A legal provision that permits withholding certain government-held records from public access.
Definition
A public records exemption is a specific rule or law that allows government agencies to refuse disclosure of certain records or information that would otherwise be accessible under public records or freedom of information laws. These exemptions typically protect privacy, security, law enforcement, or sensitive commercial information from release to the public.
Why It Matters
Understanding public records exemptions is essential for researchers and investigators because such exemptions limit access to information, affecting how much and what type of data can be legally obtained from government sources.