The Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity (GCEO) is committed to transparency and conducting business in a manner that complies with all legal requirements. In accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.), members of the public have the right to inspect and receive copies of public records maintained by state agencies, unless the records are specifically exempted from disclosure by law.

What is a Public Record?

The Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70(b)(2)) defines a public record as:

“All documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, computer-based or generated information, data, data fields, or similar material prepared and maintained or received by an agency or by a private person or entity in the performance of a service or function for or on behalf of an agency.”

Public records include materials created, maintained, or received by an agency in the course of conducting public business.

However, not all governmental records are public records. Certain records or portions of records may be exempt from disclosure under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 or other applicable federal or state confidentiality laws.

Additionally, state law does not require agencies to create new records in response to an Open Records Request. Agencies are only required to provide access to records that already exist at the time the request is submitted.

Response Time

In accordance with O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(b), the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity will respond to Open Records Requests within three (3) business days of receiving the request during normal business hours.

The agency’s response will indicate one of the following:

  • The requested records are available and will be provided
  • The requested records exist but are not immediately available, along with a timeline for production
  • The requested records are exempt from disclosure under applicable law
  • The requested records do not exist

When applicable, the agency will also provide an estimate of any costs associated with fulfilling the request.

Time and Cost of Production

Under the Georgia Open Records Act, agencies may charge reasonable fees associated with the search, retrieval, redaction, and production of records.

Fees are calculated based on:

  • The hourly salary of the lowest-paid employee qualified to perform the work
  • No charge for the first fifteen (15) minutes of staff time
  • Copying costs of $0.10 per page
  • The actual cost of producing electronic media or other documents

If the estimated cost of producing the requested records exceeds $500, the agency may require prepayment before processing the request, as authorized under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(d).

If a requestor has an outstanding unpaid balance from a previous request, prepayment may also be required before processing additional requests.

Agency Business Hours

The Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity processes Open Records Requests during normal business hours:

Monday – Friday
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Excluding state holidays and emergency closures.

Contact

For questions regarding Open Records Requests, please contact:

Open Records Officer
Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity

[email protected]

How to Submit an Open Records Request

Individuals seeking to inspect or obtain copies of public records maintained by the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity may submit a request to the agency’s designated Open Records Officer via the Webform below.

Requests should include:

  • Your full name
  • Contact information (email address, phone number, or mailing address)
  • A clear and specific description of the records being requested

Please be as specific as possible when describing the records you are seeking to help ensure an efficient response.

Open Records Requests may be submitted by completing the below webform.

Name