(1) The following copy fees and payment procedures apply to requests to the school under chapter
42.56 RCW.
(2) Pursuant to RCW
42.56.120 (2)(b), the school is not calculating all actual costs for copying records because to do so would be unduly burdensome for the following reasons:
(a) The school does not have the resources to conduct a study to determine all its actual copying costs;
(b) To conduct such a study would interfere with other essential agency functions; and
(c) Through the 2017 legislative process, the public and requestors have commented on and been informed of authorized fees and costs, including for electronic records, provided in RCW
42.56.120 (2)(b) and (c), (3) and (4).
(3) The school will charge for copies of records pursuant to the default fees in RCW
42.56.120 (2)(b) and (c). The school will charge for customized services pursuant to RCW
42.56.120(3). Under RCW
42.56.130, the school may charge other copy fees authorized by statutes outside of chapter
42.56 RCW. The school may enter into an alternative fee agreement with a requestor under RCW
42.56.120(4). The charges for copying methods used by the school are summarized in the fee schedule available on the school's web site at
www.wssb.wa.gov.
(4) Requestors may be required to pay for copies in advance of receiving records. Fee waivers are an exception and are available for some small requests under the following conditions:
(a) It is within the discretion of the public records officer to waive copying fees when:
(i) All of the records responsive to an entire request are paper copies only and are twenty-five or fewer pages; or
(ii) All of the records responsive to an entire request are electronic and can be provided in a single email with attachments of a size totaling no more than the equivalent of one hundred printed pages. If that email for any reason is not deliverable, records will be provided through another means of delivery, and the requestor will be charged in accordance with this rule.
(b) Fee waivers are not applicable to records provided in installments.
(5) The public records officer may require an advance deposit of ten percent of the estimated fees when the copying fees for an installment or an entire request, or customized service charge, exceeds twenty-five dollars.
(6) When requestors are required to pay in advance, fees must be paid in advance of release of the copies or an installment of copies, or in advance of when a deposit is required. The school will notify the requestor of when payment is due.
(7) Payment should be made by check or money order to the Washington State School for the Blind. The school prefers not to receive cash. For cash payments, it is within the public records officer's discretion to determine the denomination of bills and coins that will be accepted.
(8) The school will close a request when a requestor fails by the payment date to pay in the manner prescribed for records, an installment of records, or a required deposit.