This bill amends Iowa's public records law to enhance the process for handling requests for public records. It specifies that the lawful custodian of the records or their authorized designee must acknowledge a request promptly, provide contact information, and give an approximate date for when an estimate of any reasonable expenses and a response will be available. Additionally, the custodian is required to inform the requester of any expected delays in the production of the requested public record.

The bill also clarifies that while the custodian may charge reasonable expenses for fulfilling requests, they should strive to provide records at no cost if the production takes less than thirty minutes. The new legal language emphasizes the importance of timely communication and transparency in the public records request process, ensuring that requesters are kept informed throughout.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 22.3, 22.4