Are all documents that government officials have in their possession considered public records?
Are all documents that government officials have in their possession considered public records?
Yes, if the record relates to government business.
An Iowa Public Information Board Advisory Opinion (IPIB AO 2018-19) issued on November 15, 2018, states that whether any given item constitutes a public record requires determining if the government official was acting as a public official or a private citizen when receiving, responding to, or generating that document.
If the record concerns are negotiating for the common good, welfare, or rules binding the public body and citizens as a whole, then they fall within the scope of Chapter 22 and are usually public records.