Procedure for Making Records Requests

Under the authority of Chapter 19 of the Wisconsin Statutes, the DOA Secretary is the legal custodian of DOA’s records. To facilitate access to the records, the Secretary’s authority as records custodian has been delegated to DOA’s Chief Legal Counsel. Requests for access to public records can be directed to:

Department of Administration Division of Legal Services 101 E. Wilson Street, 10th Floor P.O. Box 7864 Madison, WI 53707-7864 [phone] [e-mail]

Or can be made through our new online portal here: Request Public Records

Staff will be available to accept requests during DOA’s normal office hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Requests may be made orally or in writing, and must be reasonably specific as to subject matter or time period. As soon as practicable and without delay, the custodian will either notify you of the availability of the records requested, or deny the request in whole or in part because the records do not exist or are not accessible under the public records law. The time it takes the custodian to respond to the request will depend on factors including the nature and extent of the request and the availability of staff and other resources necessary to process the request. If the custodian denies a written request, the requester has a right to receive the denial in writing.

 

FEES

DOA may charge the actual, necessary, and direct cost of reproducing a record. When the request calls for a copy of a record, and the record can be photocopied, DOA may charge its standard fee of $.15 per printed page. DOA may charge a $.07 per-page fee for converting paper records to electronic format. If records are provided on a CD or DVD, DOA may charge $1.00 per disc. When requested and whenever practicable, DOA will provide electronic copies of records that already exist in electronic format without charging reproduction fees on a per-page basis. However, if the record requested is not in a readily comprehensible form (e.g. computer file, database entry), DOA may charge the actual cost of creating a readily comprehensible copy. DOA will not charge for the cost of reviewing records for possible redaction or removal of confidential information.

DOA may charge the actual, necessary, and direct costs of locating the records if it exceeds $50. Any staff time for locating records will be billed at the hourly rate of salary for the lowest-paid employee capable of performing the task. The hourly rate charged for locating records may also include the cost of benefits, but will not exceed $30 per hour. If the records are mailed or shipped to the requester, DOA may charge the actual, necessary and direct mailing or shipping cost.

The above fees apply except where a different fee is authorized by law. DOA may request pre-payment if the total costs are greater than $5. Make checks payable to Wisconsin Department of Administration