Attorney General Opinions
Oklahoma Historical Society membership list is a public record required to be made available for inspection and copying under the Oklahoma Open Records Act.
Opinion No. 93-2
Taped telephone conversations made in connection with the bidding process between the state treasurer's office and outside securities firms constitute public records under the Oklahoma Open Records Act, 51 O.S. 1991, 24A.1 et.seq.
Opinion No. 88-87
Letters written to the Pardon and Parole Board regarding the Board's consideration of clemency for inmates are personal communications which the Board may deem confidential under 51 O.S., 24A.14. Such letters are in the form of redress of grievances and thus are communications received by the public official from persons exercising rights secured by the state and federal
constitutions.
Opinion No. 88-79
Except ''for the fact that a complaint about a dentist, dental hygienist or dental assistant has been received, the Board of Governors of Registered Dentists may, in its discretion, keep confidential complaints about dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants.'' 51 O.S. Supp. 1988, 24A.14.
However, the ''Board member or employee's written response to such a complaint may be kept confidential only to the extent necessary to protect the identity of the person making the complaint.''
Opinion No. 88-35
Public bodies ''may not charge a special 'search fee' to any member of the news media who is seeking information in the public interest.'' 51 O.S. Supp. 1987, 24A.5(3).
Opinion No. 88-33
The Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training Records Act, 51 O.S. Supp. 1988, 24A.1 et seq. CLEET also is a public educational institution within the meaning of 51 O.S. Supp. 1988, 24A.16 of the Act. However, absent a court order, CLEET may not provide to the public a list of names and addresses of persons applying for, or holding, security guard, private investigator,
security agency licenses, pursuant to 59 O.S. Supp. 1988, 1750.8(B).
Opinion No. 86-152
Public education institutes are required under the Oklahoma Open Records Act to provide access to existing lists of former college students to any person requesting same. Information contained on the list is limited to directory information as defined in 51 O.S. Supp. 1990, 24A.16(B).
Opinion No. 86-39/86-69
If a background investigation becomes part of a personnel file, the public employee concerned is entitled to access to that document under 51 O.S. Supp. 1985, 24A.7(C). If a personnel file contains background investigation documents and those documents contain the name of ''confidential informers,'' the public body may not refuse to provide access to the documents unless the
''confidential informer'' has objected to its release, and the agency has made a good faith finding that release of each particular piece of information to be withheld would be damaging to the individual who has objected to its dissemination.''
Opinion No. 85-167
''Directory information'' made public under the Oklahoma Open Records Act 51 O.S., 24A.16(b) must be read in light of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. 1232G, commonly called the Buckley Amendment, and a school district that intends to retain federal funding may only 0provide public access to information contained in the ''directory information''
by complying with the provisions of the Buckley Amendment, specifically 20 U.S.C. 1232(a)(5)(B).
Opinion No. 85-36
A public body whose public records are computerized ''has the authority to allow a commercial entity access to specific data ... in an on-line manner, providing that the system for permitting such on-line access assures that such computerized records will be fully preserved and safeguarded from destruction, mutilation and alteration.''
Opinion No. 95-15