1. Not later than the end of the fifth business day after the date on which the person who has legal custody or control of a public book or record of a governmental entity receives a written or oral request from a person to inspect, copy or receive a copy of the public book or record, a governmental entity shall do one of the following, as applicable:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, allow the person to inspect or copy the public book or record or, if the request is for the person to receive a copy of the public book or record, provide such a copy to the person.

(b) If the governmental entity does not have legal custody or control of the public book or record, provide to the person, in writing:

(1) Notice of the fact that it does not have legal custody or control of the public book or record; and

(2) The name and address of the governmental entity that has legal custody or control of the public book or record, if known.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d), if the governmental entity is unable to make the public book or record available by the end of the fifth business day after the date on which the person who has legal custody or control of the public book or record received the request:

(1) Provide to the person, in writing, notice of the fact that it is unable to make the public book or record available by that date and the earliest date and time after which the governmental entity reasonably believes the public book or record will be available for the person to inspect or copy or after which a copy of the public book or record will be available to the person. If the public book or record or the copy of the public book or record is not available to the person by that date and time, the governmental entity shall provide to the person, in writing, an explanation of the reason the public book or record is not available and a date and time after which the governmental entity reasonably believes the public book or record will be available for the person to inspect or copy or after which a copy of the public book or record will be available to the person.

(2) Make a reasonable effort to assist the requester to focus the request in such a manner as to maximize the likelihood the requester will be able to inspect, copy or receive a copy of the public book or record as expeditiously as possible.

(d) If the governmental entity must deny the person’s request because the public book or record, or a part thereof, is confidential, provide to the person, in writing:

(1) Notice of that fact; and

(2) A citation to the specific statute or other legal authority that makes the public book or record, or a part thereof, confidential.

2. If a public book or record of a governmental entity is readily available for inspection or copying, the person who has legal custody or control of the public book or record shall allow a person who has submitted a request to inspect, copy or receive a copy of a public book or record as expeditiously as practicable.

(Added to NRS by 2007, 2061; A 2013, 321; 2019, 4006)