Freedom Of Information Act Wa Pdf Free
Lora Ceasor
Before making a request, first see if the information is already publicly available. You can find a lot of useful information on individual agency websites and you can also search across the government for information.
The agency will typically first search for the records and then review them to determine what can be disclosed. While FOIA allows for many records to be released, there are also nine exemptions that protect certain types of information, such as personal privacy and law enforcement interests. The length of time to respond to your request will vary depending on its complexity and any backlog of requests.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) generally provides that any person has the right to request access to federal agency records or information except to the extent the records are protected from disclosure by any of nine exemptions contained in the law or by one of three special law enforcement record exclusions.
Exemptions The nine exemption categories that authorize government agencies to withhold information are:
- classified information for national defense or foreign policy
- internal personnel rules and practices
- information that is exempt under other laws
- trade secrets and confidential business information
- inter-agency or intra-agency memoranda or letters that are protected by legal privileges
- personnel and medical files
- law enforcement records or information
- information concerning bank supervision
- geological and geophysical information
Alert: To respond to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) request as quickly as possible, we will stop accepting requests by fax or email on Dec. 16, 2022. We strongly encourage you to use our online FOIA request and response service.
Step 4: Make your FOIA request online to avoid mailing, paper processing, and returned mail that could make it take much longer to process your request. You can also use this service to receive records online, if you already submitted a request by mail. See the chart below.
If you prefer to make your request by mail, download, complete, print, and sign Form G-639, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Request (PDF, 436.26 KB). Form G-639 ensures we receive the correct information to fulfill your request if you make it by mail.
You may draft and mail a request for records that meets statutory FOIA procedures without using Form G-639. If you do this, USCIS cannot process your request as efficiently as possible. If you mail your request, you may be more likely to omit some information we need to fulfill your request, which could delay you from receiving the records you requested.
However you make your request, be as specific as possible about which documents you need. We can respond to requests for specific documents faster than for large set of records, such as entire A-Files.
Welcome to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) page. FOIA is the law that gives any person access, with certain exemptions, to information about the functions, procedures, policies, decisions, and operations of federal agencies.
The Freedom of Information Law, effective January 1, 1978, reaffirms your right to know how your government operates. It provides rights of access to records reflective of governmental decisions and policies that affect the lives of every New Yorker. The law preserves the Committee on Open Government, which was created by enactment of the original Freedom of Information Law in 1974.
The opinions represent the views of the Committee on Open Government at the time that they were rendered. They may no longer represent those views if, for example, there have been subsequent court decisions or statutory amendments that bear on the issues discussed in the opinions.
Due to the repetition of the substance of various opinions, not all opinions are available online. Only those that have been determined to have precedential value or that are in some manner unique are included.
Advisory opinions that are not available online, primarily those prepared prior to 1993, are maintained by the Committee on Open Government and at various law libraries throughout the state. Copies of opinions are available by contacting the Committee.
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This information is not the official version of the Official Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR). No representation is made as to its accuracy, nor may it be read into evidence in New York State courts. To ensure accuracy and for evidentiary purposes, reference should be made to the official NYCRR. The Official NYCRR is available from West Publishing: 1-800-344-5009.
(a) The people's right to know the process of government decision making and the documents and statistics leading to determinations is basic to our society. Access to such information should not be thwarted by shrouding it with the cloak of secrecy or confidentiality.
(b) This Part provides information concerning the procedures by which records may be obtained from an agency as defined by subdivision 3 of section 86 of the Public Officers Law. No agency regulations shall be more restrictive than this Part.
(a) The governing body of a public corporation and the head of an executive agency or governing body of other agencies shall be responsible for insuring compliance with the regulations herein, and shall designate one or more persons as records access officer by name or by specific job title and business address, and when requests are accepted via email, an email address, who shall have the duty of coordinating agency response to public requests for access to records. The designation of one or more records access officers shall not be construed to prohibit officials who have in the past been authorized to make records or information available to the public from continuing to do so.
(1) Maintain an up-to-date subject matter list.
(2) Assist persons seeking records to identify the records sought, if necessary, and when appropriate, indicate the manner in which the records are filed, retrieved or generated to assist persons in reasonably describing records.
(3) Contact persons seeking records when a request is voluminous or when locating the records sought involves substantial effort, so that agency personnel may ascertain the nature of records of primary interest and attempt to reasonably reduce the volume of the records requested.
(4) Upon locating the records, take one of the following actions:
(b) In agencies which do not have daily regular business hours, a written procedure shall be established by which a person may arrange an appointment to inspect and copy records. Such procedure shall include the name, position, address and phone number of the party to be contacted for the purpose of making an appointment.
(b) When an agency maintains requested records on the internet, a response shall inform a requester that the records are accessible via the internet and in printed form either on paper or other information storage medium.
(1) informing a person requesting records that the request or portion of the request does not reasonably describe the records sought, including direction, to the extent possible, that would enable that person to request records reasonably described;
(3) acknowledging the receipt of a request in writing, including an approximate date when the request will be granted or denied in whole or in part, which shall be reasonable under the circumstances of the request and shall not be more than twenty business days after the date of the acknowledgment, or if it is known that circumstances prevent disclosure within twenty business days from the date of such acknowledgment, providing a statement in writing stating the reason for inability to grant the request within that time and a date certain, within a reasonable period under the circumstances of the request, when the request will be granted in whole or in part; or
(4) if the receipt of request was acknowledged in writing and included an approximate date when the request would be granted in whole or in part within twenty business days of such acknowledgment, but circumstances prevent disclosure within that time, providing a statement in writing within twenty business days of such acknowledgment stating the reason for the inability to do so and a date certain, within a reasonable period under the circumstances of the request, when the request will be granted in whole or in part.
(3) furnishes an acknowledgment of the receipt of a request within five business days with an approximate date for granting or denying access in whole or in part that is unreasonable under the circumstances of the request;
(5) determines to grant a request in whole or in part within twenty business days of its acknowledgment of the receipt of a request, but fails to do so, unless the agency provides the reason for its inability to do so in writing and a date certain within which the request will be granted in whole or in part;
(6) does not grant a request in whole or in part within twenty business days of its acknowledgment of the receipt of a request and fails to provide the reason in writing explaining its inability to do so and a date certain by which the request will be granted in whole or in part; or
(7) responds to a request, stating that more than twenty business days is needed to grant or deny the request in whole or in part and provides a date certain within which it will do so, but such date is unreasonable under the circumstances of the request.
(a) Each agency shall maintain a reasonably detailed current list, by subject matter, of all records in its possession, whether or not records are available pursuant to subdivision 2 of section 87 of the Public Officers Law.
(d) Each state agency that maintains a website shall post its current list on its website and such posting shall be linked to the website of the Committee on Open Government. Any state agency that does not maintain a website shall arrange to have its list posted on the website of the Committee on Open Government.
1401.7 Denial of access to records.