Arizona Public Records Laws and Regulations

Learn about agencies that control and provide Arizona public access

Arizona public records laws and regulations provide access to government records like budget reports and meeting minutes. They also allow public access to records on individuals, such as vital records and criminal records.

AZ public records laws can be classified by the type of public records that they affect. These include the three following categories:

1. Laws on Arizona public records that address the way in which these records can be accessed. These laws control issues such as the requirement for providing a reason for the information, specifying fees that an agency may charge and stating the length of time that the state is allowed to respond to a request for information.
2. Laws that specify an individual's information that may be considered public. These laws affect the way in which individuals may access their own information and how they may allow access by another party.
3. Laws that control the government records that the public may access. These laws may be intended to keep individuals informed on government decisions or allow journalists to report on government activity.
   

 

Examine the laws that control Arizona access to public records

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for Arizona is a law that typically guides access to Arizona court records and is usually handled by the attorney general's office. Arizona criminal records may also be obtained from municipal and county courts.
Try: The Arizona State Legislature provides an overview of the public records law in Arizona. The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records provides the Arizona Revised Statutes that apply to public records in Arizona.

Study the laws that affect an Arizona public record for an individual

Public records laws control access to Arizona bankruptcy records, Arizona divorce records and other vital records on individuals. Some of these records may only be accessible to a designated individual or a party.
Try: The Arizona Department of Health Services describes the laws that control the release of vital records in Arizona. Maricopa County provides the legal requirements for obtaining vital records, such as birth certificates.

Review the Arizona public records laws that affect government records

Government records laws allow access to records such as real estate sales, budget reports and meeting minutes. Some government entities may specialize in one particular type of record, while others may provide access to many different types of government records.
Try: Mohave County has the procedures for releasing public records generated by government officials. The Arizona Newspapers Association discusses the open meetings laws in Arizona that provide access to government records.

 

• Arizona public records law is generally guided by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This federal legislation was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966. The FOIA was amended by the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments in 1996, which controls the electronic access the public has to these records.

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