California to Give Agencies More Leeway in Responding to Public Records Requests

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law July 18 that expands the definition of “unusual circumstances,” in which the time for responding to public records requests can be extended by 14 days.
Taking effect Jan. 1, 2025, the new law revises existing rules to include states of emergency proclaimed by the governor, including a global pandemic, or another situation such as COVID-19 where government offices were closed, if the situation affects an agency’s ability to respond to requests in a timely manner.
Existing law as established by the California Public Records Act—passed by the Legislature in 1968—requires government agencies to respond to public records act requests within 10 days with a determination of whether the records exist and if they are disclosable….