Craig Jackson – December 11, 2024

Blackwater Reports is pleased to provide an important update regarding our ongoing efforts to ensure transparency and compliance with North Carolina’s public records laws. Currituck County has taken action to amend its Public Records Request Portal to align with the North Carolina Public Records Act, specifically addressing concerns over mandatory fields requiring personal information from requesters.

This development follows multiple communications with Rebecca Gay, County Manager, about the portal’s practices, which were not in compliance with G.S. 132-6. In a recent email, Thom Roddy, Director of Blackwater Reports, emphasized the core issue, stating:

“As previously mentioned, the portal currently requires citizens to enter mandatory information marked with an asterisk on the submission form. This practice violates the North Carolina Public Records Act, specifically G.S. 132-6, which prohibits requiring information about the requester.“

Roddy’s correspondence included a detailed explanation of the law, highlighting the following key points from G.S. 132-6:

• The right to inspect and copy public records is extended to “any person” without limitation, including noncitizens, corporations, and other artificial entities.
• Public records custodians may not require requesters to disclose their purpose, motives, or identity.
• Agencies lack the authority to condition access to public records on completing forms or providing identifying details.

The practice of requiring mandatory identifying information had created unnecessary barriers for citizens seeking records and undermined the spirit of transparency enshrined in the law. Roddy also pointed out that placeholders, such as entering zeros into required fields, were an inconvenient workaround that citizens should not have to employ.

The county’s decision to update the portal reflects a commitment to rectifying this issue. By eliminating mandatory personal information fields, Currituck County has taken an important step toward ensuring that its processes comply with the law and support the public’s right to access information.

We commend Currituck County for its prompt attention to this matter and hope this serves as a reminder to other governmental entities to prioritize accessibility and transparency in public records practices. Blackwater Reports remains committed to holding public institutions accountable and advocating for the rights of all citizens under the North Carolina Public Records Act.

However, we were disappointed that Rebecca Gay did not take the time to respond to our email confirming that the issue had been addressed and corrected. Acknowledging such efforts fosters trust and collaboration between public institutions and the press.

If you have experienced challenges accessing public records in your area or have tips regarding transparency issues, please contact us. Together, we can work to ensure that our government operates openly and responsibly.