Idaho § 74-103 - REQUEST AND Response to request for examination of public records

§ 74-103. REQUEST AND Response to request for examination of public records

(1) All requests to examine public records shall be made to the designated custodian of such records as defined in section 74-101 (3), Idaho Code. A public agency, a public official, or an employee of a public agency shall have no obligation and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation to respond to a public records request that fails to comply with the requirements of this subsection. A public records request must clearly indicate that it is a public records request.

(2) A public agency or custodian shall either grant or deny a resident’s request to examine or copy public records within three (3) working days of the date of the receipt of the request for examination or copying. A public agency or custodian shall either grant or deny a request from a person who is not a resident and not employed by a resident to examine or copy public records within twenty-one (21) days of the date of the receipt of the request for examination or copying. If it is determined by employees of the public agency that a longer period of time is needed to locate or retrieve the public records, the public agency shall so notify in writing the person requesting to examine or copy the records and shall provide the public records no later than ten (10) working days following the person’s request, if such person is a resident, and no later than thirty-five (35) days following a request from a nonresident. Additionally, if it is determined that the existing electronic record requested will first have to be converted to another electronic format by the agency or by a third party and that such conversion cannot be completed within the time allotted for the response, the agency shall so notify in writing the person requesting to examine or copy the records. The agency shall provide the converted public record at a time mutually agreed upon between the agency and the requester, with due consideration given to any limitations that may exist due to the process of conversion or due to the use of a third party to make the conversion.

(3) If the public agency or custodian fails to respond within the time allotted for the response, the request shall be deemed to be denied.

(4) If the public agency denies the person’s request for examination or copying the public records or denies in part and grants in part the person’s request for examination and copying of the public records, the person legally responsible for administering the public agency or that person’s designee shall notify the person in writing of the denial or partial denial of the request for the public record.

(5) The notice of denial or partial denial shall state that the attorney for the public agency has reviewed the request or shall state that the public agency has had an opportunity to consult with an attorney regarding the request for examination or copying of a record and has chosen not to do so. The notice of denial or partial denial also shall indicate the statutory authority for the denial and indicate clearly the person’s right to appeal the denial or partial denial and the time periods for doing so.

[74-103, added 2015, ch. 140, sec. 5, p. 348; am. 2022, ch. 306, sec. 3, p. 976; am. 2024, ch. 107, sec. 1, p. 477; am. 2025, ch. 298, sec. 3, p. 1250.]