Miss. Code. tit. 30, pt. 1001, ch. 2 - Public Records Requests

Excluding records exempted under Mississippi law, the Board responds to public records requests pursuant to the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-1, et seq. in accordance with the following procedures:

A. Requests for public records must be made in writing and submitted to the Mississippi Board of Registration for Foresters by mail to the attention of "Requests for Public Records," at Post Office Box 1884, Jackson, MS 39215-1884.

B. A request for a public record should describe in reasonable detail the records sought and, if possible, include a clear and concise description of the record desired including pertinent information such as names, date, etc. that may aid the Board in locating the requested record(s).

1. The Board has no duty to create a record to respond to a public records request.

2. A public records request is one for an identifiable record and is not a request for information.

C. The Board shall either produce or deny production of the records sought within seven (7) business days after receipt of the request. In no event shall the production of documents responsive to a public records request exceed fourteen (14) business days from the date of receipt of the request.

D. Pre-payment by the requesting party of cost estimated by the Board to review, search, duplicate and/or copy the requested records shall be required. All fees charged in advance by the Board shall be intended to reimburse the Board, and in no case, shall exceed, the actual cost incurred by the Board to research, review, duplicate, copy and/or mail, if applicable, the records responsive to the request.

E. If the requested records are exempt or privileged under applicable law, the Board shall deny the request.

1. Applications for licensure, test questions and applicant recommendations in the possession of the Board are exempt from the Public Records Act pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 73-52-1.

2. If any public record contains both exempt and non-exempt material, the Board shall redact the exempted material and produce the nonexempted material for inspection, examination, copying or reproduction.

3. Records provided to the Board by third parties which contain trade secrets, or confidential commercial or financial information shall not be subject to inspection, examination, copying or reproduction until notice has been given to the third parties. Unless subject to other exemption(s) or privilege, said records shall be released no later than twenty-one (21) days from the date the third parties are given notice by the Board unless the third parties have filed in chancery court a petition seeking a protective order on or before the expiration of the twenty-one-day period.

F. In the event a public records request is denied, the Board shall provide a written explanation to the requestor stating, with specificity, the reason(s) for the denial of the production of the requested records.

Notes

Miss. Code. tit. 30, pt. 1001, ch. 2

Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-61-5, 25-61-9, 73-52-1, and 73-13-19(1)(a)

Adopted 7/20/2023