Bill > A10759

This bill aims to shorten the maximum allowable timeframes for government agencies to respond to requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which is a law that grants the public the right to access information from federal, state, and local government agencies. Currently, agencies must respond within five business days, but this bill introduces new, gradually decreasing deadlines for providing records once a request has been approved in whole or in part. Specifically, for requests made before December 31, 2027, agencies will have 180 days; for requests made in 2028, they will have 90 days; and for requests made on or after January 1, 2029, they will have 60 days. The bill also outlines specific conditions under which an agency can extend these deadlines, such as if federal law prevents timely review, if employees cannot safely access records, or if the records are too voluminous to review within the allotted time. If an extension is granted, the agency must notify the requester in writing with detailed reasons, provide monthly progress updates, and inform the committee on open government, with all notifications signed by the agency's commissioner. This act is set to take effect on January 1, 2027, with the new deadlines for responding to requests not applying to records already involved in litigation with third parties on that date.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A10759