Citations Affected: IC 5-14-3.
Synopsis: Electronic access to public records. Provides that a public
agency may: (1) deny access to an individual to inspect or copy a
public record on the premises of the public agency; (2) refuse to
provide copies of a public record on paper, disk, drum or other
electronic media; or (3) refuse to deliver a record electronically by
electronic mail or by fax; if the public record may be retrieved
electronically through a web site maintained or sponsored by the public
agency. Provides that a public agency may not deny access or refuse to
provide copies if the records may not be retrieved electronically due to
a malfunction of the public agency's web site. Requires a person
making a request for records to attest, subject to penalties for perjury,
that the person tried to access the public records through the public
agency's web site, but was unable to retrieve the public record due to
a malfunction of the web site.
Effective: July 1, 2011.
January 13, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Government and Regulatory
Reform.
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning state
and local administration.
the web site, but was unable to retrieve the public record due to a
malfunction of the web site.
(b) A public agency may not deny or interfere with the exercise of
the right stated in subsection (a). The public agency shall either:
(1) provide the requested copies to the person making the request;
or
(2) allow the person to make copies:
(A) on the agency's equipment; or
(B) on the person's own equipment.
(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), a public agency may or
may not do the following:
(1) In accordance with a contract described in section 3.5 of this
chapter, permit a person to inspect and copy through the use of
enhanced access public records containing information owned by
or entrusted to the public agency.
(2) Permit a governmental entity to use an electronic device to
inspect and copy public records containing information owned by
or entrusted to the public agency.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (e), a public agency that
maintains or contracts for the maintenance of public records in an
electronic data storage system shall make reasonable efforts to provide
to a person making a request a copy of all disclosable data contained
in the records on paper, disk, tape, drum, or any other method of
electronic retrieval if the medium requested is compatible with the
agency's data storage system. This subsection does not apply to an
electronic map.
(e) A state agency may adopt a rule under IC 4-22-2, and a political
subdivision may enact an ordinance, prescribing the conditions under
which a person who receives information on disk or tape under
subsection (d) may or may not use the information for commercial
purposes, including to sell, advertise, or solicit the purchase of
merchandise, goods, or services, or sell, loan, give away, or otherwise
deliver the information obtained by the request to any other person for
these purposes. Use of information received under subsection (d) in
connection with the preparation or publication of news, for nonprofit
activities, or for academic research is not prohibited. A person who
uses information in a manner contrary to a rule or ordinance adopted
under this subsection may be prohibited by the state agency or political
subdivision from obtaining a copy or any further data under subsection
(d).
(f) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, a public
agency is not required to create or provide copies of lists of names and
addresses (including electronic mail account addresses) unless the
public agency is required to publish such lists and disseminate them to
the public under a statute. However, if a public agency has created a
list of names and addresses (excluding electronic mail account
addresses), it must permit a person to inspect and make memoranda
abstracts from the list unless access to the list is prohibited by law. The
lists of names and addresses (including electronic mail account
addresses) described in subdivisions (1) through (3) may not be
disclosed by public agencies to any individual or entity for political
purposes and may not be used by any individual or entity for political
purposes. In addition, the lists of names and addresses (including
electronic mail account addresses) described in subdivisions (1)
through (3) may not be disclosed by public agencies to commercial
entities for commercial purposes and may not be used by commercial
entities for commercial purposes. The prohibition in this subsection
against the disclosure of lists for political or commercial purposes
applies to the following lists of names and addresses (including
electronic mail account addresses):
(1) A list of employees of a public agency.
(2) A list of persons attending conferences or meetings at a state
educational institution or of persons involved in programs or
activities conducted or supervised by the state educational
institution.
(3) A list of students who are enrolled in a public school
corporation if the governing body of the public school corporation
adopts a policy:
(A) with respect to disclosure related to a commercial purpose,
prohibiting the disclosure of the list to commercial entities for
commercial purposes;
(B) with respect to disclosure related to a commercial purpose,
specifying the classes or categories of commercial entities to
which the list may not be disclosed or by which the list may
not be used for commercial purposes; or
(C) with respect to disclosure related to a political purpose,
prohibiting the disclosure of the list to individuals and entities
for political purposes.
A policy adopted under subdivision (3)(A) or (3)(B) must be uniform
and may not discriminate among similarly situated commercial entities.
For purposes of this subsection, "political purposes" means influencing
the election of a candidate for federal, state, legislative, local, or school
board office or the outcome of a public question or attempting to solicit
a contribution to influence the election of a candidate for federal, state,
legislative, local, or school board office or the outcome of a public
question.
(g) A public agency may not enter into or renew a contract or an
obligation:
(1) for the storage or copying of public records; or
(2) that requires the public to obtain a license or pay copyright
royalties for obtaining the right to inspect and copy the records
unless otherwise provided by applicable statute;
if the contract, obligation, license, or copyright unreasonably impairs
the right of the public to inspect and copy the agency's public records.
(h) If this section conflicts with IC 3-7, the provisions of IC 3-7
apply.