or
				other non-electronic records is $.25 per page. There will be no charge for
				e-mailing electronic records to a requester, unless another cost applies.
Such costs include, but are not limited to, time of the
				  lowest paid but qualified staff member to evaluate and research the request, to
				  retrieve any relevant files, to organize the information, to notify any third
				  parties, to develop a cost estimate and schedule, to reproduce any requested
				  material, to observe the inspection of records and to deliver the information
				  requested. If necessary, the DFA may engage third parties to perform these
				  tasks. The requester is required to pay the actual costs of these engagements
				  in advance.
(c)
Costs
				of mailing.
The DFA may also charge actual costs of mailing, including
				the cost of the shipping container.
(d)
Payment.
Payment may be made
				by certified check, money order, or corporate check made payable to the DFA for
				the amount specified.
No cash, personal checks, or credit/debit cards can
				be accepted.
(e)
Charges for searching, reviewing and redacting.
The actual cost of
				searching for and reviewing and, if necessary, redacting exempt information
				from public records shall be based upon the hourly rate of compensation for the
				lowest paid agency employee qualified to perform the task, which shall be
				multiplied by the actual time to complete the task.
DFA may require payment in advance for all costs before
				  providing copies or access to records.
Miss Code Ann. §
										25-61-7