Electronic Freedom of Information Improvement Act of 1991

Summary

Electronic Freedom of Information Improvement Act of 1991 - Amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to: (1) direct agencies to publish electronically by computer telecommunications all information required to be published in the Federal Register; (2) include among such required information an index of all information stored in an electronic form by the agency, a description of any new database, and a list of all statutes authorizing the agency to withhold information under such Act; (3) enable requesters to receive records in the format in which such records are maintained; (4) require reasonable efforts by the agency to provide records in an electronic format even when such records are not usually maintained in such format; (5) credit to agencies which have been found to be responsive to FOIA requests a percentage of the fees collected from such requests to offset compliance costs, at an agency's request; (6) provide for Government payment of the requester's out-of-pocket expenses in any case in which the agency has failed to comply with the FOIA request within prescribed time limits; (7) allow penalties to be assessed against an agency which violates such time limits; (8) preclude treatment of routine agency backlogs as unusual circumstances warranting extension of time limits; (9) require denial notifications to specify the total number of denied records and pages considered in responding to the FOIA request; (10) mandate agency regulations governing FOIA requests for expedited access; (11) require deletions to be indicated on the released portion of the record at the place where such deletions were made; and (12) define "record" to include electronic information and "search" to include an automated examination to locate records.

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2 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 7 November 1991

  Open at official source

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