Each state and jurisdiction has the discretion to implement FOIA and public record laws differently. Depending on the type of document you’re searching for, accessing that same record in one state may not be so public in another. In Washington state, the Public Records Act is not clear on whether the legislative branch is exempt or not. However, a new Legislative Task Force on Public Records in Washington met for the first time early this month to tackle the PRA as it pertains to their legislature and find solutions to issues of transparency.

From million-dollar price tags to requests for a few cents, MuckRock and its users have had its fair share of FOIA fee debacles. We decided to look at our 50,000+ requests to-date and breakdown the biggest and most noteworthy in each state.

MuckRock is currently taking submissions of your FOIA fee stories. With just one week into our crowdsource, requesters far and wide have brought their issues to the table. While submitted responses vary, overall they show major discrepancies in the FOIA fee system across the country.