(1) Providing "fullest assistance." The public records officer or designee will provide the fullest assistance alongside the most timely possible action to requestors, without excessive interference to other essential functions of the office. The public records officer or designee will process requests in an order allowing the most requests to be processed in the most efficient manner.

(2) Acknowledging receipt of request. Within five business days of receipt of the request, the public records officer or designee will do one or more of the following:

(a) Provide the record or make the records available for inspection or copying, either in hard copy or electronically;

(b) Provide an online link to the record. If the requestor notifies the office they cannot access records through the internet, then the public records officer or designee will provide copies of the record or allow the requestor to view copies;

(c) Provide a reasonable estimate of when records will be available;

(d) Request clarification from the requestor if the request is unclear or does not sufficiently identify the requested records. The public records officer or designee may revise the estimate of when records will be available or close the request if the requestor fails to clarify the request within five business days of notice; or

(e) Deny the request. Denials will be accompanied by a written statement citing specific reasons for denial.

(3) Delayed responses. If the requestor does not receive a response in writing within five business days of submitting the request for disclosure, the requestor should consider contacting the public records officer to determine the reason for the delay and to determine whether their request was received.

(4) Protecting rights of others. If the requested records contain information that may affect the rights of others and may be exempt from disclosure, the public records officer or designee may provide notice to the persons named in the records, before providing records to the requestor. Notice should be given so as to make it possible for those persons named to contact the requestor and ask them to revise the request, or, if necessary, seek an order from a court to prevent or limit the disclosure. The notice to the affected persons will include a copy of the request. Due to these notifications, fulfillment of the request may be delayed.

(5) Searching for records. The office will conduct a reasonable search for responsive records. A reasonable search typically involves the public records officer or designee working with departments across the office to decide where the records are likely to be and how to access them. The office is only responsible for records it creates or maintains and not for records created or maintained by other state agencies or local governments.

(6) Inspection of records.

(a) Consistent with other demands, the office shall promptly provide space to inspect public records. No member of the public may remove a document from the viewing area or disassemble or alter any public records. The requestor shall indicate which records they want copied.

(b) The requestor must claim copies or review the assembled records within thirty days of the office's notification. The public records officer or designee will notify the requestor in writing of this requirement and ask them to make arrangements to collect or review the records.

(c) If the requestor or their representative fails to claim or review the records within the 30-day period or make other arrangements, the office may close the request and refile the assembled records. The public records officer or designee will notify the requestor in writing that the request will be closed within 10 business days if the records are not inspected.

(7) Providing copies of records. After inspection is complete, the public records officer or designee will make the requested copies or arrange for copying.

(8) Providing electronic records. Electronic records will be provided in a format that is generally commercially available. If the requestor notifies the office they cannot access electronic records, then the public records officer or designee will provide paper copies of the record or allow the requestor to view copies using an office computer.

(9) Providing records in installments. When the request is for a large number of records, the public records officer or designee may provide records in installments. If, within 30 days, the requestor fails to inspect or open electronically the entire set of records or one or more of the installments, the public records officer or designee may stop searching for the remaining records and close the request. The public records officer or designee will notify the requestor in writing that the request will be closed within 10 business days if the records are not inspected or opened electronically.

(10) Completion of request. After the public records officer or designee has finished all searches for records, provided all installments of records, and after the requestor has completed any inspections or requests for copies, the office will send the requestor a written notification, closing the request.

(11) Closing withdrawn or abandoned requests. If the requestor either withdraws the request or fails to fulfill their obligations to inspect the records, the public records officer or designee may close the request and indicate in writing to the requestor that the request is closed.

(12) Later discovered documents. If the office discovers additional responsive documents existing at the time of the request, the public records officer or designee will promptly inform the requestor of the additional documents and provide them on an expedited basis.