Most states have laws—statutes that are sometimes referred to as Acts—that make most government records open to the public. These laws are similar to the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and are often known as open records acts or public information acts.

These public information or open records acts provide a mechanism for citizens to inspect or copy government records—and provide the governmental bodies from whom the records are requested with the right to withhold government records from the public in certain instances.

Public information or open records acts generally require a governmental entity to release information in response to a request for information. But if a governmental entity determines the information is excepted from disclosure under the law, then both the request and the information at issue must be reviewed by another governmental division. The reviewing division will issue a decision on whether the governmental entity is permitted to withhold the requested information or must release the information to the requestor (often a citizen or member of the media).

These public information or open records laws vary from state to state and are usually located in a state’s statutes.

In Nevada, the primary law governing the access to government records is the Nevada Public Records Act (NPRA), which is similar to the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The NPRA is designed to promote transparency and accountability by providing the public with the right to access public books and records held by governmental entities. Under the NPRA, any person may request to inspect or copy public records, and the government body is required to provide access unless the records are specifically exempted by law. Exemptions may include records related to personal privacy, trade secrets, and public safety, among others. If a request is denied, the requester may appeal the decision, and in some cases, the matter may be taken to court for a judge to determine whether the records should be released. It is important for individuals seeking access to public records in Nevada to familiarize themselves with the NPRA and any specific procedures or requirements for making a request to a particular government body.