(a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b) and (c) of this section, a fee shall be charged in accordance with the itemized schedule attached hereto [see Appendix 6, infra] for any blank, report, pamphlet, document or other publication of the department furnished or distributed to the public. Many of the current year publications listed in Appendix 6 (infra) are also available electronically (at no charge) through the department's website located at http://www.dfs.ny.gov/reportpub/dfs_reportpub.htm.

(b) No fee shall be charged for furnishing a report or other document to the Governor, the Legislature, any of the State departments or representatives of the press. The Director of the Budget may prescribe other cases in which no fee shall be charged.

(c) No charge shall be made for blank forms, reports, pamphlets and other printed documents necessary or proper in the conduct of the official business of the department.