Georgia Public Records: A Guide to Meeting Open Records Requirements and Improving Transparency
In today’s digital communications era, state and local government agencies in Georgia encounter a complex landscape of public records laws. Complying with the requirements of these laws is essential for fostering public trust and ensuring operational efficiency. Discover how Smarsh can be a key partner in navigating this journey successfully.
Why this matters
Compliance with the Georgia Open Records Act ensures transparency and accountability. Failure to comply could lead to penalties and damage to your agency’s reputation. And the situation continues to grow more complex.
According to a recent Granicus Public Records Complexity Benchmark Report, the volume of record requests has risen 94% since 2018, while the quantity of response documents sent to requesters has increased 73%.
Smarsh provides the tools government agencies in Georgia need to handle public records effectively, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to openness and responsibility.
Georgia government agencies and educational institutions utilize a variety of digital communication channels to improve collaboration and engagement with employees and the community.
These communications are all considered public records. Under the Georgia Open Records Act, “All public records shall be open for personal inspection and copying, except those which by order of a court of this state or by law are specifically exempted from disclosure.” As communication methods have evolved, meeting these requirements has become more complex and time-consuming. Government agencies must now capture, store, and produce content from emails, collaboration tools, text messages and social media platforms.
The Georgia Open Records Act: What you need to know
The Georgia Open Records Act and the Georgia Open Meetings Act are both part of Georgia’s Sunshine Laws, a set of laws designed to make government more transparent and accessible to the public. It mandates that the public receives access to the public records of all state and local government agencies, thereby ensuring both accountability and transparency.
Georgia agencies are required to respond to public records requests within a “reasonable amount of time,” defined as three business days. If the records exist and are eligible but cannot be made available in three business days, a written description of the records and a timeline for their availability must be provided by the agency. Failure to comply can result in a penalty of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $2,500 for each additional violation within a one-year period.
Effortlessly comply with recordkeeping requirements
Failure to follow these laws is not an option, as the fines reflect. But beyond the financial cost, agencies also run the risk of legal action and civil lawsuits if public records are not kept, maintained, and made available in a reasonable timeframe upon request.
In today’s hyper-connected world, it is essential for state and local governments to prioritize transparency. Avoiding potential pitfalls is critical to building public trust. By complying with public records laws, agencies show their commitment to openness and accountability. This, in turn, enhances confidence among citizens and stakeholders while improving the agency’s reputation and credibility.
Smarsh is your records management partner
Smarsh offers more than a simple archiving solution – we serve as a trusted strategic partner as you navigate the open records landscape. With the Smarsh platform, you can experience advanced data capture and archiving in one place. Our comprehensive solution integrates data capture, archiving and advanced search capabilities, simplifying records management and ensuring you meet all recordkeeping requirements with ease.
Our robust archive ensures that records are securely stored and easily retrievable, making public records requests a straightforward process.
Whether you’re a small local government office or a large educational institution, Smarsh solutions can be tailored to fit your needs. The platform’s customization capabilities ensure that your processes remain seamless as your agency and records grow. Additionally, powerful reporting tools allow you to generate detailed reports customized to meet the specific requirements of Illinois' public records laws. Stay audit-ready with organized and accessible documentation.
Stay ahead of public record requests
Do not let the complexities of public records laws hold your agency back. Embrace the future of records management with Smarsh. Visit our website to explore our solutions and see how we can transform your recordkeeping strategy.
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Scalable for organizations of all sizes, the Smarsh platform provides customers with compliance built on confidence. It enables them to strategically future-proof as new communication channels are adopted, and to realize more insight and value from the data in their archive. Customers strengthen their compliance and e-discovery initiatives and benefit from the productive use of email, social media, mobile/text messaging, instant messaging and collaboration, web, and voice channels.
Smarsh serves a global client base that spans the top banks in North America and Europe, along with leading brokerage firms, insurers, and registered investment advisors. Smarsh also enables state and local government agencies to meet their public records and e-discovery requirements. For more information, visit www.smarsh.com.
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