Speaker Heastie and Assembly: Please pass A3425-A, which just passed the Senate, to improve FOIL response times

The 2025 Assembly has led on FOIL, and we’re asking you to bring this crucial transparency bill across the finish line

This session, the Assembly has led the way on FOIL, passing three bills strengthening New Yorkers’ right to public documents. Reinvent Albany urges the Assembly to build on this record and pass S2520-B (Skoufis)/A3425-A (Raga), which would substantially improve FOIL response times, in its final days of session.

This is the only FOIL bill supported by a wide coalition of watchdog and media groups to pass the Senate this session. The bill establishes deadlines for the amount of time agencies can take to respond to most FOIL requests and makes it clear to the courts what the Legislature wants.

Data from NYC Shows Abysmal FOIL Response Times
Because New York City’s OpenRecords website provides data and tracking of FOIL requests submitted to agencies through the portal, there is data about exactly how long people are waiting for FOIL responses and records. Unfortunately, there is no public tracking of requests to New York State agencies. 

Below is a chart of the agencies in New York City with the most “open” FOIL requests, meaning that requestors are still waiting for a response – some as long as nine years! The Assembly should pass S2520-B/A3425-A to substantially improve FOIL response times, and ensure that New Yorkers are not waiting years to receive responses to their FOIL requests.