AB51 - Revises provisions relating to public records. (BDR 19-430)

REQUIRES TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE (§ 1) A.B. 51 - *AB51* ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 51–COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS (ON BEHALF OF THE NEVADA LEAGUE OF CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES) PREFILED NOVEMBER 19, 2024 ____________ Referred to Committee on Government Affairs SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to public records. (BDR 19-430) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No. Effect on the State: No. ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to public records; authorizing a governmental entity to charge a person who requests a copy of a public record a reasonable fee for the use of its personnel or technological resources; requiring a request to inspect, copy or receive a copy of a public book or record to be in writing and identify the requester; requiring, under certain circumstances, a person who makes such a request to make a reasonable effort to assist the governmental entity in focusing the request; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: The Public Records Act provides that all public books and public records of a 1 state or local governmental entity, unless otherwise declared by law to be 2 confidential, are required to be open at all times during office hours for the public 3 to inspect, copy or receive a copy thereof. (NRS 239.010) Section 2 of this bill 4 requires a request to inspect, copy or receive a copy of a public book or public 5 record to: (1) be in writing; and (2) identify the person who is making the request. 6 Section 3 of this bill makes a conforming change to reflect the requirement for such 7 a request to be made in writing. 8 The Public Records Act authorizes a governmental entity to charge a fee for 9 providing a copy of a public record but such fee generally must not exceed the 10 actual cost to the governmental entity of providing the copy. (NRS 239.052) The 11 term “actual cost” means the direct cost incurred by a governmental entity in the 12 – 2 – - *AB51* provision of a public record, including the cost of ink, toner, paper, media and 13 storage, but the term does not include a cost that a governmental entity incurs 14 regardless of whether or not a person requests a copy of a particular public record. 15 The Public Records Act also: (1) requires a governmental entity to charge certain 16 fees for a copy of a transcript of an administrative proceeding that has been 17 transcribed by a certified court reporter; and (2) authorizes a governmental entity to 18 charge certain fees for information from a geographic information system. (NRS 19 239.053, 239.054) Section 1 of this bill provides that, in addition to any other such 20 authorized fees, a governmental entity may charge a reasonable fee for the use of its 21 personnel or technological resources. Section 1 further provides that in order to 22 charge a fee for the use of its personnel or technological resources, the 23 governmental entity must adopt a written policy that: (1) provides a method for 24 calculating such a fee; and (2) requires the governmental entity to provide written 25 notice to the requester of the amount of the fee before preparing the requested 26 information. 27 Under the Public Records Act, if a person requests to inspect or copy a public 28 book or record or receive a copy of a public book or record which the governmental 29 entity is unable to make available by the end of the fifth business day after the 30 request was received, the governmental entity is required to perform certain actions, 31 including making a reasonable effort to assist the requester to focus the request in 32 such a manner as to maximize the likelihood the requester will be able to inspect, 33 copy or receive a copy of the public book or record as expeditiously as possible. 34 (NRS 239.0107) Section 3 requires the requester to make a reasonable effort to 35 assist the governmental entity in focusing the request. 36 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Chapter 239 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 1 thereto a new section to read as follows: 2 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, and in 3 addition to any fee authorized pursuant to NRS 239.052, 239.053 4 and 239.054, a governmental entity may charge a reasonable fee 5 for the use of its personnel or technological resources in fulfilling 6 a request for a copy of a public record. 7 2. A governmental entity may charge a fee pursuant to 8 subsection 1 only if the governmental entity adopts a written policy 9 which: 10 (a) Provides a method for calculating the fee for the use of its 11 personnel and technological resources; and 12 (b) Requires the governmental entity to provide notice to the 13 requester, in writing, of the amount of the fee for the use of its 14 personnel and technological resources before preparing the 15 requested information. 16 3. As used in this section, “technological resources” means 17 any information, information system or information service 18 acquired, developed, operated, maintained or otherwise used by a 19 governmental entity. 20 – 3 – - *AB51* Sec. 2. NRS 239.010 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1 239.010 1. Except as otherwise provided in this section and 2 NRS 1.4683, 1.4687, 1A.110, 3.2203, 41.0397, 41.071, 49.095, 3 49.293, 62D.420, 62D.440, 62E.516, 62E.620, 62H.025, 62H.030, 4 62H.170, 62H.220, 62H.320, 75A.100, 75A.150, 76.160, 78.152, 5 80.113, 81.850, 82.183, 86.246, 86.54615, 87.515, 87.5413, 6 87A.200, 87A.580, 87A.640, 88.3355, 88.5927, 88.6067, 88A.345, 7 88A.7345, 89.045, 89.251, 90.730, 91.160, 116.757, 116A.270, 8 116B.880, 118B.026, 119.260, 119.265, 119.267, 119.280, 9 119A.280, 119A.653, 119A.677, 119B.370, 119B.382, 120A.640, 10 120A.690, 125.130, 125B.140, 126.141, 126.161, 126.163, 126.730, 11 127.007, 127.057, 127.130, 127.140, 127.2817, 128.090, 130.312, 12 130.712, 136.050, 159.044, 159A.044, 164.041, 172.075, 172.245, 13 176.01334, 176.01385, 176.015, 176.0625, 176.09129, 176.156, 14 176A.630, 178.39801, 178.4715, 178.5691, 178.5717, 179.495, 15 179A.070, 179A.165, 179D.160, 180.600, 200.3771, 200.3772, 16 200.5095, 200.604, 202.3662, 205.4651, 209.392, 209.3923, 17 209.3925, 209.419, 209.429, 209.521, 211A.140, 213.010, 213.040, 18 213.095, 213.131, 217.105, 217.110, 217.464, 217.475, 218A.350, 19 218E.625, 218F.150, 218G.130, 218G.240, 218G.350, 218G.615, 20 224.240, 226.462, 226.796, 228.270, 228.450, 228.495, 228.570, 21 231.069, 231.1285, 231.1473, 232.1369, 233.190, 237.300, 22 239.0105, 239.0113, 239.014, 239B.026, 239B.030, 239B.040, 23 239B.050, 239C.140, 239C.210, 239C.230, 239C.250, 239C.270, 24 239C.420, 240.007, 241.020, 241.030, 241.039, 242.105, 244.264, 25 244.335, 247.540, 247.545, 247.550, 247.560, 250.087, 250.130, 26 250.140, 250.145, 250.150, 268.095, 268.0978, 268.490, 268.910, 27 269.174, 271A.105, 281.195, 281.805, 281A.350, 281A.680, 28 281A.685, 281A.750, 281A.755, 281A.780, 284.4068, 284.4086, 29 286.110, 286.118, 287.0438, 289.025, 289.080, 289.387, 289.830, 30 293.4855, 293.5002, 293.503, 293.504, 293.558, 293.5757, 293.870, 31 293.906, 293.908, 293.909, 293.910, 293B.135, 293D.510, 331.110, 32 332.061, 332.351, 333.333, 333.335, 338.070, 338.1379, 338.1593, 33 338.1725, 338.1727, 348.420, 349.597, 349.775, 353.205, 34 353A.049, 353A.085, 353A.100, 353C.240, 353D.250, 360.240, 35 360.247, 360.255, 360.755, 361.044, 361.2242, 361.610, 365.138, 36 366.160, 368A.180, 370.257, 370.327, 372A.080, 378.290, 378.300, 37 379.0075, 379.008, 379.1495, 385A.830, 385B.100, 387.626, 38 387.631, 388.1455, 388.259, 388.501, 388.503, 388.513, 388.750, 39 388A.247, 388A.249, 391.033, 391.035, 391.0365, 391.120, 40 391.925, 392.029, 392.147, 392.264, 392.271, 392.315, 392.317, 41 392.325, 392.327, 392.335, 392.850, 393.045, 394.167, 394.16975, 42 394.1698, 394.447, 394.460, 394.465, 396.1415, 396.1425, 396.143, 43 396.159, 396.3295, 396.405, 396.525, 396.535, 396.9685, 44 398A.115, 408.3885, 408.3886, 408.3888, 408.5484, 412.153, 45 – 4 – - *AB51* 414.280, 416.070, 422.2749, 422.305, 422A.342, 422A.350, 1 425.400, 427A.1236, 427A.872, 427A.940, 432.028, 432.205, 2 432B.175, 432B.280, 432B.290, 432B.4018, 432B.407, 432B.430, 3 432B.560, 432B.5902, 432C.140, 432C.150, 433.534, 433A.360, 4 439.4941, 439.4988, 439.5282, 439.840, 439.914, 439A.116, 5 439A.124, 439B.420, 439B.754, 439B.760, 439B.845, 440.170, 6 441A.195, 441A.220, 441A.230, 442.330, 442.395, 442.735, 7 442.774, 445A.665, 445B.570, 445B.7773, 449.209, 449.245, 8 449.4315, 449A.112, 450.140, 450B.188, 450B.805, 453.164, 9 453.720, 458.055, 458.280, 459.050, 459.3866, 459.555, 459.7056, 10 459.846, 463.120, 463.15993, 463.240, 463.3403, 463.3407, 11 463.790, 467.1005, 480.535, 480.545, 480.935, 480.940, 481.063, 12 481.091, 481.093, 482.170, 482.368, 482.5536, 483.340, 483.363, 13 483.575, 483.659, 483.800, 484A.469, 484B.830, 484B.833, 14 484E.070, 485.316, 501.344, 503.452, 522.040, 534A.031, 561.285, 15 571.160, 584.655, 587.877, 598.0964, 598.098, 598A.110, 16 598A.420, 599B.090, 603.070, 603A.210, 604A.303, 604A.710, 17 604D.500, 604D.600, 612.265, 616B.012, 616B.015, 616B.315, 18 616B.350, 618.341, 618.425, 622.238, 622.310, 623.131, 623A.137, 19 624.110, 624.265, 624.327, 625.425, 625A.185, 628.418, 628B.230, 20 628B.760, 629.043, 629.047, 629.069, 630.133, 630.2671, 21 630.2672, 630.2673, 630.2687, 630.30665, 630.336, 630A.327, 22 630A.555, 631.332, 631.368, 632.121, 632.125, 632.3415, 23 632.3423, 632.405, 633.283, 633.301, 633.427, 633.4715, 633.4716, 24 633.4717, 633.524, 634.055, 634.1303, 634.214, 634A.169, 25 634A.185, 634B.730, 635.111, 635.158, 636.262, 636.342, 637.085, 26 637.145, 637B.192, 637B.288, 638.087, 638.089, 639.183, 27 639.2485, 639.570, 640.075, 640.152, 640A.185, 640A.220, 28 640B.405, 640B.730, 640C.580, 640C.600, 640C.620, 640C.745, 29 640C.760, 640D.135, 640D.190, 640E.225, 640E.340, 641.090, 30 641.221, 641.2215, 641A.191, 641A.217, 641A.262, 641B.170, 31 641B.281, 641B.282, 641C.455, 641C.760, 641D.260, 641D.320, 32 642.524, 643.189, 644A.870, 645.180, 645.625, 645A.050, 33 645A.082, 645B.060, 645B.092, 645C.220, 645C.225, 645D.130, 34 645D.135, 645G.510, 645H.320, 645H.330, 647.0945, 647.0947, 35 648.033, 648.197, 649.065, 649.067, 652.126, 652.228, 653.900, 36 654.110, 656.105, 657A.510, 661.115, 665.130, 665.133, 669.275, 37 669.285, 669A.310, 670B.680, 671.365, 671.415, 673.450, 673.480, 38 675.380, 676A.340, 676A.370, 677.243, 678A.470, 678C.710, 39 678C.800, 679B.122, 679B.124, 679B.152, 679B.159, 679B.190, 40 679B.285, 679B.690, 680A.270, 681A.440, 681B.260, 681B.410, 41 681B.540, 683A.0873, 685A.077, 686A.289, 686B.170, 686C.306, 42 687A.060, 687A.115, 687B.404, 687C.010, 688C.230, 688C.480, 43 688C.490, 689A.696, 692A.117, 692C.190, 692C.3507, 692C.3536, 44 692C.3538, 692C.354, 692C.420, 693A.480, 693A.615, 696B.550, 45 – 5 – - *AB51* 696C.120, 703.196, 704B.325, 706.1725, 706A.230, 710.159, 1 711.600, sections 35, 38 and 41 of chapter 478, Statutes of Nevada 2 2011 and section 2 of chapter 391, Statutes of Nevada 2013 and 3 unless otherwise declared by law to be confidential, all public books 4 and public records of a governmental entity must be open at all 5 times during office hours to inspection by any person, and may be 6 fully copied or an abstract or memorandum may be prepared from 7 those public books and public records. Any such copies, abstracts or 8 memoranda may be used to supply the general public with copies, 9 abstracts or memoranda of the records or may be used in any other 10 way to the advantage of the governmental entity or of the general 11 public. This section does not supersede or in any manner affect the 12 federal laws governing copyrights or enlarge, diminish or affect in 13 any other manner the rights of a person in any written book or 14 record which is copyrighted pursuant to federal law. 15 2. A governmental entity may not reject a book or record 16 which is copyrighted solely because it is copyrighted. 17 3. A request to inspect, copy or receive a copy of a public 18 book or record must: 19 (a) Be in writing; and 20 (b) Identify the person requesting to inspect, copy or receive a 21 copy of a public book or record. 22 4. A governmental entity that has legal custody or control of a 23 public book or record shall not deny a request made pursuant to 24 subsection 1 to inspect or copy or receive a copy of a public book or 25 record on the basis that the requested public book or record contains 26 information that is confidential if the governmental entity can 27 redact, delete, conceal or separate, including, without limitation, 28 electronically, the confidential information from the information 29 included in the public book or record that is not otherwise 30 confidential. 31 [4.] 5. If requested, a governmental entity shall provide a copy 32 of a public record in an electronic format by means of an electronic 33 medium. Nothing in this subsection requires a governmental entity 34 to provide a copy of a public record in an electronic format or by 35 means of an electronic medium if: 36 (a) The public record: 37 (1) Was not created or prepared in an electronic format; and 38 (2) Is not available in an electronic format; or 39 (b) Providing the public record in an electronic format or by 40 means of an electronic medium would: 41 (1) Give access to proprietary software; or 42 (2) Require the production of information that is confidential 43 and that cannot be redacted, deleted, concealed or separated from 44 information that is not otherwise confidential. 45 – 6 – - *AB51* [5.] 6. An officer, employee or agent of a governmental entity 1 who has legal custody or control of a public record: 2 (a) Shall not refuse to provide a copy of that public record in the 3 medium that is requested because the officer, employee or agent has 4 already prepared or would prefer to provide the copy in a different 5 medium. 6 (b) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 239.030, shall, upon 7 request, prepare the copy of the public record and shall not require 8 the person who has requested the copy to prepare the copy himself 9 or herself. 10 Sec. 3. NRS 239.0107 is hereby amended to read as follows: 11 239.0107 1. Not later than the end of the fifth business day 12 after the dat [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]