Bill > H7181

This bill makes numerous changes to the Access to Public Records Act, including: 1. Clarifying the definition of "public body" to include police departments of higher education institutions and specifying that certain medical, personnel, and other personally identifiable records are not considered public records, with some exceptions. 2. Requiring that final reports of internal affairs investigations be made public, subject to redaction of personal information, and making body-worn camera footage subject to public records requests, with some exceptions. 3. Increasing the civil fines for knowing and willful or reckless violations of the Act from $2,000 to $4,000 and $1,000 to $2,000, respectively, and allowing the court to impose additional fines of up to $100 per day for improper withholding of records. 4. Making certain traffic accident data and information about preferred license plates public records, despite federal laws that would otherwise restrict their disclosure. 5. Clarifying procedures for public records requests, including requirements for public bodies to establish written procedures, allow multiple request submission methods, and respond within specific timelines. Overall, the bill aims to increase transparency and public access to government records, with some exceptions to protect personal privacy and ongoing investigations.