In 1966, the United States government passed the landmark Freedom of Information Act, which mandated how information from government agencies would and should be provided to American citizens. The law initially applied to federal law of the executive branch but was later extended to the legislative branch and then to all 50 states.
The Arizona Public Records Law is the state interpretation of the federal law. Knowing the law, most government officials willingly provide documents to constituents but on occasion, especially when such power to release information is relegated to one or just a handful of officials unfamiliar with the importance of government transparency, documents are harder to come by, necessitating a FOIA request.
If residents and taxpayers are interested in the public records of the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors, Camp Verde Town Council, Camp Verde Fire District, Camp Verde Unified School District, Montezuma-Rimrock Fire District or other government agencies, they are welcome to ask for documents, and if they are not provided, to file a FOIA specifically targeting a narrow focus or time frame, which the government agency is legally required to provide. [American Indian sovereign nations, like the Yavapai-Apache Nation, are exempt from the FOIA and have their own process for accessing their public records.]
Through the Arizona Public Records Law, all officers and public bodies must “maintain records reasonably necessary to provide an accurate accounting of their official activities and of any government funded activities.”
Every American citizen in Arizona has the legal right to access public records. The Arizona Public Records Law “specifically requires that public records and other matters in the custody of any officer shall be open to inspection by any person at all times during office hours.
“Public agencies are required to promptly furnish the requested information. Access to a public record is deemed denied if a custodian fails to promptly respond.”
We investigate public officials as we see fit for our news coverage, but all citizens have the same right to hold their government accountable. Our Founding Fathers and legislators in the decades since knew the only way to keep our leaders honest would be to force governments to open their doors and make sure all decisions made by those in whom we invest the public trust are made fairly, openly and legally.
Truth is exclusive to no one and, as citizens, we deserve nothing less.
