Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts
Web Conference
February 21, 2008
Reviewing and Revising Your District’s Public Records Policy
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Ramsey Ramerman Sven Peterson(206)447-4674
[email protected](206)447-5955
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Why you are here
Public Records Act Requires You to Have a policy
2005 Amendments Added New Requirement
Performance Audits Attorney General Model Rules Challenges for Electronic
Records
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
A public record is:
1) Any writing (broadly defined to include all electronic records)
2) Relating to the conduct/performance of any governmental or proprietary function
3) Prepared, owned used, or retained
“Public Records” Are Broadly Defined
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Procedures for Handling a Request5-day response:
Deny request
Fulfill request
Reasonable time estimate
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Redactions and Exemption Log
Redact, not withhold. RCW 42.56.070(1) & RCW 42.56.210(1)
Exemption Log: Title, author & recipient, date, number of pages, exemption and basis for exemption. RCW 42.56.070(1) & RCW 42.56.210(3)
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Act Requires That You Have A Policy
RCW 42.56.040 mandates that you publish your procedures
RCW 42.56.070 requires you to list all exemptions and specify the cost of copies
RCW 42.56.580 requires you to select and identify a public records officer
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Performance Audits
State Auditor auditing agency’s public records responses
Agencies with detailed policies and procedures perform better
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Attorney General Model Rule
Very detailed comments created to assist requesters
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Time BombSeattle Post Intelligencer Tuesday, February 6, 2007
County may pay more in public records lawsuit -- Court orders award raised
The state Court of Appeals said Monday that the nearly $300,000 that the county was ordered to pay Yousoufian in his long-running battle over public records wasn't enough -- and ordered a lower court to increase the amount.
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Goals of Policy
Fulfilling statutory requirements
Providing guidance to staff and requesters
Coordinating Public Records Act policy with other policies
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy
I.A Purpose of the Policy Avoid creating additional
liability
I.C Organization of the District Information required by the
Act.
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy
I.B Definitions
Health Care Information Quality Improvement
Information
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy
II.A.1 Public Records Officer
II.A.2 How to make a request
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy
II.B Procedures for making a request
Large requests Notice to third parties
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy
II.C Exemptions
Employee’s personal information
Drafts
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy
II.C Exemptions (continued)
Quality Improvement Information
Medical Records
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy
II.D Copying records/Costs
II.E Inspection of records
II.F Index
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
A. Procedures for requests
D. Costs
Model Public Records Act Policy Health Care
Information Addendum
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy Health Care
Information Addendum
B. Additional Exemptions
C. Redaction
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Broad definition of “writing” makes almost everything a public record
A.G.’s Model Rule is the only guidance
Model Public Records Act Policy for Electronic
Records
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
1. Intent
2. Definitions Native format Electronically redact Reasonably locatable
Model Public Records Act Policy for Electronic
Records
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
3. Requests for electronic records
Paper as default
Model Public Records Act Policy for Electronic
Records
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy for Electronic
Records
4. Electronic records containing no exempt information
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy for Electronic
Records5. Electronic records containing exempt information
Records Databases
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy for Electronic
Records
6. Customized access
Creating new records Programming Metadata
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy for Electronic
Records
7. Costs
Customized access Copies in electronic format
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
Model Public Records Act Policy
Questions?
Association ofAssociation ofWashingtonWashingtonPublic Hospital Public Hospital DistrictsDistricts
For Further Information
Ramsey Ramerman (Public records, general municipal)
206-447-4674 [email protected]
Sven Peterson(Public records, general health care)
Municipal Research Services CenterPublic Records Act manual
http://www.mrsc.org/Publications/pra06.pdf
Top Related