The public comment period for this legislation has ended.

Transparency in Government Act 2008

101 section comments

Title VII - Strengthening FOIA

Summary:

Requires executive branch agencies to make all materials that make up a completed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) response to be in a publicly available, free of charge, in a structured, searchable, sortable, downloadable database or in a format searchable by text on the agency's Web site.

Agencies may not extend their time for responding to a FOIA request for more than 60 days past the original due date

Sec. 701. Digital access to completed FOIA responses.

  1. Each agencyis required to make available all materialscontained inthe agency's completed response to a FOIA request in a structured database; searchable, sortable, downloadable database; or in a format searchable by text as appropriate.

    1. All information is presumed to be available in an electronic format as described above unless the agency demonstrates that excessive cost would place an undue burden on the agency.

  2. All information provided under subparagraph (a) above shall be made available to the public electronically, free of charge througheach agency's Web site.

Sec. 702. Limitations on extensions for agency response.

The Freedom of Information Act, 5 USC 552(a)(6)(B) is amended to provide that, when an agency determines that unusual circumstances exist that prevent the agency from responding to a FOIA request within the time limits prescribed, the agency may provide written notice setting forth the unusual circumstances for extending the date on which a determination is expected to be dispatched. No such notice shall specify a date that would result in an extension for more than ten working days per extension, and the total number of extensions must not be greater than 60 days past the original date due.