Sec. 40.25.115. Electronic services and products.

489 words·~2 min read·/ak/title-40/chapter-25/40-25-115

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(a)Notwithstanding AS 40.25.110

(b)—

(d)to the contrary, upon request and payment of a fee established under

(b)of this section, a public agency may provide electronic services and products involving public records to members of the public. A public agency is encouraged to make information available in usable electronic formats to the greatest extent feasible. The activities authorized under this section may not take priority over the primary responsibilities of a public agency.

(b)The fee for electronic services and products must be based on recovery of the actual incremental costs of providing the electronic services and products, and a reasonable portion of the costs associated with building and maintaining the information system of the public agency. The fee may be reduced or waived by the public agency if the electronic services and products are to be used for a public purpose, including public agency program support, nonprofit activities, journalism, and academic research. Fee reductions and waivers shall be uniformly applied among persons who are similarly situated.

(c)Notwithstanding

(b)of this section, the fee for duplicating a public record in the electronic form kept by a public agency may not exceed the actual incremental costs of the public agency.

(d)Public agencies shall include in a contract for electronic services and products provisions that

(1)protect the security and integrity of the information system of the public agency and of information systems that are shared by public agencies; and

(2)limit the liability of the public agency providing the services and products.

(e)Each public agency shall notify the state library distribution and data access center established under AS 14.56.090 of the electronic services and products offered by the public agency to the public under this section. The notification must include a summary of the available format options and the fees charged.

(f)When offering online access to an electronic file or data base, a public agency also shall provide without charge online access to the electronic file or data base through one or more public terminals.

(g)Each public agency shall establish the fees for the electronic services and products provided under this section. The governor may cancel the fees established by a public agency in the executive branch, except the fees of the University of Alaska and the Alaska Railroad Corporation, if the governor determines that the fees are unreasonably high.

(h)A public agency may not make electronic services and products available to one member of the public and withhold them from other members of the public.

(i)A public agency other than a municipality or the Alaska Railroad Corporation shall separately account for the fees received by the agency under this section and deposited in the general fund. The annual estimated balance in the account may be used by the legislature to make appropriations to the agency to carry out the activities of the agency.