V: Q & A — Pa. law provides paper option for electronic files
December 26, 2008 | Filed in: AP Open
Records Series | New RTK
Law
By The Associated Press
Q: What if the public record I want is in electronic form, but I don't have access to a computer?
A: If you specifically request a printed version, Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law requires that the agency provide you with a paper copy of the record.
However, an agency cannot be required to create a record that does not already exist. That means, for example, that a requester seeking the attendance record of officials on a public board might have to sift through copies of the board's minutes and compile the information himself.
Q: What if the public record I want is in electronic form, but I don't have access to a computer?
A: If you specifically request a printed version, Pennsylvania's new Right-to-Know Law requires that the agency provide you with a paper copy of the record.
However, an agency cannot be required to create a record that does not already exist. That means, for example, that a requester seeking the attendance record of officials on a public board might have to sift through copies of the board's minutes and compile the information himself.