BILL NUMBER: SB 570 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 24, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 16, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Senator DeSaulnier
FEBRUARY 22, 2013
An act to add Section 6253.32 to the Government Code, relating to
local government public records .
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 570, as amended, DeSaulnier. Local government: public
Public records: copy charges: retrieval.
The California Public Records Act provides that any person may
receive a copy of any identifiable public record from any state or
local agency upon payment of fees covering direct costs of
duplication or a statutory fee if applicable.
This bill would require the forms of payment accepted by a public
agency to include credit card payment or another electronic payment
option, if a request for a copy of records includes a total of 20 or
fewer pages. The bill also
This bill would prohibit a public agency from charging
for copies of records available in portable digital format (PDF), or
for a copy of data that is extracted from a database, if new
programming is not required to extract the data.
By increasing the duties of local public agencies responding to
public records requests under certain circumstances, this bill would
impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes no .
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 6253.32 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
6253.32. (a) If a request for a copy of records includes
a total of 20 or fewer pages, the forms of payment accepted by a
public agency shall include credit card payment or another electronic
payment option.
(b) Notwithstanding any
other law, a public agency shall not charge for copies of records
under either of the following circumstances:
(1) The records are available in portable digital format (PDF).
(2) The records consist of data extracted from a database, if new
programming is not required to extract the data.
SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.