[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lawrence
3-13-1978 by resolution. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Notification of defects — See Ch. 130.
A.
The People's right to know the process of government
decisionmaking and the documents and statistics leading to determinations
is basic to our society. Access to such information should not be thwarted
by shrouding it with the cloak of secrecy or confidentiality.
B.
This chapter provides information concerning the procedures
by which records may be obtained from an agency as defined by Subdivision
3 of § 86 of the Public Officers Law. No agency regulations shall
be more restrictive than this chapter.
C.
Agency personnel shall furnish to the public the information
and records required by the Freedom of Information Law, as well as records
otherwise available by law.
D.
Any conflicts among laws governing public access to records
shall be construed in favor of the widest possible availability of public
records.
E.
Agencies shall amend existing regulations or adopt new
regulations to implement the Freedom of Information Law in conformity with
this chapter.
The governing body of a public corporation and the head of an executive
agency or governing body of other agencies shall be responsible for ensuring
compliance with the regulations herein and shall designate one or more persons
as records access officer by name or by specific job title and business address,
who shall have the duty of coordinating agency response to public requests
for access to records. The designation of one or more records access officers
shall not be construed to prohibit officials who have in the past been authorized
to make records or information available to the public from continuing to
do so.
The records access officer is responsible for assuring that agency personnel:
Each agency shall designate the locations where records shall be available
for public inspection and copying.
Each agency shall accept requests for public access to records and produce
during all hours that they are regularly open for business.
In agencies which do not have daily regular business hours, a written
procedure shall be established by which a person may arrange an appointment
to inspect and copy records. Such procedure shall include the name, position,
address and phone number of the party to be contacted for the purpose of making
an appointment.
A.
An agency may require that a request be made in writing
or may make records available upon oral request.
B.
An agency shall respond to any request reasonably describing
the record or records sought within five business days of receipt of the request.
C.
A request shall reasonably describe the record or records
sought. Whenever possible, a person requesting records should supply information
regarding dates, file designations or other information that may help to describe
the records sought.
D.
If the agency does not provide or deny access to the
record sought within five business days of receipt of a request, the agency
shall furnish a written acknowledgment of receipt of the request and a statement
of the approximate date when the request will be granted or denied.
E.
If access to records is neither granted nor denied within
10 business days after the date of acknowledgment of receipt of a request,
the request may be construed as a denial of access that may be appealed.
A.
Each agency shall maintain a reasonably detailed current
list, by subject matter, of all records in its possession, whether or not
records are available pursuant to Subdivision 2 of § 87 of the Public
Officers Law.
B.
The subject matter list shall be sufficiently detailed
to permit identification of the category of the record sought.
C.
The subject matter list shall be updated not less than
twice per year. The most recent update shall appear on the first page of the
subject matter list.
The governing body of a public corporation or the head, chief executive
or governing body of other agencies shall hear appeals or shall designate
a person or body to hear appeals regarding denial of access to records under
the Freedom of Information Law.
Denial of access shall be in writing, stating the reason therefor and
advising the person denied access of his or her right to appeal to the person
or body established to hear appeals, and that person or body shall be identified
by name, title, business address and business telephone number. The records
access officer shall not be the appeals officer.
Any person denied access to records may appeal within 30 days of a denial.
The time for deciding an appeal by the individual or body designated
to hear appeals shall commence upon receipt of written appeal identifying:
The agency shall transmit to the Committee on Public Access to Records
copies of all appeals upon receipt of an appeal. Such copies shall be addressed
to:
Committee on Public Access to Records
162 Washington Avenue
Department of State
Albany, New York 12231
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The person or body designated to hear appeals shall inform the appellant and the Committee on Public Access to Records of its determination, in writing, within seven business days of receipt of an appeal. The determination shall be transmitted to the Committee on Public Access to Records in the same manner as set forth in § 149-14.
A final denial of access to a requested record, as provided for in § 149-15, shall be subject to court review, as provided for in Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
Except when a different fee is otherwise prescribed by law:
B.
An agency shall charge a fee for copies of records, provided
that:
(1)
The fee for copying records shall not exceed $0.25 per
page for photocopies not exceeding 9 inches by 14 inches. This section shall
not be construed to mandate the raising of fees where agencies in the past
have charged less than $0.25 for such copies.
(2)
In agencies which do not have photocopying equipment,
a transcript of the requested records shall be made upon request. Such transcripts
may either be typed or handwritten. In such cases, the person requesting records
may be charged for the clerical time involved in making the transcript.
Each agency shall publicize, by posting in a conspicuous location and/or
by publication in a local newspaper of general circulation:
A.
The location where records shall be made available for
inspection and copying.
B.
The name, title, business address and business telephone
number of the designated records access officer.
C.
The right to appeal by any person denied access to a
record and the name and business address of the person or body to whom an
appeal is to be directed.