Walton County public records requests can be costly

Since new public records laws have been enacted in different states, along with the apparent benefits for public as far as open government concerns there also came concerns about the abuses happening now and then with some people filing unreasonable number of requests for public records, which have no legal grounds to be rejected. While there's no talking about reversing the new laws towards restricting access to the information again, new mechanisms need to be invented to fight unnecessary and often senseless requests, since fulfilling such requests involves work by employees that has to be paid for, of course. Some steps that would indirectly force citizens think before asking for the information have been adopted in Florida. Starting this month, any person filing a public records request for FL Walton County public records will have further on to pay more money for the information, when the search for such information can be characterized as requiring "extensive" research and work. The Walton County commissioners have just approved a resolution requiring a charge for the initial 30 minutes of search made in order to complete a request. It is hoped that this will reduce the number of requests whose sole purpose must be distracting public employees from performing their duties in a normal way.