The Tennessee Public Records Act is adamant that public records should be available.
But that doesn’t mean government entities will make them affordable.
A statewide examination of 259 local government public records policies by the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government found that while almost all stated the government entity will charge for copies of public records, fewer offered the possibility of fee waivers.
Fee waivers
› 67 percent of cities and 58 percent of counties had policies allowing waivers if fees were under a certain amount. Those amounts ranged from 15 cents to $50, with a median of $5.› Only 4 percent of school districts had policies allowing waivers.› 59 percent of cities and 41 percent of counties give records custodians discretion to waive fees.› 3 percent of school districts give records custodians discretion to waive fees.› Within counties, individual constitutional offices may set their own fee policies.Source: TCOG audit
The state’s Office of Open Records Counsel advises government entities that if they choose to charge fees for copies of public records, they should consider waivers in certain circumstances. Its model policy includes optional language for waivers, including a waiver for records determined to be for the “public good.”