This bill amends Chapter 38-2 of the General Laws, titled "Access to Public Records," to better balance public record access with individual privacy. It expands the definition of "agency" or "public body" to include police departments of higher education institutions and clarifies that electronic mail messages of elected officials are exempt from being considered public records. The bill protects medical records, attorney-client privileged communications, and certain personnel records, while making pension records and initial arrest records public. It also mandates that final reports of internal affairs investigations are public records, with personal identifiers redacted unless necessary for prosecutorial disclosure, and requires police body-worn camera recordings of use-of-force incidents to be made available within 30 days of a request.

The bill reduces the cost of copied public records from fifteen cents to five cents per page and allows for a two-hour free search and retrieval of documents. It also increases civil fines for violations of the chapter and introduces the possibility of daily fines and compensatory and punitive damages for improperly withheld records. Settlement agreements involving a governmental entity are deemed public records, and the attorney general must publish a summary of complaints and actions taken. The bill adds new sections making certain traffic data and preferred license plate names public records, and clarifies the release conditions for 911 calls. Other changes include increased sanctions for violations and the accessibility of certain police reports and body camera footage. The act would take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7181: 39-21.1-17