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Freedom of Information Act › Request For Information

The Freedom of Information Act is a United States federal statute enacted in 1966 to promote government transparency and the free exchange of public information. Under FOIA, any individual can request federal... more +
The Freedom of Information Act is a United States federal statute enacted in 1966 to promote government transparency and the free exchange of public information. Under FOIA, any individual can request federal agency records and enforce that right in a court of law. However, not all agency records can be requested; there are nine exempt categories of information. In addition to the federal law, many states have passed their own freedom of information acts. These acts are often similar but not always identical to the federal version.  less -
Best Best & Krieger LLP

California Supreme Court Denies Petition for Review in Police Drone Footage Case

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Police Drone Footage Only Exempt From Disclosure - In Some Circumstances The California Supreme Court recently denied the City of Chula Vista’s Petition for Review in Castañares v. Superior Court (Dec. 2023) 98 Cal.App.5th...more

CloudNine

Resourcing Your Public Records/FOIA Requests Response with a Lean Team

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When it comes to managing FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and similar public records requests, resourcing your team effectively is crucial. Even with a small team, you can achieve a lot by appointing an expert internally...more

CloudNine

What are the Growing Challenges with Public Records/FOIA Requests?

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The number of public records requests filed each year is on the rise, presenting a significant challenge for government agencies. One of the core obstacles faced by these agencies is the tight timing constraints imposed by...more

Pullman & Comley - School Law

Welcome To The Board: What New Board Members Need To Know About The FOIA

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Congratulations on your election to the board of education and thank you for volunteering your time to your community.  As you begin to embark on your board journey you will unfortunately, find that way too much of your time...more

Epstein Becker & Green

Unpacking Averages: Device Manufacturers Should Use the Newly Released Demographic Data in MDRs to Ensure Their Devices Are Not...

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As you may know, we have been submitting FOIA requests asking FDA to share data from its various programs.  In October, FDA granted our April FOIA request in which we asked the agency to add back demographic data fields that...more

FordHarrison

Federal Court Orders OFCCP to Release Federal Contractors' EEO-1 Reports

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Executive Summary: On December 22, 2023, a federal court in California ordered the OFCCP to release the EEO-1 reports of federal contractors who had filed an objection to the agency’s release of their EEO-1 data in response...more

Pullman & Comley - Labor, Employment and...

As The Leaves Are Changing - What Has (and Has Not) Changed with the FOIA?

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As the summer (and your vacation) becomes a distant memory, and the days get shorter and colder, I’ll bet you have had passing thoughts about changes to Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act’s (“FOIA”), especially in light...more

Franczek P.C.

FOIA Does Not Require Public Bodies to Compel Production of Third-Party Records

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The Illinois Appellate Court recently ruled that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) does not obligate a public body to produce records that it does not already maintain in response to a FOIA request. Further, the Court...more

Troutman Pepper

Are FOIA Laws in Need of Updating?

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The federal government, the District of Columbia, and each of the 50 states have Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws that allow individuals to file requests for specific public documents with government agencies and...more

FordHarrison

OFCCP Publishes List Of Contractors Whose EEO-1 Reports Will Be Released And Offers One Last Chance To Object

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On August 19, OFCCP published a Notice in the Federal Register alerting federal contractors that it received a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) seeking all federal...more

Franczek P.C.

PAC Issues Two Decisions in Favor of School District Decisions to Withhold Student Records and Proprietary Information

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Recently, the Public Access Counselor (PAC) issued two non-binding opinions concerning the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), both upholding school district decisions to exert exemptions and withhold key documents under the...more

Venable LLP

FOIL Law Simplified

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Nearly anyone who can read a newspaper understands the meaning of a FOIL or FOIA request. FOIA refers to the Freedom of Information Act, which allows a requester to obtain documents from federal agencies, while its...more

Franczek P.C.

PAC Issues Two New Binding Opinions Concerning FOIA

Franczek P.C. on

The Illinois Public Access Counselor (PAC) recently issued two new binding opinions concerning the FOIA—one upholding a public body’s denial of a FOIA request for union records and another finding application materials for...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

How to Respond to an EPA or PADEP PFAS Information Request

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As part of its “PFAS Strategic Roadmap,” EPA has stated that it intends to designate PFOA and PFOS as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Responses, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). EPA took...more

CloudNine

Private and Privileged Data: Public Records and FOIA Requests

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Information requested from a government agency through a local public records request or the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), may be considered private, personally identifiable information (PII) or privileged. These...more

Franczek P.C.

PAC Issues New Binding Opinion Regarding Personal and Pre-Decisional Exemptions Under FOIA

Franczek P.C. on

The PAC recently released its second binding opinion of 2022, which provides helpful analysis and guidance regarding the personal and pre-decisional exemptions under the FOIA. The PAC determined that the City of Chicago...more

Franczek P.C.

Illinois Supreme Court Issues Decision Upholding Private and Personal Redactions Under FOIA

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Recently, the Illinois Supreme Court issued a decision regarding the FOIA, upholding a public body’s redaction of traffic accident reports pursuant to Sections 7(1)(b) and 7(1)(c) of the FOIA....more

Freeman Law

The Freedom of Information Act

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Originally enacted on July 4, 1966, the Freedom of Information Act established a statutory right of public access to Executive Branch information held by the federal government. The FOIA provides that any person has a right,...more

Franczek P.C.

Illinois PAC Rejects FOIA Exemption for Communications with an Interested Third Party

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The Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor recently issued a binding opinion holding that the Illinois Freedom of Information Act exemption for predecisional records does not apply to communications from a public...more

DirectEmployers Association

OFCCP Week In Review: September 2020 #2

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The DE OFCCP Week in Review (WIR) is a simple, fast and direct summary of relevant happenings in the OFCCP regulatory environment, authored by experts John C. Fox, Candee Chambers and Jennifer Polcer. In today’s edition, they...more

Franczek P.C.

New Binding Opinion on Scope of FOIA for Third Parties and Proprietary Information

Franczek P.C. on

In a rare binding opinion, the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor (PAC) opined that certain information in the sole possession of a vendor that had contracted with the Illinois Department of Corrections...more

Franczek P.C.

Recent Illinois Case Addresses the Intersection of Public Data and Privacy in Public Records Laws

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A recent Illinois Appellate Court decision raises interesting questions about how provisions protecting “private information” in open records laws should be interpreted in a world in which a vast wealth of information about...more

Franczek P.C.

The Top Five Takeaways from the Public Access Counselor’s 2019 Binding Opinions

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The Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor was once again busy during 2019, issuing binding decisions of interest to public entities governed by the Illinois Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act....more

Franczek P.C.

OK to Deny FOIA Request for Nonexistent Records

Franczek P.C. on

In a recent decision, the Illinois Appellate Court held that the nonexistence of requested documents is an affirmative defense to a complaint grounded in the Freedom of Information Act. The court also clarified that public...more

Allen Matkins

A Corporation May Be An Individual But What About Tony The Tiger?

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The California legislature was so upset by the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010) that it passed a resolution memorializing its disagreement and asseverating that...more

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