Louisiana Public Records Laws and Regulations

Learn about agencies that control and provide access to public records in Louisiana

Louisiana 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 Louisiana vital records and Louisiana arrest records.

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

1. Laws on Louisiana 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 access to Louisiana public records

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for Louisiana is a law that typically guides access to Louisiana court records and is usually handled by the attorney general's office. Louisiana criminal records may also be obtained from municipal and county courts.
Try: The Louisiana State Legislature provides the complete laws on public records in Louisiana. The Desoto Parish, Louisiana Clerk of Court provides its regulations for accessing public records in that Parish.

Study the laws that affect Louisiana public records on individuals

Public records laws control access to Louisiana bankruptcy records and Louisiana birth records. Some of these records may only be accessible to a designated individual or a party.
Try: The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals summarizes the laws that allow individuals to access their own vital records. The Louisiana Division of Administration provides the procedures needed to obtain birth records under Louisiana law.

Review the Louisiana 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: The Department of Environmental Quality provides a FAQ on the laws regarding the release of government records in Louisiana. The Louisiana Secretary of State provides a variety of policies on the management of public records under Louisiana law.

 

• Louisiana 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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