Statement by Tim Hoefer
Executive Director, Empire Center for Public Policy

“State lawmakers have given a real boost to government transparency and the public’s right to know by voting to speed up the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) process. The FOIL Fast Track bill (S1531/A114) reduces the amount of time that government officials can stall public information requests in court. Assuming this bill becomes law, it will trim the FOIL process by as much as eight months in certain cases, strengthening the public’s ability to obtain information in a timely manner.”

For more information about the FOIL Fast Track Bill, read Hoefer’s analysis.

The Empire Center is a non-partisan, non-profit independent think tank based in Albany.

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