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Section 1. Purpose:  To implement Article XII, Section 16 Amended Charter of City of Tulsa.

Section 2. Statement of Policy:  The City of Tulsa shall fully comply with the Oklahoma Open Records Act (“State Act”) (tit. 51, Okl. Stat., § 24A.1, et seq.), as said Act presently exists or may hereafter be amended by the Oklahoma Legislature.  As defined by and subject to the requirements and limitations expressed in the State Act, all records of the City of Tulsa, its departments, boards, authorities and commissions shall be open for inspection, copying and/or mechanical reproduction during regular business hours.

Section 3. Appointment of Record Custodians:  Every department and every board, authority and commission of the City of Tulsa (“City public body”), shall designate in writing one or more record custodians who are authorized to release its public records.  Record custodian appointments shall be sufficient in number to ensure that at least one authorized person is available at all times to release public records during regular business hours.  Every City department and City public body having parts of its public records at locations remote from its main administrative office shall post at each remote location a public notice which identifies the location where its appointed record custodian(s) is located for the purpose of receiving any request presented under the Open Records Act.  The appointment of record custodians shall be posted for public view at the main administrative office of each City department and City public body.

Section 4.  Open Record Requests:  Excluding documents or records specifically prepared for public distribution by any City department or City public body, all requests for City public records shall be in writing, either in letter form or utilizing a standardized open records request form furnished by the City.  Open Records Act request forms shall be available for public use at the main administrative office of every City department and City public body.  All record requests must describe the records which are the subject of the request to a degree that the record custodian can be reasonably certain that the records produced for inspection, copying and/or mechanical reproduction are fully responsive to the presented request.  Vague, open-ended or all-inclusive record production requests shall not be accepted for processing.  In any instance where a record custodian cannot process a presented records request, the custodian shall explain to the requesting party the circumstances preventing processing.  All document requests shall be retained by each record custodian for three calendar years.

Section 5.  Processing Record Requests:  The production of records responsive to a presented request shall be handled promptly by record custodians.  The date and time when a request is presented and the date and time when the requested records are produced shall be noted on the processed record request.  The processing of a record request, in all cases, shall ensure the integrity and security of City records, and every request shall be processed in a manner which prevents excessive disruption of the essential functions of the office in which the records are maintained. 

Section 6.  Scope of Records Search:  The appointment of a record custodian within a City department, office, board, authority or commission shall be effective to include only those records maintained by the City public body responsible for the custodian’s appointment.  In no instance shall a record custodian be responsible for the production of records which are not subject to his/her authority.  Record custodians receiving a misdirected record request seeking the production of records not under the custodian’s control shall, if known by the custodian, inform the requesting party the identity and location of the City department, office, board, authority or commission which is most likely to have the desired City records.

Section 7.  Records in Storage:  Records of any City department or City public body placed in either permanent or temporary storage shall remain the responsibility of the City department or City public body placing the records in storage.

Section 8.  Computer Records:  Any City department or City public body responsible for creating computer records or data storage computer files shall be responsible for administering the appropriate release of such records or files, notwithstanding the circumstance that they may be physically located within a centralized City computer record system or centralized City computer data storage file system.

Section 9.  Fees for Records: SEE FEE SCHEDULE DROP-DOWN  This Order herewith adopts the schedule of   Open Record Act fees appearing at Appendix “A”.  No charge shall be assessed or collected for any City public record which was specifically prepared for public distribution.  A copy of this fee schedule shall be posted in the City Clerk’s office and at each location where Open Record Custodian Appointments are posted.

Section 10.  Accountability for Funds:  Record custodians shall be responsible for the collection of required fees and accountable for their deposit into an appropriate City registry, as follows: 

1. Record custodians collecting money at any office located within the civic center complex (City Hall, Municipal Police Courts Building, Maxwell Convention Center) not having a secure cash depository approved by the Director of finance shall deposit all collected money in excess of $20.00 with the Treasury Division of the Finance Department on a daily basis.

2. Record custodians collecting money at any office not located within the civic center complex and all record custodians in the civic center complex not making daily deposits as required by the preceding paragraph shall deposit all collected money with the Treasury Division of the Finance Department in accordance with a written policy established by the custodian’s appointing authority, which policy shall be approved in writing by the Director of Finance.

Section 11.  Legal Questions:  Any record custodian having a question concerning whether or not a requested document is a “public record” as defined by Oklahoma’s Open Records Act or relating to the amount of the charge which should be collected pursuant to “Appendix A” to this order is directed to contact the office of the City Attorney for guidance.

Except as otherwise provided by law, the following schedule of charges shall apply to records requests pursuant to the open records policy of the City of Tulsa and in compliance with Oklahoma's Open Records Act, Title 51 Oklahoma Statutes, Sections 24A.1 and following. This schedule of charges is posted in the public access area of the City Clerk's office, 2nd Floor of City Hall, and in the County Clerk's office. The type of record provided is at City's discretion. Payment of fees in advance of production may be required. Executive Order 2013-1

Type of Record Provided:

All open record requests for the Tulsa Police Department should be submitted through their online portal.