SECTION 612:1-17-1. Access to DRS records

(a)   Rights. The Oklahoma Open Records Act is codified in 51 O.S. 24A.1 through 24A.18. In general the purpose of this Act is to ensure and facilitate the public's right of access to, review and copying of governmental records. The scope of the records to be maintained is expanded under the Act to include completed records of all business and financial transactions. The description of records to be maintained specifically includes books, photographs, microfilm, computer tapes or disks, video records, or "other material regardless of physical form or characteristic".

(b)   Fee exclusions and fees. Provisions for copying and search fees are contained in the statute, with these exceptions being noted: no copy fee is charged to other public entities, to applicants, recipients or their representatives, or employees or former employees seeking information from their case file or employment records; and no search fee is charged to news media, schools, authors, or "taxpayers seeking to determine whether those entrusted with the affairs of its government are honestly, faithfully, and competently performing their duties as public servants." The fees listed in (1) - (4) of this Subsection may stand alone or be charged in combination. For example, a person may be charged a search fee in addition to a fee for photocopying.

(1)   Fees for photocopying. The Department has established a fee schedule for documents having the dimensions of 8 1/2 x 14 inches or smaller; if less than 10 pages, 25 cents per page, between 10 and 100 pages, 10 cents per page, and over 100 pages, 5 cents per page, or a maximum of one dollar ($1.00) per copied page for a certified copy.

(2)   Fees for search. Requests that are for a commercial purpose or clearly would cause excessive disruption of office function will be charged a search fee of $25.00 per hour for staff time spent in the search.

(3)   Fees for other types of reproduction. Requests for computer runs, microfilming or reproduction other than photocopying, will be charged at the cost to the Department of duplicating the information involved. Such requests are to be forwarded to the State Office where the fee will be developed with the appropriate division.

(4)   Payment of fees. All fees are paid prior to delivering the copies, and if the request is for search only, the fee is paid before the person is allowed to review the material. All fees are paid by check or money order; cash is not accepted. The fee payment is transmitted to the State Office, Attention Financial Services Division. In addition, a receipt is to be given upon payment. A copy of the manual material is maintained to explain the fee schedules to interested persons.

[Source: Added at 10 Ok Reg 4607, eff 9-1-93 (emergency); Added at 11 Ok Reg 2425, eff 7-1-94; Amended at 13 Ok Reg 2233, eff 8-1-96; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 1790, eff 7-1-98; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 1580, eff 7-1-10; Amended at 36 Ok Reg 1183, eff 8-11-19]