Which items are not Public Records?

• A. Precursor Records
• B. Final official records
• C. Public meeting agendas
• D. Approved budgets

Answer: (A)

Public records are the documents that agencies must routinely disclose to the public, but not everything an agency creates qualifies as a public record. Drafts, preliminary materials, and internal working documents are often exempt because they represent the agency’s thinking and deliberations before a final decision is made.

Among the options, drafts or precursor materials fit this exemption because they are not the final record or official decision. Final official records, public meeting agendas, and approved budgets are all standard types of records that are produced for public access or transparency. Final records document the official actions, agendas inform the public of upcoming meetings, and budgets show authorized spending.

So the item that is not a public record is the precursor material, since it’s a draft or internal preparation rather than the completed, official document.