Transparency Groups Praise Senate’s Passage of “Faster FOIL” Bill, Urge Governor Cuomo to Sign S.1531(Ranzenhofer) A.114(Buchwald)

BetaNYC • Citizens Union • Common Cause NY • NYPIRG • League of Women Voters NYS • Reinvent Albany
National Freedom of Information Coalition • Sunlight Foundation

For immediate release: June 15, 2015

Transparency Groups Praise Senate’s Passage of “Faster FOIL” Bill

(Bill passed Assembly in March)

Urge Governor Cuomo to Sign S.1531 (Ranzenhofer) / A.114 (Buchwald)

Transparency and government watchdog groups praise the State Senate for joining the Assembly in passing a common-sense bill that speeds up the Free- dom of Information Law process. The groups thank State Senator Michael Ranzenhofer (R) and Assemblyman David Buchwald (D) for their leadership in sponsoring the legislation and applaud their bi-partisan work to win passage. (The bill had passed the Assembly for three consecutive years.)

Transparency and watchdog groups call on Governor Cuomo to sign the bill into law, and note that the bill has strong bi-partisan support in the legislature, from editorial boards and national transparency groups.

The bill reduces the total time government agencies in New York State have to appeal a judge’s decision ordering the release of public records to three months from ten. This helps the Freedom of Information Law process work better by improving agency compliance. The bill is recommended by the State’s Committee on Open Government; transparency groups and journalists have found that state agencies abuse the Freedom of Information Law process to delay the release of public records.

According to watchdog groups, the Faster FOIL bill is a simple, straightfor- ward way to increase the transparency and accountability of New York State government. The groups note that the bill passed with overwhelming biparti- san support and say they hope Governor Cuomo will sign it with enthusiasm.

John Kaehny
Executive Director
Reinvent Albany

Dick Dadey
Executive Director
Citizens Union

Susan Lerner
Executive Director
Common Cause NY

LaVita Tuff
Policy Analyst
Sunlight Foundation

Laura Ladd Bierman
Executive Director
League of Women Voters NYS

Blair Horner
Legislative Director
NY Public Interest Research Group

Noel Hidalgo
Organizer
BetaNYC

Barbara Petersen
President
National FOI Coalition

Brennan Center for Justice

Common Cause NY
Citizens Union
Consumers Union
Legal Aid Society
League of Women Voters NYS
National Freedom of Information Coalition
NY Civil Liberties Union
NY Lawyers for the Public Interest
NY News Publishers Association
NY Public Interest Research Group
Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic
Sunlight Foundation
Tri-State Transportation Campaign