The bill revises the Inspection of Public Records Act in New Mexico by introducing new exemptions from public record inspection and updating definitions and procedures. Key insertions include exemptions for medical records, personal email addresses and phone numbers provided to public bodies, security system records, cybersecurity information, and the identities of individuals who report abuse or neglect. It also clarifies that while law enforcement records are generally public, there are additional protections for the identities of victims, witnesses, confidential informants, and undercover officers. New definitions such as "critical infrastructure" and "cybersecurity information" are established, and the bill emphasizes the need to balance public access to information with the protection of sensitive data.

Additionally, the bill modifies the procedures for requesting public records, requiring written requests and mandating custodians to respond within twenty-one business days. It allows custodians to charge fees for copying records and outlines conditions for fee application. The bill also establishes a framework for enforcement, enabling individuals to pursue legal action against public bodies for unjustified denial of requests, while ensuring that actions must be brought against the public body rather than individual custodians. Furthermore, it clarifies the conditions under which a public body can be held accountable for failing to produce records and modifies the court's authority to award damages, costs, or attorney fees only if the requester demonstrates that the public body did not act in good faith.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 14-2-1, 14-2-1.2, 14-2-6, 14-2-8, 14-2-9, 14-2-11, 14-2-12