Good news this week that Governor George Pataki is signing a new and strengthened freedom of information law (FOI) for New York; a measure that will address some of the unconscionable delays in getting information that some within the public have experienced in the past.

The state’s FOI laws are 30 years old and have worked to open the government and governmental processes to the public with untold efficiency. Throughout the past 3 decades, the law and the New York State Committee on Open Government which acts as a clearing house for questions and issues related to the law, has educated hundreds millions of New Yorkers about the law and public information. From local town and village clerks, school board members, public officials to average citizens, the law has helped define the public’s role in the public process.

A recent New York Newspaper Publishers study found, however, that in some instances seeking easily accessible agency records took weeks, months or sometimes years before they were either released or denied. The remedy fashioned by the legislature to correct this problem will require that an agency must respond within 20 business days with either an approval or denial of the request. That means that an individual applying for the information will be either provided with that information or be able to proceed with an appeal process in the event their request is denied.

As we have said before, opening up gateways to government for the public it serves is essential in a democracy. These changes to New York State’s FOI laws are a new gateway, and we applaud the legislature for writing the changes and the governor for signing them into law.