Request By:
Amy Mischler
Sadiqua N. Reynolds
Jon R. Klein
Opinion
Opinion By: Jack Conway, Attorney General; Michelle D. Harrison, Assistant Attorney General
Open Records Decision
At issue in this appeal is whether the Cabinet for Health and Family Services violated the Kentucky Open Records Act in partially denying Amy Mischler's request for a copy of "all requests for Law Enforcement KASPER [Kentucky All Schedule Prescription and Electronic Reporting System] Report (DCB -15L) from any individual for me, Amy Jerrine Mischler, and at any date," as well as "all requests for Law Enforcement KASPER Reports (DCB-15L)" from four different law enforcement agencies. Although the CHFS initially misconstrued Ms. Mischler's request as being for KASPER data, which is confidential pursuant to KRS 218A.202(6), the CHFS remedied this error in responding to Ms. Mischler's appeal clarifying that she was asking for KASPER request forms , which do not contain any such "data," rather than KASPER reports . Insofar as the CHFS has now provided Ms. Mischler with a redacted hard copy of the database responsive to Items 2-5 of her request free of charge, and expressed a willingness to provide her with redacted copies of responsive DCB-15L forms upon receipt of the prescribed copying fee, including postage if appropriate, in accordance with KRS 61.874, this office affirms the ultimate disposition of her request; the information redacted is not in dispute. Because a search of the relevant database did not yield any requests for KASPER data relating to Ms. Mischler, the CHFS discharged its duty in so advising her; a public agency cannot produce for inspection or copying nonexistent records or those which it does not possess.
By letter directed to the Office of Inspector General, Division of Fraud, Waste and Abuse, Drug Enforcement and Professional Practices Branch on May 7, 2008, Ms. Mischler requested copies 1 of the following records:
[A]ll requests for Law Enforcement KASPER Report (DCB-15L) from any individual for me, Amy Jerrine Mischler, and at any date. My date of birth is 9-21-68. I would like this request be to be sent to me.
[A]ll requests for Law Enforcement KASPER Reports (DCB-15L) from the Russell Springs Police Department at any date.
[A]ll requests for Law Enforcement KASPER Reports (DCB-15L) from the Jamestown Police Department at any date.
[A]ll requests for Law Enforcement KASPER Reports (DCB-15L) from the Columbia Kentucky State Police Post.
[A]ll requests for Law Enforcement KASPER reports (DCB-15L) from the Office of the Attorney General.
According to Ms. Mischler, 2 the "point of this open records request is to determine whether the KASPER database has been abused by certain law enforcement officers. I am doing this in research for a law review article I am writing, along with other pertinent matters." 3 Attached to Ms. Mischler's request was a copy of a blank "Request for Law Enforcement KASPER Report."
By letter dated May 13, 2008, Ronald W. Crawford denied Ms. Mischler's request, advising that "KASPER records may be released only to those persons and entities set out in KRS 218A[202](6). KASPER records are not subject to the 'Open Records Law.' KASPER records are not subject to release even upon the patient's authorization. The KASPER records will not be released." Emphasizing that she was requesting to see "DCB-15L forms," which are merely KASPER request forms devoid of confidential KASPER "data" rather than KASPER reports, Ms. Mischler initiated this appeal from the denial of her request by undated letter received in this office June 3, 2008. Acknowledging that her purpose in requesting the records is not relevant under the Open Records Act, Ms. Mischler nevertheless advises that her purpose "is to conduct a citizen review to see if KASPER has been abused in specific cases. I emphasize; I am not requesting pharmaceutical records or 'data' as defined under this statute."
Upon receiving notification of Ms. Mischler's appeal from this office, Jon R. Klein, Assistant Counsel, responded on behalf of the CHFS, initially observing that Mr. Crawford "reasonably interpreted Ms. Mischler's requests as requests for KASPER data, which is confidential pursuant to KRS 218A.202(6), and denied the requests." In addressing Ms. Mischler's request as clarified, Mr. Klein explains:
While some law enforcement KASPER data requests are mailed or faxed to the Cabinet on form DCB-15L, many, if not most, of the law enforcement requests received by the Cabinet for KASPER data are submitted electronically.
The electronically submitted requests go into a database. Likewise, the paper requests that are received are scanned and entered into the database to ensure that all request information is centrally located. Today, the Cabinet is providing Ms. Mischler with a printout of the database responsive to requests Two through [Five, which] totals 25 pages. These documents are being provided at no charge.
There are four columns in the section of the database provided. Each column contains a different type of information. The first column has the Cabinet's request number for each request. The second column has the date of the request. The third column gives the name of the person making the request, and the final column gives the requestor's law enforcement agency. Columns containing the names and personal information regarding the subject of each request have been removed to protect the confidentiality of those person[s] in accordance with KRS 194A.060(1), which states:
Ms. Mischler has not alleged that she is the legal guardian of any persons under investigation by the Russell Springs Police Department, the Jamestown Police Department, the Columbia Post of the Kentucky State Police, or the Office of the Attorney General. The records requested are in the possession of the Cabinet and are therefore Cabinet records. Ms. Mischler seeks the Cabinet's prescription drug records of these people. However, they are clients or patients or former clients or patients of the Cabinet, and the Cabinet is required by law to protect their confidential information. KRS 194A.060(1).
Ms. Mischler has shown no entitlement to the names, dates of birth, or social security numbers of persons whose KASPER information was requested by law enforcement. Even if she had, the dates of birth and social security numbers of those persons would still be withheld as confidential in accordance with KRS 61.878(1)(a). As for her first request, a search of the database was performed and there are no records of any requests for Ms. Mischler's KASPER data on file.
In the event Ms. Mischler would like to receive copies of the actual DCB-15L forms completed by the various law enforcement agencies that she requested, Mr. Klein advises that redacted copies will be provided "with the name of the person whose information was requested and other identifying information removed in accordance with KRS 61.878(1)(a) and 194A.060(1)." 4 More specifically, the CHFS is willing to send Ms. Mischler all 532 pages upon receipt of payment in the amount of $ 62.15 by check or money order (532 pages at 10 cents per page = $ 53.20 in copying costs plus $ 8.95 for postage) made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer. Because the CHFS has now agreed to provide Ms. Mischler with copies of any existing records which are responsive to her request upon receipt of payment, in accordance with KRS 61.874, and the information redacted was not in dispute, this office affirms the final disposition of her request, leaving for another day the question of whether KRS 194A.060(1) applies in this context (whether the individuals whose information was redacted are properly characterized as "patients" or "clients"). 5
Pursuant to KRS 171.720, "the head of each state and local agency shall notify the department [of Libraries and Archives] of any actual, impending or threatened unlawful removal, defacing, alteration or destruction of records in the custody of the agency that shall come to his attention[.]" Because the CHFS has acknowledged the loss of a disk, which suggests a possible records mismanagement issue, this office hereby refers the matter to the KDLA for additional inquiry as that agency deems warranted in keeping with KRS 171.720, 171.710 and 61.8715; our analysis otherwise remains the same. See 06-ORD-109 (copy attached).
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With regard to Item 1 of Ms. Mischler's request, seeking a copy of any request form or DCB-15L from anyone requesting her KASPER data, the CHFS has affirmatively indicated that a search of the database into which any such requests, electronic or paper, are scanned and entered "to ensure that all request information is centrally located," did not reveal any record of a request for her KASPER data. As long recognized by this office, a public agency is not required to honor a request for nonexistent records or those which the public agency does not possess. 04-ORD-036, p. 5. Likewise, the Attorney General cannot order a public agency to create records nor declare the failure to do so a violation or subversion of the intent of the Act. With regard to statutory obligations of a public agency when denying access due to nonexistence of the records, the analysis contained in 07-ORD-190 is controlling; a copy of that decision is attached hereto and incorporated by reference (along with a copy of 07-ORD-188 upon which the former decision was premised).
Assuming the CHFS made "'a good faith effort to conduct a search using methods which [could] reasonably be expected to produce the records requested,'" as reflected by the record, the agency cannot be said to have violated the Act in failing to produce such records. 07-ORD-023, p. 8 (citation omitted). See 05-ORD-108. Having affirmatively indicated to Ms. Mischler in writing that no such records exist following a reasonable search, the CHFS discharged its duty. To hold otherwise would result in the CHFS "essentially hav[ing] to prove a negative" in order to refute any claim that such records exist. 07-ORD-190, p. 7. In the absence of the requisite prima facie showing, this office must affirm the denial of this portion of Ms. Mischler's request in accordance with Bowling v. Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Ky., 172 S.W.3d 333, 340-341 (2005), and prior decisions of this office such as 07-ORD-190 and 07-ORD-188.
In addressing the remainder of Ms. Mischler's request, seeking all requests for KASPER reports (DCB-15L) from specified law enforcement agencies, including the OAG, the CHFS provided Ms. Mischler with a redacted hard copy of the responsive database at no charge and, further, agreed to provide her with copies of any existing 6 paper forms responsive to her request with disclosure being conditioned only upon prepayment of the copying fee and postage. Although the CHFS redacted the name and identifying information of the persons whose KASPER "data" was requested in both cases, which is clearly protected under KRS 218A.202, the CHFS did not redact either the name or law enforcement agency of the requesting party which satisfy Ms. Mischler's request.
As consistently recognized by the Attorney General, KRS 61.872 governs access to public records. Pursuant to KRS 61.872(3):
A person may inspect the public records:
(a) During the regular office hours of the public agency; or
(b) By receiving copies of the public records from the public agency through the mail. The public agency shall mail copies of the public records to a person whose residence or principal place of business is outside the county in which the public records are located after he precisely describes the public records which are readily available within the public agency. If the person requesting the public records requests that copies of the records be mailed, the official custodian shall mail the copies upon receipt of all fees and the cost of mailing. (Emphasis added).
In other words, the Open Records Act contemplates access to records "by one of two means: On-site inspection during the regular office hours of the agency, in suitable facilities provided by the agency, or receipt of the records from the agency through the mail. " 03-ORD-067, p. 4. Therefore, a requester that both lives and works in the same county where the public records are located may be required to inspect the records prior to receiving copies. Id. As in this case (Ms. Mischler lives in Louisville, KY and the records are located in Frankfort, KY), a "requester whose residence or principal place of business is outside the county where the public records are located may demand that the agency provide him with copies of the records, without inspecting those records, if he precisely describes the records and they are readily available within the agency. See, e.g., 95-ORD-52, 96-ORD-186." Id., p. 5; 04-ORD-011. Both criteria have been satisfied in this case; however, the record is unclear as to whether Ms. Mischler wishes to inspect redacted copies of the records prior to receiving copies. Insofar as Ms. Mischler created the uncertainty in phrasing her request, the CHFS acted reasonably upon receipt of her appeal in agreeing to mail copies of the records to Ms. Mischler upon receipt of payment, including postage.
In construing KRS 61.872(3)(b) and KRS 61.874(1), pursuant to which "the custodian may require a written request and advance payment of the prescribed fee, including postage where appropriate" when copies are requested, the Attorney General has observed:
The Act is a double-edged sword. Although it guarantees the public the right to inspect nonexempt records, it mandates that as a precondition to inspection a requester must comply with certain procedural requirements, including submission of a written request and prepayment for copies. As we have noted, we believe that the Act was never intended to frustrate access to records, and that an agency is statutorily obligated to provide a requester with timely access at a reasonable fee. Nevertheless, we also believe that an agency is justified in enforcing the procedural requirements of the Act.
96-ORD-7, pp. 4, 5. One such requirement is prepayment for copies of records forwarded via mail; the Act does not contain a waiver of this requirement for any requester. See also 96-ORD-226; 99-ORD-30. In our view, 00-ORD-238, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated by reference, is controlling on this issue. Because the CHFS recognizes the duty to provide copies upon receipt of payment and Ms. Mischler has not objected to release of the copies being conditioned on advance payment of the copying fee, including postage if appropriate, this matter presumably can and will be satisfactorily resolved.
A party aggrieved by this decision may appeal it 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 Seemingly contradicting this request, Ms. Mischler then requested to "inspect copies of all requests" which are responsive to Items 2-5 of her request. Although Ms. Mischler further advised that she would be in Frankfort on May 13, 2008, and it would be beneficial if she could "view those documents" on May 14, 2008, the CHFS initially denied the request in its entirety and therefore did not address the issue of inspection.
2 Although Ms. Mischler also requested that a copy of her "personal KASPER reports [as opposed to "all requests" for such reports]" be sent to her, she does not challenge the failure of the CHFS to specifically address this portion of her request on appeal, presumably because she did not intend to request additional records. In any event, she is not entitled to receive a copy of her own report under KRS 218A.202(6), as evidenced by 03-ORD-227, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated by reference.
3 Neither the identity of the requester nor her purpose in requesting access is relevant per KRS 61.872(1) generally speaking; however, this information is useful on the facts presented insofar as the CHFS has agreed to provide Ms. Mischler with records containing the information requested which renders a discussion regarding the propriety of any redactions unnecessary.
4 For the analysis employed by this office in determining whether a public agency has properly invoked KRS 61.878(1)(a) in different contexts, see 05-ORD-111, pp. 4-9, 05-ORD-273, pp. 5-11, and 06-ORD-006, pp. 5-10.
5 By letter dated June 25, 2008, Mr. Klein supplemented his response on behalf of the CHFS, initiallyadvising that his previous response "should have stated that the database information provided was in response to requests Two through Five of Ms. Mischler's request" but "erroneously stated that the database information was in response to questions Two through Four." Next, Mr. Klein advised that after his original response was issued, "undersigned counsel learned that the electronically submitted requests for KASPER data are not capable of being printed so that each appears as a separate page like the paper request sent in on the DCB-15L." Of the 532 entries on the hard copy of the database information provided, "only 40 of those requests were originally submitted on the paper DCB-15L request form." Accordingly, for 492 of the requests, the database printout is the only record in the possession of the CHFS responsive to Ms. Mischler's request; the remaining 40 requests were scanned and entered into the database as previously indicated. Of particular significance, Mr. Klein further explained:
Undersigned counsel has learned through the course of responding to this request that, once the original paper copy of a KASPER request is scanned and entered into the database, the original paper copy is shredded. A digital image of the paper copy is retained on a series of computer disks. However, the [DEPP] Branch of the [OIG] (which operates the KASPER program) has been unable to locate one of these disks, and that disk contains the scanned images of 19 of the 40 paper requests at issue in this Open Records Act request. Undersigned counsel is in possession of paper print-outs of the other 21 pages of request[s] submitted on paper. Still, information regarding all 532 requests for KASPER data were provided in the 25 pages of database printout provided[.]
In conclusion, Mr. Klein clarifies that if she would like copies of the original paper requests from the various law enforcement agencies that she requested, the CHFS "is willing to send Ms. Mischler the 21 pages upon payment of $ 3.41 [rather than $ 62.15] by check or money order," which includes $ 2.10 in copying costs (21 pages at 10 cents per page) and $ 1.31 per page.
6 With regard to any nonexistent forms, the foregoing analysis is equally controlling. As previously indicated, this matter has been referred to the KDLA relative to the apparent loss of the disk containing the remaining paper forms.