Section 256-20-070 - Costs of providing copies of public records The following copy fees and payment procedures apply to public records requests made after the effective date of this rule:
(1) Pursuant to RCW 42.56.120(2)(b), the eastern Washington state historical society is not calculating all actual costs for copying records because to do so would be unduly burdensome for the following reasons:(a) The eastern Washington state historical society does not have the resources to conduct a study to determine all its actual copying costs;(b) It is difficult to calculate all costs directly incident to copying records; and(c) To conduct such a study would interfere with other essential eastern Washington state historical society functions.(2)Costs for copies. There is no fee for inspecting public records. The eastern Washington state historical society will charge for copies of public records pursuant to the default fees in RCW 42.56.120(2)(b) and (c). The eastern Washington state historical society will charge for customized services pursuant to RCW 42.56.120(3). Under RCW 42.56.130, the eastern Washington state historical society may charge other copying fees authorized by statutes outside of chapter 42.56 RCW. The eastern Washington state historical society may enter into an alternative fee agreement with a requestor under RCW 42.56.120(4). The charges for copying methods used by the eastern Washington state historical society are summarized in the fee schedule available on the eastern Washington state historical society's web site atwww.northwestmuseum.org. (3) Requestors are required to pay for copies in advance of receiving copies of records. Cost waivers are an exception and are available for some small requests under the following conditions: (a) It is within the discretion of the public records officer to waive copying costs when: (i) All of the records responsive to an entire request are paper copies only and are twenty-five or fewer pages; or(ii) All of the records responsive to an entire request are electronic and can be provided in a single email with attachments of a size totaling no more than the equivalent of one hundred pages. If that email for any reason is not deliverable, records will be produced in accordance with this rule.(b) Fee waivers are not applicable to records requested in installments.(4)Payment. Payment may be made by cash, check, or money order to the eastern Washington state historical society. Before beginning to make the copies, the public records officer or designee may require a deposit of up to ten percent of the estimated costs of copying all the records selected by the requestor. The public records officer or designee may also require the payment of the remainder of the copying costs before providing all the copies, or the payment of the costs of copying an installment before providing that installment. The eastern Washington state historical society will not charge sales tax for copies of public records.(5) The eastern Washington state historical society will close a request when a requestor fails by the payment date to pay in the manner prescribed for records, an installment of records, or a required deposit.Wash. Admin. Code § 256-20-070
Amended by WSR 19-15-017, Filed 7/9/2019, effective 8/9/2019Statutory Authority: Chapter 27.34 RCW, RCW 42.56.040, 27.34.070, and 43.21C.120. WSR 17-07-057, § 256-20-070, filed 3/11/17, effective 4/11/17.