FAQs

What public records are available to the public?

Arizona Public Record Laws provide access to most records created or kept by state and local government agencies unless

  • they are confidential by law (statute, rule, or privilege),
  • privacy interests outweigh the public’s right to know, or
  • disclosure is not in the best interest of the state.

Additionally, laws generally do not require public agencies to perform research or analyze data on someone’s behalf, answer questions posed, or create new records in response to a request.


Do I have to tell the public body why I want the record?

You are not required to state the purpose for the record request or the reason you want the record. You are required to disclose whether the public records will be used for a commercial or non-commercial purpose. Requestors are required to provide the purpose of a commercial request.


What is a commercial purpose?

A commercial purpose includes:

  1. Obtaining records which will be used for sale or resale
  2. Obtaining names and addresses for purpose of solicitation, or
  3. The sale of names and addresses for the purpose of solicitation or any other purpose in which the purchaser can reasonable anticipate monetary gain. A.R.S. § 39-121.03.

This does not include the use of public records as evidence or research for evidence in an action. It also does not include obtaining records for news gathering.


How long does the public body have to provide the records requested?

The law requires prompt disclosure. The Town generally processes requests in the order in which they are received. Response time can vary based on reasonable circumstances such as the agency’s resources, the nature of the request, the content of the records (particularly if redaction is needed) and the location of the records. 

   

What if I only have a question or want general information?

If you are seeking general information, rather than a public record, please contact the appropriate department. Many requests for information are routine, and the information is readily available. If the questions can be easily answered, it is not necessary to submit an online Public Records Request. However, if the request encompasses records from many different departments or files or specific records from one particular file, the Town asks that the requestor submit an online request.


How much do the records cost?

Records e-mailed, viewed in-person, or made available on the website or in the NextRequest portal are free of charge. Some records are not available in an electronic format or are too voluminous to send electronically. See the Queen Creek Fee Schedule .


Do I need to create an account in NextRequest?

If you create an account you will be able to login to the portal at any time to see all your requests in one place. An account will be created for you when you submit your first request and you provide an email. After you submit a request you will be prompted to set up a password, then you will be sent a confirmation email with a link to click to confirm your account.


How do I upload a document to my request?

You can upload documents to supplement your request. It is not currently possible to upload documents when a request is created, however once a request is created you can sign in and add the documents to the request. By default any documents you upload will not be visible to the public, however the organization can choose to release those documents if they publish the request. You can also upload a document without creating an account through email.

 

Steps for uploading a document to your request

  1. Sign in to your account
  2. Navigate to the request
  3. Click the Add Document icon (paperclip) above the message window
  4. In the menu that appears, click the UPLOAD FILES button
  5. Select the file(s) you would like to upload
  6. (Optional) Click the Edit icon (pencil) and add a Description and Document Date
  7. Click the SAVE button. The document(s) will now appear below the request description on the left.