Relates to requiring agencies to report information about FOIL inquiries to the committee on open government

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic12

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Brian Kavanagh says this is needed

Since 1974, New York's Freedom of Information Law has allowed the public to access a myriad of public documents and records, shining light on what can be obscure or complicated government processes and decision- making. Like its federal counterpart, New York's FOIL requests are a key tool for the press, the public, and advocates to hold state and local governments accountable to New Yorkers. Though FOIL is a crucial asset for transparent government in New York, we have little understanding of the full extent of its utilization. Agencies subject to New York's public officers law are not required to report to the legislature or to the public information, about how such requests are received, what information is requested, and how such requests are responded to. This bill would require all state and local agencies subject to the public officers law to report basic information about their FOIL request receipts and responses to the committee on open government, and tasks the committee with making such information available to the public. Agencies that did not have any new or pending FOIL requests in any given year are not required to report. In finally collecting and publishing data about utilization of and compliance under FOIL, this bill would increase government transparency and accountability.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.