Public Records Requests

Purpose

The Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) is committed to the transparency and document preservation standards embodied in Arizona’s public records laws. According to statute, a public record “[m]eans all books, papers, maps, photographs or other documentary materials, regardless of physical form or characteristics, including prints or copies of such items produced or reproduced on film or electronic media . . . , made or received by any governmental agency in pursuance of law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by the agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations or other activities of the government, or because of the informational and historical value of data contained in the record.” A.R.S. § 41-151(2)(a) (H.B. 2058) (2021).

As required by A.R.S. Title 39, Chapter 1, Article, 2, the IRC is required to promptly produce public records (or make public records available for inspection) in a reasonable time after a request has been made. However, the IRC may deny a request to produce all or a part of a public record when the requested material contains information that is protected from disclosure by federal or state law.

Making Public Records Requests

All requests for public records should be submitted to the IRC’s Public Records Manager. Requests must be submitted in writing utilizing the public records submission process outlined on the IRC website. 

Online:

Public Information and Records Request Form

By mail:

Download this Public information and Request form from here, and mail to:

1110 W. Washington St., Ste. 127
Phoenix, AZ 85007

 

Public Records Fees

As permitted by A.R.S. § 39-121.01(D) (1), the IRC may charge a fee to cover administrative costs and the costs of reproduction and postage for hard copies of records being requested for non-commercial purposes. Additional charges apply to public records requested for commercial purposes. See A.R.S. § 39-121.03.

In person inspection: No charge; however, an appointment must be made with the IRC to review records. Walk-in requests without an appointment will not be honored.

Hard copies: Checks or money orders should be made payable to: Independent Redistricting Commission. All fees must be received by the IRC in advance of the release of records.

Pursuant to Attorney General Opinion No. I86-090 (August 25, 1986), an agency may charge any fee it deems appropriate for copying records, including a reasonable fee for cost of time, equipment, and personnel in producing copies of records subject to public disclosure, but not the actual cost of staff time to search for the records.

The IRC may charge the following rates for copies of public records:

Paper copies:

  • IRC paper records (black and white) $0.25 per page
  • IRC paper records (color copies) $0.75 per page
  • Copies of material in CD format (when necessary) $1.00 each CD (add $0.05/page if material must be scanned & burned to the CD)
  • Scanned documents $0.05 per page
  • Map products; first copy $25.00 each
  • Additional copies $ 7.00 each
  • Specialized computer-generated reports (via printed copy or email) $10.00 first page (each additional page in the document) $0.25 each add’l
  • Electronic database $70.00
  • Postage or Fed Ex if requested items are mailed or shipped Actual cost

Electronic copies: No charge if the documents are already in electronic form. If a request requires the IRC to convert hard copies into electronic copies, a $0.25 per page fee will be charged.

Website: If requested records or materials are available on the IRC’s website, the records are deemed already available to the public free of charge. The IRC does not provide hard copies of materials that are already available for downloading through its website. This does not apply to requests for materials made through a reasonable accommodation request pursuant to the American Disabilities Act or similar laws.

Commercial purpose: Records that are requested for commercial purposes will be charged for the value of the reproduction on the commercial market as allowed pursuant to
A.R.S. § 39-121.03. A “commercial purpose” is defined by as “the use of public record for the purpose of the sale or resale or for the purpose of producing a document containing all or part of the copy,  printout, or photograph for sale, or obtaining of names and addresses from such public records for the purpose of solicitation, or for any purpose in which the purchaser can reasonably anticipate the receipt of monetary gain from the direct or indirect use of such public record.” A.R.S. § 39-121.03(D).

Timing of Response to Public Records Requests

If the requester provides an email address, the IRC will acknowledge the public records request within 2 business days of receipt.

The IRC will make every effort to provide prompt access to and/or copies of public records in a reasonable amount of time. Some requests may be fulfilled in a few days. However, some requests may take longer to fulfill based on the nature of the request, the quantity of records sought, the technological complexity of locating/producing the records, staff availability, the necessity for off-site retrieval, and legal reviews. If a request is expected to take more than 30 calendar days to process, the IRC will notify the requester in writing and provide a reasonable estimate of how much additional time will be required. In such cases the IRC will also strive to produce available records on a rolling basis.

Requests For Information That Does Not Constitute A Public Record

The IRC will make all public records available for inspection or copying; however, the IRC is not required to create records that do not currently exist, such as compiling data or answering questions, in response to a public records request.

Legal Review

In some cases, records may be required to undergo a legal review prior to the release or review of materials by the public to avoid disclosure of information protected by law. Certain personal, financial, or proprietary information may be redacted prior to release. The IRC may also assert recognized privileges, such as the attorney-client privilege, legislative privilege, or the deliberative process privilege, to justify withholding a document from public disclosure. A document may be withheld based on the best interests of the State as well. If the IRC concludes that a request includes information protected from disclosure, the IRC will provide a written response to the requester that identifies the materials withheld or redacted and explain why the information is protected from disclosure.