By Lynn Hatter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-955702.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – The Governor's Office is now charging for public records requests. Governor Rick Scott's Communications Director Brian Burgess sent a memo out Thursday, saying the Office of Open Government would start imposing a fee. Lynn Hatter reports.
The Office will now charge for copies, CD's, DVD's in addition to some labor charges. New costs include single and double-sided copies at 15-20 cents a page, CD's at 85-cents each, DVD's at a dollar-fifteen and certified copies at a dollar per-page.
According to the memo, the office has experienced an increase in public records requests, which has taken a toll on its existing resources. The memo also cites a need for legal review for some documents which has pushed costs higher. The new charges go into effect immediately.
The First Amendment Foundation, which watches for Florida Sunshine Law violations, says the fees are legal, though it is a bit of a shock because the office did not charge for services under the previous administration.