An act relating to charging for actual cost under Vermont’s Public Records Act

H.502 would change Vermont’s Public Records Act to allow public agencies to charge requesters the actual cost of staff time spent fulfilling record requests, rather than using a flat fee structure. This directly affects public agencies (like town offices or state departments) and individuals or organizations seeking public records. The key provision requires agencies to calculate and collect the precise cost of employee hours dedicated to processing each request. The bill does not alter the right to access public records but changes how fees for staff time are calculated and collected.