Records of the Commission

PURPOSE: This rule sets forth the recordkeeping requirements of the commission and the availability of these records to the public. Charges for copies are subject to statutory limitations. (1) The secretary of the commission shall keep a full and true record of all the proceedings of the commission, of all books, maps, documents, and papers ordered filed by the commission, of all orders made by each of the commissioners, and of all orders made by the commission or approved and confirmed by it and ordered filed. In addition, the secretary of the commission shall maintain a docket of all cases filed and cases set for hearing and shall assign each matter an appropriate case number. These records shall be available for public inspection in the office of the secretary of the commission, during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, except for legal holidays. The specific hours the records are available shall be posted at the principal office of the commission. (2) Copies of public records (for example, official documents, pleadings, transcripts, briefs, and orders) may be requested from the secretary of the commission. Any such request shall be made in writing. (3) The fees for copying public records shall not exceed ten cents ($.10) per page for a paper copy not larger than nine inches by fourteen inches (9"× 14"), with the hourly fee for duplicating time not to exceed the average hourly rate of pay for the clerical staff of the commission fulfilling the request and the actual cost of research time. The commission shall utilize employees to make copies and conduct the research so that the lowest amount of charges are incurred based on the scope of the request. (4) Fees for providing access to public records maintained on computer facilities, recording tapes or disks, videotapes or films, pictures, maps, slides, graphics, illustrations, or similar audio or visual items or devices, and for paper copies larger than nine inches by fourteen inches (9" × 14") shall include only the cost of copies, staff time, which shall not exceed the average hourly rate of pay for staff of the public governmental body required for making copies and programming, if necessary, and the cost of the disk, tape, or other medium used for the duplication. Fees for maps, blueprints, or plats that require special expertise to duplicate may include the actual rate of compensation for the trained personnel required to duplicate such maps, blueprints, or plats. If programming is required beyond the customary and usual level to comply with a request from records or information, the fees for compliance may include the actual costs of such programming. (5) Copies may be provided without charge or at a reduced charge to public officers for use in their official capacity, or in any other situation where the Public Service Commission determines that waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the Public Service Commission and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester. AUTHORITY: sections 386.300 and 386.410, RSMo 2000.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 240-2.030. Original rule filed Dec. 19, 1975, effective Dec. 29, 1975. Amended: Filed Nov. 7, 1984, effective June 15, 1985. Rescinded and readopted: Filed March 10, 1995, effective Nov. 30, 1995. Amended: Filed July 26, 1999, effective Jan. 30, 2000. Amended: Filed March 2, 2011, effective Oct. 30, 2011. Moved to 20 CSR 4240-2.030, effective Aug. 28, 2019. *Original authority: 386.300, RSMo 1939, amended 1947, 1984, 1995 and 386.410, RSMo 1939, amended 1947, 1977, 1996.