(a) Upon a written request for a copy or inspection of records, an auxiliary organization shall determine, within 10 calendar days from the receipt of the request, whether the request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable records maintained by the auxiliary organization and shall notify the requester in writing without undue delay of the determination and the reasons therefor.

(b) (1) In unusual circumstances, the time limit prescribed in this section may be extended by a written notice by the head of the auxiliary organization, or his or her designee, to the person making the request that sets forth the reasons for the extension and the date on which a determination is expected to be sent. That notice shall not specify a date that would result in an extension of more than 14 days. When the auxiliary organization sends the determination, and if the auxiliary organization determines that the request seeks disclosable public records, the auxiliary organization shall state the estimated date and time when the records will be made available.

(2) As used in this section, “unusual circumstances” means the following, but only to the extent reasonably necessary to the proper processing of the particular request:

(A) The need to search for and collect the requested records from field facilities or other establishments that are separate from the office processing the request.

(B) The need to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records that are demanded in a single request.

(C) The need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another agency having a substantial interest in the determination of the request or among two or more components of the agency having a substantial subject matter interest therein.

(D) The need to compile data, to write programming language or a computer program, or to construct a computer report to extract data.

(c) An auxiliary organization shall justify withholding a record by demonstrating that the record is exempt from disclosure by law, or that, on the facts of the particular request, the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record.

(d) A response to a written request for inspection or copies of public records that includes a determination that the request is denied, in whole or in part, shall be in writing and shall set forth the names and titles or positions of each person responsible for the denial.

(e) This article shall not limit access to a public record on the basis of the purpose for which the record is being requested, if the record is otherwise subject to disclosure.

(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 247, Sec. 1. (SB 8) Effective January 1, 2012.)