A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to encourage the agencies of north carolina government to include on all e‑mails a disclosure that the e‑mail may be a public record and may be subject to inspection and copying.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S.  132‑1 is reads as rewritten:
"§ 132‑1.  "Public records" defined.
(a)	"Public record" or "public records" shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data‑processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions. Agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions shall mean and include every public office, public officer or official (State or local, elected or appointed), institution, board, commission, bureau, council, department, authority or other unit of government of the State or of any county, unit, special district or other political subdivision of government.
(b)	The public records and public information compiled by the agencies of North Carolina government or its subdivisions are the property of the people. Therefore, it is the policy of this State that the people may obtain copies of their public records and public information free or at minimal cost unless otherwise specifically provided by law. As used herein, "minimal cost" shall mean the actual cost of reproducing the public record or public information.
(c)	All agencies of North Carolina government are encouraged to include on all outgoing electronic mail a statement disclosing to the recipient that the e‑mail may be a public record and may be subject to inspection and copying pursuant to G.S. 132‑6. If appropriate, electronic mail sent by or on behalf of a legislator should include a disclosure that the document is confidential and not a public record pursuant to Article 17 of Chapter 120 of the General Statutes."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2015.