Hall County will launch a new open records request software July 1, which will funnel Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests into a single, “streamlined” online portal.
“We have needed this program for a long time,” Board of Commissioners Clerk Jennifer Rivera said. “We are a large county and receive several open records requests daily, so this software will allow staff to work more efficiently to fulfill those requests and improve services to the community.”
The new software, NextRequest, is a public records request management platform developed by CivicPlus, Hall County Government’s website provider. The software is aimed at enhancing efficiency, compliance and transparency, while giving County staff the flexibility to manage requests, forms and workflows in a centralized location.
“Providing a simple, user-friendly platform that will make our open records processes easier and more accessible to residents is all part of being a transparent government,” Rivera said. “And since this new software is already part of the CivicPlus ecosystem, it will integrate with services the County already utilizes and will create a unified digital experience for both staff and citizens.”
Hall County currently uses CivicPlus Pay to help manage invoices and payments at its recreational sites, so this feature has been added to NextRequest at no additional cost to taxpayers. CivicPlus Pay will allow the County to issue invoices through the NextRequest portal and receive payments online using credit cards, debit cards and bank transfers.
“The other great thing about this program is that it is designed for ease of use. The entire process, from submitting a request to checking a status to making a payment, will now be managed digitally,” Rivera said.
NextRequest users will have the option to create an account for a more seamless experience that may speed up the process for those who submit multiple requests, but it is not required.
All open records requests, with the exception of requests filed with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hall County Elections and the Hall County Courts System, will be submitted through the NextRequest portal. Requests submitted to the sheriff’s office, elections and courts system will continue to follow current procedures.
“For the majority of departments, citizens will no longer have to email multiple people to submit requests or check on requests’ statuses,” Rivera said. “This program will allow us to improve tracking, communication and response times, and is a true reflection of Hall County’s commitment to enhancing transparency and providing excellent local government services to our community.”
Open records requests using NextRequest may be filed through the Hall County website at hallcounty.org beginning July 1. Current open records request email addresses, such as [email protected] and [email protected], will be deactivated.
For questions about open records requests or the NextRequest portal, please contact Jennifer Rivera at [email protected].