(a) Initial review. Requests by individuals for access to records pertaining to them will be referred to the Commission's Privacy Act Officer who initially will determine whether access will be granted, Provided, however, That a Director of a staff Division of the Commission or Office head, other than the General Counsel, whose zone of responsibility relates to the record requested (see 17 CFR 200.13 et seq.), may make a determination that access is not lawfully required to be granted and should not be granted, in which case he, and not the Privacy Act Officer, shall make the required notification to the individual making the request.

(b) Grant of request for access.

(1) If it is determined that a request for access to records pertaining to an individual will be granted, the individual will be advised by mail that access will be given at the designated Office of the Commission or a copy of the requested record will be provided by mail if the individual shall so indicate. Where the individual requests that copies of the record be mailed to him or requests copies of a record upon reviewing it at a Commission Office, the individual shall pay the cost of making the requested copies, as set forth in §200.310 of this subpart.

(2) In granting access to an individual to a record pertaining to him, such steps shall be taken by the Commission's staff as are necessary to prevent the unauthorized disclosure at the same time of information pertaining to individuals other than the person making the request or of other information that does not pertain to the individual.

(c) Denial of request for access. If it is determined that access will not be granted, the individual making the request will be notified of that fact and given the reasons why access is being denied. The individual also will be advised (1) of his right to seek review by the General Counsel of the intital decision to deny access, in accordance with the procedures set forth in §200.308 of this subpart; and (2) of his right ultimately to obtain judicial review pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(g)(1)(A) of a final denial of access by the General Counsel.

(d) Time for acting on requests for access. Access to a record pertaining to an individual normally will be granted or denied within 30 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays) after the receipt of the request for access unless the individual making the request is notified in writing within the 30 day period that, for good cause shown, a longer time is required. In such cases, the individual making the request shall be informed in writing of the difficulties encountered and an indication shall be given as to when it is anticipated that access may be granted or denied.

(e) Authorization to allow designated person to review and discuss records pertaining to another individual. An individual who is granted access to records pertaining to him, and who appears at a Commission Office to review the records, may be accompanied by another person of his choosing. Where the records as to which access has been granted are not required to be disclosed under provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended, the individual requesting the records, before being granted access, shall execute a written statement, signed by him and the person accompanying him, which specifically authorizes the latter individual to review and discuss the records. If such authorization has not been given as described, the person who has accompanied the individual making the request will be excluded from any review or discussion of the records.

(f) Exclusion for certain records. Nothing contained in these rules shall allow an individual access to any information compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action or proceeding.

[40 FR 44068, Sept. 24, 1975, as amended at 49 FR 13866, Apr. 9, 1984; 76 FR 71874, Nov. 21, 2011]