Section 701.126.11. Records access.

         126.11(1) Location of record. A request for access to a record should be directed to the custodian.

         126.11(2) Office hours. Open records shall be made available during all customary office hours, which are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays.

         126.11(3) Request for access. Requests for access to open records may be made in writing, in person, by e-mail, or by telephone. Requests shall identify the particular records sought by name or description in order to facilitate the location of the record. Mail, e-mail, and telephone requests shall include the name, address, and telephone number of the person requesting the information. A person shall not be required to give a reason for requesting an open record.

         126.11(4) Response to requests. Access to an open record shall be provided promptly upon request unless the size or nature of the request makes prompt access infeasible. If the size or nature of the request for access to an open record requires time for compliance, the custodian shall comply with the request as soon as feasible. Access to an open record may be delayed for one of the purposes authorized by Iowa Code section 22.8(4) or 22.10(4). The custodian shall promptly give notice to the requester of the reason for any delay in access to an open record and an estimate of the length of that delay and, upon request, shall promptly provide that notice to the requester in writing. The custodian of a record may deny access by members of the public to the record only on the grounds that such a denial is warranted under Iowa Code sections 22.8(4) and 22.10(4), or that it is a confidential record, or that its disclosure is prohibited by a court or board order. Access by members of the public to a confidential record is limited by law and, therefore, may generally be provided only in accordance with the applicable provisions of law.

         126.11(5) Security of record. No person may, without permission from the secretary, search or remove any record from board files. Examination and copying of board records shall be supervised by the secretary. Records shall be protected from damage and disorganization.

         126.11(6) Copying. A reasonable number of copies of an open record may be made in the board’s office. If photocopy equipment is not available, the custodian shall permit examination of the record and shall arrange to have copies promptly made elsewhere.

         126.11(7) Fees.

            a.                When charged. The board may charge fees in connection with the examination or copying of records only if the fees are authorized by law. To the extent permitted by applicable provisions of law, the payment of fees may be waived when the imposition of fees is inequitable or when a waiver is in the public interest.

            b.                Copying and postage costs. Price schedules for published materials and for photocopies of records supplied by the board are available from the custodian. Copies of records may be made by or for members of the public on board photocopy machines or from electronic storage systems at cost as determined and made available by the custodian. When the mailing of copies of records is requested, the actual costs of such mailing may also be charged to the requester.

            c.                Supervisory fee. An hourly fee may be charged for actual board expenses in supervising the examination and copying of requested records when the supervision time required is in excess of one hour. The custodian shall provide the hourly fees to be charged for supervision of records during examination and copying. That hourly fee shall not be in excess of the hourly wage of a board clerical employee who ordinarily would be appropriate and suitable to perform this supervisory function.

            d.                Advance deposits.

             (1)             When the estimated total fee chargeable under this subrule exceeds $25, the custodian may require a requester to make an advance payment to cover all or a part of the estimated fee.

             (2)             When a requester has previously failed to pay a fee chargeable under this subrule, the custodian may require advance payment of the full amount of any estimated fee before the custodian processes a new request from that requester.

[ARC 2108C, IAB 8/19/15, effective 9/23/15]