Oregon Statutes - Chapter 192 - Records; Public Reports and Meetings - Section 192.450 - Petition to review denial of right to inspect state public record; appeal from decision of Attorney General denying inspection; records of health professional regulatory boards.

(1) Subject to ORS 192.480 and subsection (4) of this section, any person denied the right to inspect or to receive a copy of any public record of a state agency may petition the Attorney General to review the public record to determine if it may be withheld from public inspection. Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, the burden is on the agency to sustain its action. Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, the Attorney General shall issue an order denying or granting the petition, or denying it in part and granting it in part, within seven days from the day the Attorney General receives the petition.

(2) If the Attorney General grants the petition and orders the state agency to disclose the record, or if the Attorney General grants the petition in part and orders the state agency to disclose a portion of the record, the state agency shall comply with the order in full within seven days after issuance of the order, unless within the seven-day period it issues a notice of its intention to institute proceedings for injunctive or declaratory relief in the Circuit Court for Marion County or, as provided in subsection (6) of this section, in the circuit court of the county where the record is held. Copies of the notice shall be sent to the Attorney General and by certified mail to the petitioner at the address shown on the petition. The state agency shall institute the proceedings within seven days after it issues its notice of intention to do so. If the Attorney General denies the petition in whole or in part, or if the state agency continues to withhold the record or a part of it notwithstanding an order to disclose by the Attorney General, the person seeking disclosure may institute such proceedings.

(3) The Attorney General shall serve as counsel for the state agency in a suit filed under subsection (2) of this section if the suit arises out of a determination by the Attorney General that the public record should not be disclosed, or that a part of the public record should not be disclosed if the state agency has fully complied with the order of the Attorney General requiring disclosure of another part or parts of the public record, and in no other case. In any case in which the Attorney General is prohibited from serving as counsel for the state agency, the agency may retain special counsel.

(4) A person denied the right to inspect or to receive a copy of any public record of a health professional regulatory board, as defined in ORS 676.160, that contains information concerning a licensee or applicant, and petitioning the Attorney General to review the public record shall, on or before the date of filing the petition with the Attorney General, send a copy of the petition by first class mail to the health professional regulatory board. Not more than 48 hours after the board receives a copy of the petition, the board shall send a copy of the petition by first class mail to the licensee or applicant who is the subject of any record for which disclosure is sought. When sending a copy of the petition to the licensee or applicant, the board shall include a notice informing the licensee or applicant that a written response by the licensee or applicant may be filed with the Attorney General not later than seven days after the date that the notice was sent by the board. Immediately upon receipt of any written response from the licensee or applicant, the Attorney General shall send a copy of the response to the petitioner by first class mail.

(5) The person seeking disclosure of a public record of a health professional regulatory board, as defined in ORS 676.160, that is confidential or exempt from disclosure under ORS 676.165 or 676.175, shall have the burden of demonstrating to the Attorney General by clear and convincing evidence that the public interest in disclosure outweighs other interests in nondisclosure, including but not limited to the public interest in nondisclosure. The Attorney General shall issue an order denying or granting the petition, or denying or granting it in part, not later than the 15th day following the day that the Attorney General receives the petition. A copy of the Attorney General’s order granting a petition or part of a petition shall be served by first class mail on the health professional regulatory board, the petitioner and the licensee or applicant who is the subject of any record ordered to be disclosed. The health professional regulatory board shall not disclose any record prior to the seventh day following the service of the Attorney General’s order on a licensee or applicant entitled to receive notice under this subsection.

(6) If the Attorney General grants or denies the petition for a record of a health professional regulatory board, as defined in ORS 676.160, that contains information concerning a licensee or applicant, the board, a person denied the right to inspect or receive a copy of the record or the licensee or applicant who is the subject of the record may institute proceedings for injunctive or declaratory relief in the circuit court for the county where the public record is held. The party seeking disclosure of the record shall have the burden of demonstrating by clear and convincing evidence that the public interest in disclosure outweighs other interests in nondisclosure, including but not limited to the public interest in nondisclosure.

(7) The Attorney General may comply with a request of a health professional regulatory board to be represented by independent counsel in any proceeding under subsection (6) of this section. [1973 c.794 §6; 1975 c.308 §2; 1997 c.791 §8; 1999 c.751 §4]

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Last modified: August 7, 2008