Bill > HB1306

This bill amends North Dakota's open records request law to provide more detailed guidelines for public entities when responding to requests for public records. The bill clarifies that initial requests can be made verbally or in writing and that public entities cannot ask requesters about their motives or identity. It establishes specific fee structures for copying records, including charging up to 25 cents per paper copy (defined as documents up to 8.5 by 14 inches), and allows reasonable fees for non-paper copies based on actual production costs. The bill permits entities to charge for postage and can require prepayment before processing requests. Public entities may now impose a fee of up to $25 per hour (after the first hour) for locating and redacting records. Importantly, the bill includes a provision that each citizen is entitled to one free records request per year that takes less than 40 hours to produce. The law also allows entities to withhold records if a requester has outstanding balances from previous requests and can collaborate with other entities to fulfill complex copying needs. The goal is to balance transparency with the administrative costs of processing public records requests.

Military Affairs and Security

https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo1306.html