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WHAT'SNOTCOVERED. Employees' rivatepapers, unless hey "r+'

lat[e] o the conduct of the public's business[and are] prepared, wned, used, or retainedby he agency." S 6252(e))

. Computer oftware developed y a state orlocalagency .. nclud[ing] omputermappingsystems, omputer rograms, nd computergraphic ystems," SS 6254.9(a),(b))

. Records not yet in existence: The PRA ccnrers only ecords hat already xist,and anagency annot be required o create a record,list,or compilation. Rolling equests" or u-ture-generated ecords are not permitted.

RECORDS XEMPT ROMDISCLOSUREThe Act exempts ertain ecords rom disclosurein whole or in part. This does not mean hey arenot public ecords or that disclosure s prohibited.An agency may withhold he records, ut canallowgreater ccess f it wishes. ($ 6253(e)).However, selective" r "favored" ccess s prohibited; nce t is disclosed o one requester, herecord s public or all. (S 6254.5) Manycategories of records re exempt, ome by the Act tself,($$ 6254(a)-(z)) nd some by other aws $$6275-6276.48). hese nclude:

Attorney-Client iscussions are confiden-tial,even f the agency s the client, but heagency not he lawyer) may waive secrecy.($s 6254(k),6254.25, 276.04)Appointment alendars nd applications,phone ecords, nd other ecords which m-pair he dellberative rocess by revealingthe thought process f government ecision-

makers may be withheld nly f "the public n-terest served by not making he record[s]publicclearly outweighs he public nterestserved by disclosure f the record[s]." $6255;Times Mirror . Superior t., 53 Cal.3d1325 1991); FAC . Superior t . , 67Cal.App.4th 59 1998); ogers . SuperiorCt., 19 Cal.App.4th 69 (1993)) f the nterestin secrecy oes not clearly outweigh he in-terest n disclosure, he records must be dis-closed, whatever he ncidental mpact onthe deliberative rocess.' Times Mirror .SuperiorCt.) The agency must explain, otmerely tate, why the public nterest oes notfavor disclosure.

Preliminary drafts, notes and memos may bewithheld nly f: (1) hey are "not etained...in heordinary ourse f business" nd (2) "the publicinterest n withholding learly utweighs he puFlic nterest n disclosure." Drafts re not e

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CaliforniaPublic Records ActGow. CoDE S6250 6276.48

THE BASICSThe Public Records Act s designed o give hepublicaccess o information n possession fpublic gencies: public ecords re open oinspection t all imes during he office hours ofthe...agency nd every person as a right oinspect ny public ecord, except as . . , prGvided, and o receive] n exact copy"of anidentifiable ecord unless mpracticable. $6253). Specific xceptions o disclosure relisted n sections 253.2,6253.5, 253.6, 254,6254.1-6254.22, 255, 6267, 6268, 6276.02-6276.48; o ensure maximum ccess, hey areread narrowly. The agency always bears heburden of ustifying ondisclosure, nd "anyreasonably egregable ortion . . shall beavailable or nspection...after eletion f heportions hichare exempt." S 6253(a))

WHO'S COVERED. All state and ocal agencieq ncluding:1)

any officer, ureau, r department.; 2) any"board, ommission r agency" reated ythe agency including dvisory oards); nd(3) nonprofit ntities hat are egislative od-ies of a local agency. ($ 6252(a),(b)).Manystate and regional gencies re required ohave writtenpublic ecord policies. list4-pears n S 6253.4.

WHO'SNOTCOVERED. Courts except temized tatements f total

expenditures nd disbursement). gg6252(a),6261)

. The Legislature. S6252) See Legislative OpenRecords Act, Govt.Code gg 907G9080.

o Private on-profit orporations nd entities.r Federal gencies. See Federal Freedom

Of Information ct, 5 U.S.C. 552.

AccEsg Tlp c Look o acess hwe (e.9. Legislative penRecotds Ad, IRS ules, courtcases) hat prmit nspectionand copying f records f agencies ot subjec* o the PublicRecords d. Many ocaljurisdic{ionslsohave Sunshine"laws hat grant reater ighbof access o r6ords.

WHAT'S COVEREDo "Records" nclude ll communications lated o

public usiness regardless fphysicalform rcharacteristics, ncluding ny writing, bture,sound, r symbol, hether aper,...,magnetic rother media." S 6252(e)) Electronic ecords reincluded, ut software may be exempt. gg6253.e(a),(s), 254.e a), d) )

WHATMUSTHAPPENo Access is immediate and allowed t all imesduringbusiness ours. S 6253(a)) Staff neednot disrupt operations o allow mmediate -cess, but a decision whether o grant accessmust be prompt. An agency may not adopt ulesthat imit he hours ecords re open or viewingand nspection. SS 253(d); 253.4(b))

. The agency must provide assistance by helping o identiff ecords and nformation elevant othe request nd suggesting ays o overcomeany practical asis or denying acess. ($6253.1)

o An agency has 10 days o decide f copbswill be provided ln "unusual" ases request s"voluminous," eeks ecords held off-site,ORrequires onsultation ithother agercies), heagency may, upon writtennotice o the request-ers, give tself n additional 4days o espond.($ 6253(c)) These ime periodsmay not be usedsolely o delay access o the records. g 6253(d))

o The agency may never make rccords avail-able only in electronlc orm. (g 62S3.9(e)

o Access is always rce. Fees or "inspection" r'processing' are prohibited. S 6253). Copy costs are llmited o "statutory fees" set

by the Legislature not by locat ordinance) r the"direct ost of duplication" , sually 0 o 25 centsper page. Charges or search, eview or del+tionare not allowed. S 6253(b); orthCountyParents . D.O.E., 3 Cal.App.4th M (1994)) fa request or electronic ecords ither 1) s for arecord normally ssued only periodicalty, r (2)requires ata compilation, xtraction, r prGgramming, opying osts may nclude he cost ofthe programming. g 6253.9(a),(b))

r The agency must usUfy he withholding ofany record by demonstrating hat he record sexempt or that he public nterest n confidential-

ityoutweighs he public nterest n disctosure. g6255)

AccEss Tlp c Always sk or both opiesand cess;after nspeclion ouctn educe he copy eguest andassociated osts) o he materials ou need.

REQUESTING PUBLIC RECORDS. Plan your request; nowwhat exemptions

may apply.r Ask nformally efore nvoking he law. f

necessary, se this guide o state your rightsunder he Act.

r Don'task he agency o create a record orlist .

o A written equest s not required, ut mayhelp f your request s complex, r you antici-pate rouble.

. Put date imits on any search.r lf the agency claims he records on't exist,

ask what ileswere searched; fferanysearch lues you can.

o Limitpre-authorized osts or ask or a costwaiver), nd pay onlycopying harges.o Demand written esponse within 10 days.

IF YOURREQUESTS DENIED. Keepa log of to whun youspeak and he

stated eason or he denial,. Employhe icllontingixetep DENIALtrdegy:

D = Dl*retlonary: Exemptions repermis-sive,nevermandatory. sk he agency f t willwaive he exemption nd elease he ecord.E = Explanatlon: nsist hat he agency (-plain n a written enialwhy he exemptionapplies o he equested ecord.N = NarrcwAppllcatlon: heActhvors a-cess. Exemptions ustbe nanowly sstrued.| = solate: Request lre elease f anynon-

exempt ortions fthe record,A = Appeal:Strate our ights, ing thisguide,and ask o speak o a higher (pncycfficial.L = Lawsuit Filesuit o enforce our ights.lfyouwin, he agencymustpayyour ostsand egal ees, ($6259(d)); etth . Gara-mendi232 al.App.3d96 1991).

r Wite a news tory r Letterto he Edtoraboutthe denial.

r Consult oursupervisor r awyer, r contactone of he groups isted n hisbrochure,