(1) No fee shall be charged for the inspection of public records.

(2) The following copy fees and payment procedures apply to requests to the authority under chapter 42.56 RCW:

(a) Pursuant to RCW 42.56.120 (2)(b), the authority is not calculating all actual costs for copying records because to do so would be unduly burdensome for the following reasons:

(i) The authority does not have the resources to conduct a study to determine all of its actual copying costs;

(ii) To conduct such a study would interfere with other essential agency functions; and

(iii) Through the 2017 legislative process, the public and requesters have commented on and been informed of authorized fees and costs, including for electronic records, provided in RCW 42.56.120 (2)(b) and (c), (3), and (4).

(b) The authority will charge for copies of records pursuant to the default fees in RCW 42.56.120 (2)(b) and (c). The authority will charge for customized services pursuant to RCW 42.56.120(3). Under RCW 42.56.130, the authority may charge other copy fees authorized by statutes outside of chapter 42.56 RCW. The authority may enter into an alternative fee agreement with a requester under RCW 42.56.120(4).

(3) The authority may agree to provide copies without fee to federal, state, local, or tribal governments, or to others, when doing so is in the best interest of the authority.