ADV PR 99-01 (1999).

• Case Date: August 23, 1999
• Court: Rhode Island

Rhode Island Attorney General Opinions 1999. ADV PR 99-01 (1999). State of Rhode IslandDepartment of the Attorney GeneralADV PR 99-01 (1999)ADV PR 99-01 Division of Motor VehiclesAdvisory PR 99-01August 23, 1999Mr. Thomas HarringtonAdministratorDivision of Motor VehiclesPawtucket, Rhode Island 02860Re: Division of Motor VehiclesRequest for Access to Public Records Act Advisory Opinion Dear Mr. Harrington: Your letter of July 26, 1999, addressed to Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse, has been forwarded to my attention for a response. You are requesting an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) advisory opinion regarding handicap plaque information, which was requested by Mr. Jonathan D. Rockoff of The Providence Journal. Along with your request for an advisory opinion, you have forwarded Mr. Rockoff's request. In relevant portion, Mr. Rockoff writes: "I am looking for a list of all the handicap plaques issued with their numbers, the names of the recipients, the addresses of the recipients and the medical reason for granting each plaque." "Additionally, I'm interested in finding out who was issued certain plaques; I have those numbers. And I would like to see copies of their applications for the plaques." Mr. Rockoff acknowledges that there may be "legal obstacles" in releasing some information. You seek this Department's advice. The APRA governs the public's right to access governmental records. The stated purpose of the APRA, as set forth in R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-1, is twofold: Mr. Thomas Harrington August 23, 1999 Page 2 of 4 "The purpose of [the APRA] is to facilitate public access to public records. It is also the intent of [the APRA] to protect from disclosure information about particular individuals maintained in the files of public bodies when disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy." Commensurate with this dual purpose, the APRA provides that all documents made or received in connection with the official business of an agency are public records. R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-2(4)(i). Nevertheless, the APRA also recognizes twenty-three (23) categories of documents that are exempt from disclosure. See Pawtucket Teachers Alliance v. Brady, 556 A.2d 556, 559 (R.I. 1989)("Section 38-2-2 is designed to protect from public disclosure information which is highly personal and intimate in nature"). Among the...