Freedom of Information Act, Open Meetings, and Open Records Seminar

Welcome to the Freedom of Information Act (Open Meetings, Open Records, and Sunshine Laws) Introduction Seminar.

Hit this FOIA Video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3CtKpXrE1A

1. You will notice that we have compiled various FOIA, Open Meetings, Open Records, and Sunshine Laws of various state agencies on the navigation box to the right.

2. Specific State Guidelines and Information are available through the Open Government Guide located at this URL: http://www.rcfp.org/ogg/index.php

3. The Reporters Committee For Freedom of the Press (FOIA Resources and Guides)
http://www.rcfp.org/foia/

4. Public Citizen has a Litigation Group that may be available for certain FOIA Litigation and Requests that are being denied available at this URL: http://www.citizen.org/litigation/foia_clinic/PubIntFOIARequestform.cfm

5. We have identified an excellent source of information at The FOIA Blog with the URL below:
http://thefoiablog.typepad.com/


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Agency FOIA Sites
http://www.citizen.org/public_citizen/litigation/foic/foiasite.html

This site offers links to several U.S. government agency FOIA web pages some agency FOIA reports.

Department of Defense FOIA
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi

This site offers access to the the reading room and the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

Department of Health and Human Services FOIA
http://www.hhs.gov/about/foia/index.html

This site does not offer access to an electronic reading room or the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

Department of the Interior FOIA
http://www.doi.gov/foia/

This site offers access to the the reading room.

Department of Justice FOIA Home Page
http://www.usdoj.gov/foia/

This site offers access to the DOJ FOIA Reference Guide, DOJ FOIA Regulations, FOIA Updates, DOJ FOIA contacts and much more.

Department of Justice FOIA Reading Rooms
http://www.usdoj.gov/foia/readingrooms

This site offers access to the reading rooms.

Department of Labor FOIA
http://www.dol.gov/dol/sol/public/foia/main.htm

This site offers access to the reading room.

Department of State FOIA
http://www.foia.state.gov

This site does not offer access to an electronic reading room or the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

Department of Transportation FOIA
http://dms.dot.gov

This site does not offer access to an electronic reading room or the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

Department of Treasury
http://www.treas.gov/foia/temp_err.htm

This site offers access to the the reading room.

Department of Veterans Affairs FOIA
http://www.va.gov/foia/default.htm

This site offers access to the the reading room.

EPA FOIA
http://www.epa.gov/swerust1/resource/foia.htm

This site offers the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

EPA Regional FOIA
http://www.epa.gov/earth100/records/a00258.html

This site offers the ability to do an electronic FOIA request for a couple of regions.

EPA Superfund FOIA
http://www.epa.gov/R5Super/sfd_foia.htm

This site offers access to existing online reports and the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

FDIC FOIA
http://www.fdic.gov/publish/efoia.html

This site offers access to the Public Information Center and the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

FEMA FOIA
http://www.fema.gov/library/

This site offers access to the electronic reading room.

Food and Drug Administration FOIA
http://www.fda.gov/foi/foia2.htm

This site offers access to the the electronic reading room.

General Services Administration
http://www.gsa.gov/staff/c/ca/cai/links.htm

This site offers access to the the reading room and the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

Navy, FISC FOIA Program
http://www.sd.fisc.navy.mil/foia/freedom.html

This site offers access to the electronic reading room.

NASA FOIA
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/FOIA/

This site offers access to the the reading room and the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

OMB FOIA
http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/OMB/html/foiares4.html

This site does not offer access to an electronic reading room or the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

SBA FOIA
http://www.sba.gov/foia/foiaonlineform.html

This site offers the ability to do an electronic FOIA request.

Social Security Administration FOIA
http://www.ssa.gov/foia/foia.htm

This site offers access to the the electronic reading room.

USDA FOIA
http://www.usda.gov/news/foia/main.htm

This site offers access to the the electronic reading room.

Court Grants Media Status to Internet-Only Newsletter

In a noteworthy opinion, Judge Reggie B. Walton of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia has granted a fee waiver to a group called Federal Cure ("FedCure").

FedCure sought a fee waiver in its requests to the Bureau of Prisons ("BOP") about ion spectrometer scanning methods used in the prisons. The BOP denied the fee waiver request, the litigation was filed and the Court ultimately agreed with FedCure. In finding that the group met the requirements for a fee-waiver, the Court found that FedCure's internet activities (a sporadically published newsletter, and answers to requests on a Yahoo discussion group) met the requirement as a representative of the news media.