The bill amends Section 38-2-4 of the General Laws regarding the costs associated with accessing public records. It establishes that the cost for copying written documents shall not exceed fifteen cents ($0.15) per page, while electronic records may be charged at the reasonable actual cost. Additionally, it sets a maximum hourly charge of fifteen dollars ($15.00) for the search or retrieval of documents, with the first hour being free. The bill also mandates that public bodies provide an estimate of costs prior to fulfilling requests and a detailed itemization of charges upon request.

A significant addition to the law is the provision that fees for search, retrieval, or copying of public records will be waived for members of the General Assembly who certify they are acting in their official capacity and require the documents for their legislative duties. This change aims to facilitate access to public records for legislators, ensuring they can effectively perform their responsibilities. The act will take effect upon passage.