Public Records Law Compliance and Procedures

Arizona Public Records Law is a series of statutes (and court cases that interpret those statutes) that describe public access to government information and that make government agencies (including ASU) accountable to the public by granting a right of access to records. The statutes are available at: A.R.S. § 39-101 to -161 and A.R.S. § 15-1640.

This law applies to all requests to inspect or copy public records pursuant to the Arizona Public Records Law and related applicable authorities.

The term "Public Records" is not defined by statute, but has been interpreted to include all records made or received by public employees in performance of their jobs, including records intended to disseminate information to the public or to create a record of official transactions or government expenditures. In other words, generally a record made by a public officer and kept under a duty of law to serve as a memorial of an official transaction.

Any person is entitled to inspect (during regular office hours) public information (in other words, any public records in the custody of any ASU employee) or be furnished copies, printouts, or photographs of any public record, subject to applicable legal requirements and this policy statement.

Requests can be made orally, in person, or in writing, but ASU encourages requestors to use its public portal at ASU Next Request. Users who sign up for a free account on the Next Request portal can make requests, track their status, pay any charges, and download records all in one location. Alternatively, requests can be directed to the Office of General Counsel at [email protected]. When making a request, please include as much detail as possible, such as the date range of the request, what specific public record or information is being requested, and any other supporting details to assist with identifying the requested records.

Yes. The following exceptions are construed narrowly.

Note: ASU employees are encouraged to consult with the Office of General Counsel before assuming that any of these exceptions apply.

1. Certain statutes provide for confidentiality of records and exceptions to the Public Records Law. Examples include:
   1. student records/FERPA (In general, except for certain directory information, student educational records are exempt from disclosure under federal and state law.)
   2. research records
   3. donor information
2. If the release of a record would constitute an invasion of personal privacy and that invasion would outweigh the public's right to know, then the record may be redacted, and in some cases, withheld from production. For example, Arizona legal authorities have concluded that a person has a privacy interest in his or her birth date and that state employees have privacy interests in their home addresses and phone numbers.
3. If disclosure of a record is detrimental to the best interests of the state, then the record may be redacted, or in some cases, withheld from production.

Except as provided for in ASU SPP 1101 and ACD 811, personnel records shall be treated as exempt from the Arizona Public Records Law.

After a request is made, and before the records are produced, the custodian of the records must determine:

• whether the documents requested are public records
• whether any authorized grounds exist for denying public inspection
• whether a charge should be imposed.

If copies or printouts are requested, the public records must remain in the possession, custody and control of the university employee who serves as custodian of such records.

All requests will be administered within a reasonable period of time in a manner which does not cause disruption of public business. What is a reasonable time and manner must in all cases be a factual determination depending upon the accessibility of the material.

Note: Upon receiving a Public Records Request from a member of the media, contact ASU Media Relations. In other situations, contact OGC.

Once the records are made ready:

1. Records will be available for inspection or copying only during regular working/business hours (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.), Monday through Friday.
2. The requester will be provided adequate space to inspect public records or information at no cost.
3. If a copy charge is assessed the requester will deposit a payment in the prescribed form with the university prior to receiving material.

Yes, ASU can charge to produce copies of records. Furthermore, if the requestor asks for copies to be mailed, ASU may require payment in advance for any copying and postal charges. The following charges apply to all requestors, with the exception of requestors seeking records under the Solomon Act or to make a claim against the United States.  Requestors making a request for either of these purposes should clearly state that they are doing so in their request.

The ASU employee receiving the request will need to ask whether the records are sought for a non-commercial use or a commercial use which will affect the cost to be charged. The Legislature has distinguished between the fees the university may require for commercial and non-commercial requests for copies of public records.

Note: If the university is producing documents pursuant to a subpoena in a civil litigation matter to which the university is not a party, the fee is prescribed by state statute. Also, in this connection, the Office of General Counsel must review and approve disclosure of information required by lawfully issued administrative summons or judicial orders, including a search warrant or subpoena. 

Non-commercial requests

Copying Charges: You will be charged per page (per side) for copies of documents requested. 

There is no charge for the first 50 pages (though multiple related requests by the same requestor may be consolidated and considered as a single request).  After the first 50 pages, electronic copies are 20¢ per page and paper copies (standard-size, black-and-white) are 25¢ per page.  Oversize documents may be subject to additional charges if the actual cost of reproduction is more than 25¢ per page. 

Staff time to prepare copies of documents will be charged in quarter-hour increments at the rate of $25.00 per hour.

Commercial requests

Persons requesting copies of public records for a commercial purpose must provide a certified statement setting forth the commercial purpose for which the records are requested. Upon being furnished a signed certification, the university employee who serves as custodian of the requested records will assess a charge which includes the following:

• a portion of the cost to ASU of obtaining the original or copies of the records;
• a reasonable fee for the cost of equipment and personnel used in producing such record or reproduction; and
• the value of the record or reproduction in the commercial market.

"Commercial Purpose" means the use of public records for the purpose of producing a document containing all or part of the copy, printout or photograph for sale. It also includes the obtaining of names and addresses from public records for the purpose of solicitation or the sale of such name and addresses to another for the purpose of solicitation or for any purpose in which the requester can reasonably anticipate the receipt of monetary gain from the direct or indirect use of such public record. Commercial purpose does not mean the use of a public record as evidence or as research for evidence in an action in a judicial or quasi-judicial body of the State of Arizona, a political subdivision of the State, or the University.

In addition to the copying charges described above, requests for records for commercial purposes will be assessed an additional charge that includes the following:

•  A portion of the cost to ASU of obtaining the original or copies of the records;
• A reasonable fee for the cost of equipment and personnel used in producing such record or reproduction;
• The value of the record or reproduction in the commercial market.

Staff time to search for, prepare copies of, and provide documents requested for a commercial purpose will be charged at actual cost.

If you make a commercial purpose request, you will be contacted with an estimate of the expected charge and asked to provide a deposit before we will proceed to gather the records and review them.

Refer to PUR 206, "Records Storage and Destruction"

The law requires all ASU employees to maintain all records reasonably necessary or appropriate to maintain an accurate record of their official activities.

When ASU receives a Public Records Request, everyone is required to take steps to preserve the requested records.

20 United States Code § 1232g

Arizona Revised Statutes, § 39-121 et seq. and 15-141

ABOR 6-912, Access to or Disclosure of Personnel Records or Information

ABOR 3-803, Bidding and Source Selection Procedures

ACD 811, Access to and Release of Official Personnel Records Information

SSM 107-01, Release of Student Information

SPP 1101, Personnel Records

PUR 103, Confidential Information

RSP 104, Disclosure of Proposal-Award Information