/foia-requests

name: foia-requests
description: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and public records request workflows. Use when drafting records requests, tracking submissions, understanding exemptions, appealing denials, or managing large document productions. Essential for investigative journalists, researchers, and transparency advocates.

FOIA and public records requests

Workflows and templates for obtaining government records through freedom of information laws.

Understanding FOIA landscape

Jurisdiction overview

| Level | Law | Scope | |-------|-----|-------| | Federal | Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) | Federal executive branch agencies | | State | Varies by state (e.g., OPRA in NJ, FOIL in NY) | State and local agencies | | Local | Often covered by state law | Municipal, county, school boards |

Key federal exemptions (U.S. Federal FOIA)

## The 9 federal FOIA exemptions

1. **National security** - Classified information
2. **Internal personnel rules** - Agency housekeeping matters
3. **Statutory exemptions** - Other laws prohibit disclosure
4. **Trade secrets** - Confidential business information
5. **Inter/intra-agency memos** - Deliberative process privilege
6. **Personal privacy** - Personnel, medical files
7. **Law enforcement** - Could interfere with proceedings
8. **Financial institutions** - Bank examination reports
9. **Geological data** - Oil and gas well information

Note: Agencies must segregate and release non-exempt portions

State public records laws

All 50 states have enacted laws requiring certain government records to be open to the public.

State-specific resources

### State public records resources

#### Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
- Open Government Guide: rcfp.org/open-government-guide
- State-by-state analysis of public records laws
- Sample request letters by state

#### National Freedom of Information Coalition
- nfoic.org/state-freedom-of-information-laws
- State FOI organization contacts
- Training and resources

#### MuckRock
- muckrock.com
- File requests through platform
- Search previous requests/responses
- Agency response time data

Common state exemptions

State legislatures may be subject to different rules than the rest of their governing bodies:

1. **Exempt from public records statute** (e.g., Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Oregon, Wyoming) 2. **Excluded from definition of public body** (e.g., Georgia, Minnesota) 3. **Covered by separate statute** (e.g., California) 4. **Allowed to set own policies** (e.g., Mississippi, New York)

Court decisions and attorneys general opinions in some states have held that the separation of powers doctrine prevents courts from enforcing public records statutes against the legislature.

State-by-state reference

| State | Public Records Law | Legislative Exemptions/Notes | |-------|-------------------|------------------------------| | Alabama | AL Code § 36-12-40 et seq. | AL Code § 29-6-7.1 Legislative confidential communication | | Alaska | AK Stat. § 40.25.110 | AK Stat. § 24.20.100 Research and drafting services confidential | | Arizona | AZ Rev. Stat. § 39-121.01 | AZ Rev. Stat. § 41-1279.05 Confidential records of auditor general | | Arkansas | AR Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq. | AR Code Ann. § 10-2-129; § 10-4-422; § 25-19-105(b)(7) | | California | CA Govt. Code § 7920 et seq. | CA Govt. Code § 9070 et seq. Legislative Open Records Act | | Colorado | CO Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-72-200 et seq. | CO Rev. Stat. Ann. § 24-72-202(6); § 2-3-505(2) | | Connecticut | CT Gen. Stat. § 1-200 et seq. | CT Gen. Stat. § 1-210(b)(19); § 52-146r | | Delaware | 29 Del. Laws, c. 100 § 10001 et seq. | § 10002(o)(16 & 19) Exempt records; GA emails | | Florida | FL Stat. § 119.01 et seq. | FL Stat. § 11.0431(2); § 11.26; § 15.07 | | Georgia | O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq. | General Assembly not included in definitions | | Hawaii | HI Rev. Stat. § 92F-1 et seq. | HI Rev. Stat. § 84-12; § 92F-13(5); § 23G-4 | | Idaho | ID Stat. § 74-101 et seq. | ID Stat. § 74-109 Draft legislation exempt | | Illinois | 5 ILCS 140/1 | 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(f) Legislative documents exempt | | Indiana | IN Code § 5-14-3-1 et seq. | IN Code § 5-14-3-4(b)(13) & (14) Staff work products exempt | | Iowa | IA Code § 22.1 et seq. | IA Code § 2A.1(3); § 23.12 | | Kansas | K.S.A. § 45-215 et seq. | K.S.A. § 45-217(l)(3)(B); § 45-221(a)(20)-(22) | | Kentucky | KRS § 61.870 et seq. | KRS § 7.117; § 7.119; § 7.120 | | Louisiana | LA Rev. Stat. § 44:1 et seq. | LA Rev. Stat. § 44:4(6); § 44:4.1; § 44:2 | | Maine | ME Rev. Stat. Tit. 1 § 400 et seq. | ME Rev. Stat. Tit. 1 § 402(3)(C) Legislative exception | | Maryland | MD General Provisions Code § 4-101 et seq. | MD State Govt. Code § 2–1226 | | Massachusetts | MA Gen. Laws Ch. 66 § 1 et seq. | Ch. 66 § 18 General Court exempt | | Michigan | MI Comp. Laws § 15.231 | MI Comp. Laws § 4.1109 LSB confidentiality | | Minnesota | MN Stat. § 13.03 | MN Stat. § 3C.05; § 10.46; § 3.098 | | Mississippi | MS Code Ann. § 25-61-1 et seq. | MS Code Ann. § 25-61-17 Legislature regulates own records | | Missouri | MO Rev. Stat. § 610.010 et seq. | MO Rev. Stat. § 610.010(6); § 610.021 | | Montana | MT Code Ann. § 2-6-1001 et seq. | N/A | | Nebraska | NE Rev. Stat. § 84-712 et seq. | NE Rev. Stat. § 84-712.05(14) | | Nevada | NV Rev. Stat. § 239.001 et seq. | NV Rev. Stat. § 41.071; § 218F.150 | | New Hampshire | NH Rev. Stat. § 91-A:1 et seq. | NH Rev. Stat. § 91-A:5(IX) | | New Jersey | NJ Rev. Stat. § 47:1A-1 et seq. | NJ Rev. Stat. § 47:1A-1.1; § 52:13D-22(d) | | New Mexico | NM Stat. § 14-2-1 et seq. | NM Stat. § 2-3-13 Services confidential | | New York | NY PBO Article 6 § 84 et seq. | NY PBO Article 6 § 88; Article 4 § 74(c) | | North Carolina | NC G.S. § 132-1 et seq. | NC G.S. § 120 et seq. Confidentiality of communications | | North Dakota | ND Cent. Code § 44-04-18 et seq. | ND Cent. Code § 44-04-18.6 | | Ohio | OH Rev. Code § 149.43 | OH Rev.