Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 22 - Public Records Request › Chapter 1 - Rules for Assessing Public Documents › Rule 18-22-1.6 - Costs of providing public records

Current through June 25, 2024
A.
Cost of
				production of records.
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." The following table sets out MDHS Public Records reimbursement
				  rates.
8 ½" x 11" ..$.15 per page (black and white)
							 $.52 per page (color copies)
8 ½" x 14" ..$.50 per page (black and white)
							 $.87 per page (color copies)
11" x 17" ..$.75 per page (black and white) $.1.12
							 per page (color copies)
Electronic copies on flash drive provided by
							 MDHS:
16GB ..$11.38
(actual cost of flash drive only)
32GB ..$13.13
......................................
64GB ..$20.39
......................................
128GB ...$33.16
......................................
256GB ...$53.04
Actual time of lowest paid employee who could access
							 and or compile and produce the records will be charged for: copying, scanning,
							 research, reproduction, technical or professional assistance, automated records
							 search, and legal review if necessary.
Actual costs will be charged for: packaging and
							 postage, any shipping charges, or reproduction at an outside print facility if
							 requested and/or approved by the requester.
1) An
				explanation of standard commercial pricing used to determine this charge is
				available from the Public Records Officer if requested.
2) Before beginning to make the copies, the
				requestor must pre-pay all reasonably estimated costs of copying all the
				records selected by the requestor. The Public Records Officer 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. MDHS will
				not charge sales tax when it makes copies of public records.
3) When the time to compile the records will
				likely be more than one hour, MDHS will notify the requestor of the estimated
				cost to obtain the requested records prior to compiling the documents. The
				requestor will be required to reimburse MDHS for reasonable costs sufficient to
				cover the actual expenses incurred by MDHS 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, MDHS will refund the difference if a deposit is made
				before the records are compiled.
4)
				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:
a. Requests for
				very large volumes of materials;
b.
				Requests that are too broad or unspecific in scope
c. Requests for information that have already
				been archived; and
d. Requests for
				documents that are unusual in size.