16-ORD-002

Opinion

Opinion By: Andy Beshear,Attorney General;Amye L. Bensenhaver,Assistant Attorney General

Open Meetings Decision

Chris Hawkins appeals Green River Correctional Complex's response to his November 2, 2015, request for "1) document where nurse Rita Stevens documented a cut on my finger on 10/24/15 when I entered SMU; 2) documentation regarding my having a seizure in SMU @ GRCC and where the seizure resulted in my biting on a mattress; 3) test confirmations reflecting me having HCV and also Hypothyroid." In a timely written response, GRCC advised Mr. Hawkins that the following disposition was made of his request: "10-24-15, cut on finger does not exist. 9 pages given to [inmate] ." On appeal, Mr. Hawkins concedes that he "signed [his] name acknowledging receipt of 9 pages . . . but [he] didn't state that the 9 pages included everything that [he] requested." He notes that part of the "nurse's statement" that was released to him, and that related to the mattress biting incident, had been "torn off." Further, he expresses the suspicion that "there is more relating [sic] documents/documentation. "

Responding to Mr. Hawkins' appeal, Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Assistant General Counsel submitted supplemental arguments in support of the facility's position. Counsel explained that on November 20, Green River Correctional Complex Administrative Specialist Ann George notified Mr. Hawkins, in writing, that further review of his medical records revealed the existence of lab test results that might be "what [he was] seeking specific to 'test confirmations. '" Ms. George stated that the lab test results would be released to him upon receipt of a "money authorization (cpo) and medical records request form to GRCC medical records department." 1 Continuing, counsel observed:

A further review was made by GRCC Offender Information Staff after the appeal was received. Offender Information Staff again determined that the only other possibly responsive documents had already been provided to Inmate Hawkins in another open records request response and by security staff at the initiation of a disciplinary action and that no additional records existed. If Inmate Hawkins seeks additional copies of the part I of his disciplinary report and the day cell log previously provided, then he needs to explain why it is necessary for additional copies to be provided to him.

On behalf of GRCC, counsel asserted that the facility was not obligated to provide Mr. Hawkins with copies of records previously released to him and could not provide him with records that do not exist.

Responding to GRCC's supplemental defense, Mr. Hawkins objected to the belated identification of responsive records, arguing that the facility's records officer "should've provided [the lab test results and the entire nurses entry] rather than to merely offer to sell the records to [him] after [he had] to appeal her open records act violation." Additionally, he indicated that he "didn't request or even insinuate wanting another copy of a disciplinary report."

We find that GRCC's original response to Mr. Hawkins' November 2 open records request was deficient insofar as it failed to address each part of his three part request. Neither Mr. Hawkins nor GRCC describe the nine records originally released to him, but those records did not include an unredacted copy of Nurse Stevens' October 27, 2015, progress notes or a copy of the lab test results. The lab test results were located on or about November 20, 2015, eighteen days after his original request and eleven days after he initiated his appeal. 2 On November 20, GRCC agreed to provide him with copies of the lab test results upon prepayment of reproduction charges. The copy of the progress note that Mr. Hawkins obtained at an unspecified point in time and that he attached to his appeal contains a large space in which no text appears and the bottom inch to inch and one-half has been manually removed making the page raw-edged and visibly shorter than a standard 8 1/2" by 11" sheet of paper. GRCC's original response, if it included this note, provided no explanation for the ostensibly omitted information.

In Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Chestnut, 250 S.W.3d 655, 662 (Ky. 2008), the Kentucky Supreme Court expressed its agreement with "the District Court of Rhode Island's astute holding" that an open records request:

should not require the specificity and cunning of a carefully drawn set of discovery requests, so as to outwit narrowing legalistic interpretations by the government. A citizen should be able to submit a brief and simple request for the government to make full disclosure or openly assert its reasons for nondisclosure.

Chestnut, 250 S.W.3d at 662 quoting Providence Journal Co. v. Federal Bureau of Investigation, 460 F.Supp. 778, 792 (D.R.I. 1978) reversed on other grounds on appeal 602 F.2d 1010 (1st Cir. 1979). Mr. Hawkins submitted "a brief and simple request for the government to make full disclosure or openly assert its reasons for nondisclosure. " Id. 3 GRCC's original response reflects an inadequate search for responsive records and a failure to "openly assert its reasons for nondisclosure" vis -`-vis Nurse Steven's redacted progress note. Mr. Hawkins is entitled to a written explanation for those redactions with citation to applicable legal authority.

He is not, however, entitled to a copy of the lab test results before he provides the required prepayment. Mr. Hawkins was surely afforded an opportunity to scan the nine records released to him on or about November 9 and should not have "signed off" on receipt of those records if the records he reviewed, and for which he prepaid, were not responsive to his request. He cannot now substitute prepayment for nonresponsive records with prepayment for responsive records. Although GRCC's original search for responsive records may have been inadequate, its belated identification of responsive lab test results did not diminish its statutory right to require prepayment for copies. KRS 61.872(3)(b); KRS 61.874(1). Mr. Hawkins may obtain copies of the lab test results after he complies with the prepayment requirement.

Neither Mr. Hawkins' original request, nor this appeal, implicate disciplinary records, and any suggestion to the contrary only muddies the waters. We urge these parties to take appropriate measures, as set forth above, to fully and finally resolve the issues on appeal.

Either party may appeal this decision by initiating action in the appropriate circuit court pursuant to KRS 61.880(5) and KRS 61.882. Pursuant to KRS 61.880(3), the Attorney General should be notified of any action in circuit court, but should not be named as a party in that action or in any subsequent proceeding.

Footnotes

Footnotes

1 Counsel does not indicate on what date Nurse Stevens' progress note was released to him. In her November 20 memorandum to Mr. Hawkins, Ms. George states that she "provided [Mr. Hawkins] with the nurse's entry of [the mattress biting incident]" and that "no further record of any seizure like activity exists on this other" than that with which was provided on a separate unspecified date. The "nurse's entry" might have been included in the "9 pages given to him" on November 9, 2015.

2 Mr. Hawkins initiated this appeal on November 9.

3 This office has stated that an agency conducts an adequate search when, in good faith, it "use[s] methods which can reasonably be expected to produce the records requested." 04-ORD-242, p. 4, citing 95-ORD-96, p. 7. A request for tests confirming an illness clearly encompasses lab test results that were overlooked in the original search.

2015

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 234

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 235

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 236

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 232

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 231

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 233

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 230

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 227

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 229

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 228

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 226

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 225

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 224

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 223

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 222

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 221

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 217

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 216

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 215

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 218

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 219

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 220

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 214

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 212

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 213

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 211

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 210

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 209

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 208

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 207

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 206

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 204

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 205

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 203

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 201

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 202

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 200

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 199

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 198

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 197

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 196

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 195

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 190

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 193

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 189

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 191

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 192

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 194

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 187

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 188

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 186

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 185

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 184

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 183

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 182

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 181

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 180

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 179

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 178

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 176

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 177

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 175

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 174

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 172

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 173

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 171

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 167

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 169

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 170

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 168

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 166

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 163

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 165

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 164

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 161

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 159

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 162

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 157

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 158

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 160

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 153

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 154

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 156

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 155

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 152

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 147

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 149

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 146

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 151

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 148

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 150

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 143

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 145

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 144

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 142

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 141

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 140

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 134

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 139

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 135

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 138

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 131

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 136

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 137

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 132

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 133

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 130

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 129

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 127

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 128

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 125

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 126

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 124

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 123

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 122

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 121

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 120

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 119

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 118

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 115

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 117

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 116

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 113

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 112

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 114

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 111

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 110

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 109

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 107

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 106

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 104

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 105

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 108

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 99

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 102

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 100

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 101

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 98

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 96

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 97

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 95

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 94

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 92

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 93

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 90

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 89

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 91

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 87

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 84

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 83

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 86

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 85

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 88

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 80

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 82

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 81

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 79

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 78

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 77

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 76

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 66

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 74

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 75

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 73

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 103

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 72

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 70

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 69

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 71

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 68

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 65

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 67

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 61

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 62

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 63

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 64

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 60

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 58

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 59

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 55

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 56

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 54

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 57

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 53

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 52

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 44

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 51

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 48

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 47

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 46

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 45

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 49

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 50

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 42

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 43

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 41

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 40

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 39

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 33

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 37

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 38

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 34

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 36

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 35

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 18

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 19

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 17

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 28

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 30

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 31

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 29

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 27

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 32

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 25

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 26

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 24

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 20

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 21

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 22

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 23

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 12

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 16

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 15

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 13

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 14

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 11

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 1

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 10

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 8

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 9

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 7

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 6

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 2

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 4

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 3

2015 Ky. AG LEXIS 5