Allows that public records stored in a computer system, upon request, be provided at no charge.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change Rhode Island's public records law to make it free to receive public records that are stored in a computer system when someone requests them. Currently, government agencies may charge fees when people ask for public records, including those that exist in digital or electronic form. This bill would eliminate those charges specifically for records that are already stored digitally.

The bill would affect anyone who submits a public records request to a Rhode Island government agency — such as journalists, researchers, businesses, advocacy groups, or everyday residents. If the records they're asking for are already in a computer system, the agency would be required to provide them at no cost. This could make it easier and more affordable for people to access government information, since many modern public records are stored digitally.

On the government side, agencies that currently collect fees for fulfilling digital records requests would no longer be able to do so under this bill. This could reduce a source of revenue for those agencies, though the overall financial impact would depend on how frequently such requests are made. The bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island House and referred to the House State Government & Elections Committee, which has held it for further study, meaning it has not yet moved forward in the legislative process.