Definition of public documents. All records maintained by ODA are public unless exempt from disclosure under Ohio law. All public documents must be organized and maintained in such a way that they can be accessed and copied after proper legal review. In accordance with the Public Records Act (Section 149.43 of the Revised Ohio Code), the ODO defines a “public document” as follows: In general, all ODA records are public, unless they are exempt from disclosure under Ohio law. Therefore, we organize and maintain our public records so that they can be made available for inspection and copying. The ODA Legal Department is responsible for handling all requests for public documents received by the various ODA services and programs. The ODA Public Records Request Form is a useful tool to help you include the most important information in your request. While you don`t have to use the form, it helps the ODA respond to your request thoroughly and quickly. All public documents are subject to legal review and, if necessary, redaction before a response can be given.
In accordance with Ohio Revised Code 149.43(B)(1), ODA will respond to your request for public records within a reasonable time. Any refusal of a request for public records must include a declaration, including legal powers. If parts of a dataset are public and parts are excluded, the exempted parts must be blacked out and the rest published. When making public records available to the public for inspection or reproduction, the ODA informs the applicant of any redaction or makes it clearly visible. If redacted, each redaction must be accompanied by a supporting statement, including legal authority to exclude it as a public document. ODA retention schedules are maintained on the Ohio Department of Administrative Services` RIMS website under apps.das.ohio.gov/RIMS/GeneralSchedule. To get agricultural storage plans, you need to specify AGR (for “agriculture”) and the “calendar” for the specific department you are looking for, and then the retention plans for that particular department of the APD will be displayed. Response time. Public records must be available for inspection during normal business hours, excluding statutory holidays.
The ODA encourages anyone who wishes to view the documents in person to make an emergency call and make an appointment so that appropriate arrangements can be made to accommodate the applicant`s visit. Copies of public documents must be provided within a reasonable time. “Promptly” and “adequately” take into account the order in which public records receive ODA, the volume of records requested, including the time and resources required to provide them; proximity to where the records are stored; and the need for a legal review of the requested files. If you have any questions, please contact the DPA Legal Department at: The DPA maintains various records. The most frequently requested documents include lists of permit holders, licence applications, inspection reports, violations and complaints. To review the document types that are specifically managed by the service, you can access the service`s document retention schedules under apps.das.ohio.gov/rims/SelectMenu/Selection.asp. To get farm retention policies, you need to specify AGR (for “agriculture”) and “schedule” for the specific department you`re looking for, and then you`ll see the retention plans for that particular department of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. ODA records are subject to record retention schedules. The current annexes to the DSA are available on the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) website, apps.das.ohio.gov/rims/General/General.asp, which is readily available to the public pursuant to Section 149.43(B)(2) of the Revised Ohio Code. You can request registrations anonymously.
However, a contact method must be provided so that the ODA can notify you when your records are available. All correspondence concerning food establishment X. You can also apply by calling (614) 728-6430. However, we encourage you to make your request in writing so that we can ensure that you receive the specific documents you are requesting. Costs of copying and mailing public documents. Those seeking public records can only be charged for the actual cost of making the copies and not for labor. The cost of making copies is as follows: while the applicant can determine the format in which the documents are to be submitted for inspection, the ODA is not required to submit the requested documents in a format that is outside the normal scope of its normal registration function or capacity. In addition, the ODA is not required to create records that did not otherwise exist, or to create, for example, a computer program simply to respond to a request for public records. A document in any format, paper or electronic (including, but not limited to, business emails), created, received or under the control of the ODA that documents the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations or other activities of the ODA. Submitting a full application, submitting a request using the Public Records Request Form, and emailing the completed Public Records Request Form are the best ways to expedite responses. Because many files are managed by date, it is imperative to specify a specific date or date range. If you do not specify a specific date range, your request may be denied because it is too wide.
d) Shipping costs. Applicants may request that documents be sent to them. You will be charged for actual postage. (a) paper copies. The fee for hard copies is 5 cents ($0.05) per page. Double-sided photocopies are charged 10 cents ($0.10) per page. There is no fee for requests of 100 pages or less. (c) Electronic transmission of files. There is no charge for documents sent by email or fax. The general laws of the State of Ohio.
The revised Code is divided into 31 general titles, which are divided into chapters dealing with individual legal topics. The chapters are divided into sections containing the text of the individual laws. Laws are collected and published in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC or RC). Ohio law allows the ODA to destroy records according to duly approved retention schedules. The revised Ohio Code 149.43(E)(1) also requires all public entities to keep a copy of all current record retention schedules in a location that is readily accessible to the public. If public records are properly disposed of in accordance with a records retention policy, they are no longer in the possession of the ODA and therefore cannot be made available upon request. The purpose of the ODA is to ensure that all requests for public records are promptly confirmed in writing and responded to within a reasonable time. Model. The policy of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is that openness leads to a more informed population, leading to better government and public policy. Consistent with the premise that government at all levels primarily serves the interests of the people, the mission and intent of the ODO is to respect and fully adhere to the spirit of the Ohio Public Records Act at all times. The ODA may charge for copies and/or delivery or transfer of your records.
In addition, ODA may require payment of both to be made in advance. Before completing your application, ODA will contact you if they intend to bill you for your application. Only upon request or in cases where the documents are too large to be sent by e-mail, a CD with the documents will be sent by registered mail. If the department manages the information in a specific format (for example, Word, Excel, etc.), that format may be made available to you. However, if the ODA does not retain the information in a particular format, or if you have requested a document that a database cannot compile, the ODA is not obligated to create the record for you. If you want to get information spread across multiple documents, you must request those documents and compile the information. Refusal or drafting of documents. Ohio`s Public Records Act requires a requester to describe what they are looking for “specifically and in particular” so that the ODA can identify relevant records based on how records are normally stored. The DPA may reject an application if it is ambiguous or too broad. If a refusal is made, the ODA must give the applicant an opportunity to review the application by informing the applicant of how the ODA normally retains and has access to records.
