§11-98-12. Release of audio recording; public records; transcript.

(a) After April 21, 2010, an emergency communications district may not release the audio recording of a 911 telephone call except pursuant to a court order finding that the right of the public to the release of the recording outweighs the privacy interests of the individual who made the 911 call or any person involved in the facts or circumstances relating to the 911 call. This section shall not apply to law enforcement personnel conducting an investigation where the 911 telephone call is or may be relevant to the investigation.

(b) An audio recording may be released without a court order to the caller whose voice is on the 911 audio recording or, in the event that the caller is deceased or incapacitated, to the legal representative of the caller or the caller's estate, provided the person seeking the 911 audio recording submits a sworn affidavit to include sufficient information so that the emergency communications district director may verify the statements which attest to the following facts:

(1) That the person signing the affidavit is the caller or that the caller is deceased or incapacitated and the person signing the affidavit is the legal representative of the caller or the caller's estate.

(2) That release of the 911 audio recording is pertinent to the investigation of a legal matter resulting from the events necessitating the making of the 911 call at issue.

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (a), any written or electronic record detailing the circumstances, response, or other events related to a 911 call which is kept by the emergency communications district in its regular course of business shall be deemed a public writing under Section 36-12-40, and subject to public inspection as otherwise provided by law.

(d) Upon payment of a reasonable fee, not to exceed the actual cost of transcription, an emergency communications district shall provide a transcript of any requested audio recording of a 911 telephone call which is retained by the emergency communications district.

(Act 2010-502, p. 806, §1.)