New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (“IPRA”)
The New Mexico Legislature enacted the Inspection of Public Records Act, NMSA 1978, §§ 14-2-1 et seq. (“IPRA”), stating “[r]ecognizing that a representative government is dependent upon an informed electorate, the intent of the legislature in enacting the Inspection of Public Records Act is to ensure, and it is declared to be the public policy of this state, that all persons are entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of public officers and employees.
It is the further intent of the legislature, and it is declared to be the public policy of this state, that to provide persons with such information is an essential function of a representative government and an integral part of the routine duties of public officers and employees.”
Submitting an IPRA Request to DCA
Persons have the right to inspect the public records of the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and DCA has the responsibility to make its public records available for inspection. To inspect DCA’s public records, please contact the DCA Records Custodian, whose name and contact information are included below, and describe in as much particularity as possible the records that you would like to inspect. The Records Custodian will let you know when he or she has received your request and when the records are ready for you to inspect. If you wish to obtain copies of the records, the Department of Cultural Affairs can provide you copies upon receipt of payment of the reasonable costs described below.
For more information about IPRA see the New Mexico Attorney General’s “IPRA Compliance Guide” updated in 2015.
Costs
If a person requests copies of public records, the Inspection of Public Records Act allows agencies to charge up to $1.00 per copy. DCA charges $0.25 per side of copying. The Act also allows agencies’ records custodians to charge actual costs for mailing or transmitting records. For copies of records saved to a compact disc, DCA charges $1.00 per compact disk and the cost of the employee’s time required to scan the records. For example, if the employee is paid twenty dollars ($20.00) per hour and the scanning takes thirty (30) minutes, the cost of the time will be ten dollars ($10.00). DCA will mail documents if the requester provides the agency with (1) advance payment for the actual costs required for delivery or adequate prepaid postage and (2) the costs associated with copying or scanning the request.
Requests to Inspect the Department of Cultural Affairs’ public records should be sent to the Department’s Record Custodian:
Records Custodian
Department of Cultural Affairs
Bataan Memorial Building
407 Galisteo Street, Suite 260
Santa Fe, NM 87501
DCA-IPRA@state.nm.us
fax: 505-827-4326