8. Protected Personal Identifier Information

The Law

Protected personal identifier information contained in public records may be redacted by a public body before inspection or copying of a record. The presence of protected personal identifier information on a record does not exempt the record from inspection. Unredacted records that contain protected personal identifier information shall not be made available on publicly accessible web sites operated by or managed on behalf of a public body.

Commentary

The Act permits a public body to redact or block out “protected personal identifier information” contained in a public record before making the record available for inspection or copying. As discussed below in Chapter V, Section E, the Act defines “protected personal identifier information” that may properly be redacted. A public body may not deny inspection of a public record merely because the record contains protected personal identifier information. To protect the personal identifier information, the public body may redact it from the public record and then make the redacted record available for inspection and copying.

The Act permits but does not require a public body to redact protected personal identifier information contained in a public record before providing the record for inspection or copying. In contrast, the Act prohibits a public body from making records that contain protected personal identifier information available on the public body’s web site unless the protected personal identifier information has first been redacted.