This bill amends RSA 91-A:4, IV(b) to require public bodies or agencies to provide periodic updates to requestors when a request is made under the right-to-know law. Currently, if a public body or agency is unable to immediately make a governmental record available for inspection and copying, they must provide a written statement of the time reasonably necessary to determine whether the request will be granted or denied and the reason for the delay. The proposed amendment adds that the public body or agency must make every reasonable effort to fulfill the terms of the written statement. If they are unable to make the record available by the stated time, they must provide an additional written statement of the time reasonably necessary, the reason for the delay, and a description of the progress made on the request and remaining work. If any statement of time exceeds 30 days from the prior statement, the public body or agency must provide a written statement every 30 days.

The fiscal impact of this bill is indeterminable. There is no method to estimate the number of instances where a public body would be required to provide the additional written statements required by the proposed amendment. However, it is expected that providing these additional statements will result in additional administrative costs to state, county, and local governments.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 91-A:4