Alaska Public Records Law

= Short Description =

Who is covered?

 * The governor is expressly governed by state law and so are executive agencies.
 * The state legislature is not covered by the public records law.
 * State courts are not covered, the doctrine of separate of powers allows them to set their own internal rules.
 * Advisory boards interpreted to be a "public body" would be covered under the law. Other executive commissions could be excluded from the law.

What is the process like?

 * Alaska does not have a time limit requiring agencies to respond with a certain period of time. The state is allowed to charge fees that include staff time to duplicate records, which means that large records requests can be costly. Requesters are not allowed to require a record be submitted in a specific format. Access to public records is considered a "fundamental right" under Alaska law.

Most recent changes?
= Legislation =

The following are bills introduced in 2011:
 * HB 161 - A bill to provide that information in declaration of candidacy, letter of intent, or nominating petition for a candidate for elective state executive and state and national legislative office is open to public inspection.
 * HB 189 - An act relating to the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation and creating an exception to the public records statute for information provided to the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation; amending the composition of the Joint In-State Gasline Development Team; and providing for an effective date.

= Articles, Blog Posts, etc =
 * Alaska’s public records capability called ‘behind the times’ - Juneau Empire, Jun. 10, 2011
 * Editorial on Public Records - Anchorage Daily News, Jun. 4, 2011
 * Legislator foiled in public records request to state - Alaska Dispatch, Apr. 7, 2011