PUBLIC RECORDS BILL FACING CRITICS
NEW MEXICO (KSMX) – Proposed legislation that would increase fees charged for public records in New Mexico and potentially limit access in certain cases is being called a “terrible anti-transparency” action by an open government advocacy group.
Sen. Pat Woods, R-Broadview, told the Roswell Daily Record that the main purpose of his proposed legislation is to allow public entities a way to recover the costs associated with fulfilling records requests.
“Essentially this law would increase service charge fees, not to exceed the actual costs. But if there was an extensive use of technological resources or labor, then they could recover those costs,” said Woods, who represents District 7 that covers parts of Curry, Quay and Union counties.
Right now, state law only allows bodies to charge for the costs of copies or digitally transferring files, but not for the costs of compiling the records.
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