Californians have a right under the state Public Records Act to access public information maintained by government agencies.

A request to review District records must reasonably identify the records sought for review in order to enable District staff to locate and make them available for review or copying. 

• Written Requests. Written requests help the District respond to the request and to correctly identify the records requested. Denials of written requests will be provided in writing. When requests are made orally, the District may confirm the request in writing to ensure it has correctly understood the request. Records Request Form

• Records Defined. A record is defined as any document consisting of a “writing” as defined in California Government Code 6252(g). 
   
• Identifying Records. In order to help the District provide records promptly, requesters should provide specific information about the records they seek. When a record cannot be identified by name, the requester should attempt to be as specific as possible in describing the record, based on its content. When a request is not sufficiently specific, District staff will help the requester to identify the information.
   
• Inspection of Public Records. Public records maintained by the District shall be available for inspection during the District’s regular business hours. Members of the public are not required to give notice in order to inspect public records at District offices during normal working hours. However if the request requires the retrieval, review, or redaction of records, a mutually agreeable time should be established for inspection of the records. In order to prevent records from being lost, damaged or destroyed during an inspection, District employees may determine the location of, and may monitor, the inspection.
   
• Processing Requests for Copies of Records. When a copy of a record is requested, and the record cannot be produced immediately, the District will determine within 10 days after receipt of the request, whether to comply with the request, and shall promptly inform the requester of its decision and the reasons for the decision. The initial 10-day period may be extended for up to an additional 14 days if the District needs to inspect voluminous records or retrieve files from storage facility. Whenever possible, the District will provide records at the time the determination is made to disclose them. If immediate disclosure is not possible, the District will provide an estimated date when the records will be available, and will provide the records within a reasonable period of time. 
   
• Copying Fees. The District may charge the direct cost of duplication when it provides copies of records to the public (20 cents per page). The direct cost of duplication includes the pro rata expense of the duplicating equipment and the staff (salary/benefits) required to make a copy of the record. Direct cost of duplication does not include the staff person’s time in researching, retrieving, and redacting the record. When the District must compile electronic data, extract information from an electronic record, or undertake computer programming to satisfy a request, the District may require the requester to bear the full costs, not just the direct cost of duplication. The actual cost of postage will also be charged for those requests mailed to the requester. 
   
• Exemptions. The District will provide access to all public records upon request unless the law provides an exemption from mandatory disclosure. Examples of records exempt from mandatory disclosure under the California Public Records Act include: certain personnel records, investigative records, drafts, confidential legal advice, records prepared in connection with litigation, and information that may be kept confidential pursuant to other state or federal statutes. In most circumstances, when the District removes or redacts exempt information from the record, it will disclose the remainder of the record.
   
• Identification of Requesters. District personnel shall not demand that persons requesting to inspect records provide their identification, or the reasons for wanting to inspect records. However, if records are to be picked up or mailed to a requester, relevant identifying and credit card information must be provided.