• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Information Requests - Every state with the laws (Stop saying FOIA requests...)

skeith5

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
356
Location
United States
I see a lot of people talk about FOIA requests. Unless you are asking a Federal Agency for public records FOIA does NOT apply. You should make the request under the state's open records law. Every state is a little different. I have worked with most of the housing agencies in all of the states in the course of my normal job. Please do not e-mail a state or local agency and make a request under FOIA. FOIA is not binding on them and there is a good chance they will IGNORE your request and there isn't much you can do about it. Here is a list of every state that I've compiled, the name of the state law and the actual code that covers their request. A few states might require you to be a citizen of that state, Arkansas is one. There is one Federal Circuit court that struck down the citizen requirement as unconstitutional, another circuit court said that it is OK.

If you are going to make a request take a look at the chart below. If you are making a request to AZ for example you would want to say something like, I am making this request under Arizona's Public Records Law (Ariz Rev Stat.Ann.39-121 to 1-24.) Make sure to FOLLOW UP, and if needs be go up the chain of command, including the attorney general of the state. If all else fails you will need to file a lawsuit to get the records (And possibly monetary compensation.)

Name of State Law for Public Records Requests Law Code
AK Public Records Act Alaska Stat. 09.25.100 to .220
AL Public Open Records Act Ala. Code 36-12-40 et seq.
AR Freedom of Information Act Ark. Code Ann. 25-19-101.
AZ Public Records Law Ariz. Rev. Stat.Ann.39-121 to 1-24, http://www.azleg.gov/ombudsman/public_records.html
CA Public Records Act Cal.Gov.Code 6250 to 6270
CO Open Public Records Law C.R.S. 24-72-201 et seq
CT Freedom of Information Act Conn.Gen.Stat.§1-200 et seq
DC Freedom of Information Act DC Official Code §§ 2-531
DE Freedom of Information Act 29 Del. C. § 10001 et seq.
FL Sunshine Law Fla.Stat.Ann. 119.01 to .165
GA Open Records Act Ga.CodeAnn. 50-18-70 to 76
HI Uniform Information Practices Act Haw. Rev. Stat. §92F-1 et seq.
IA Open Records Law Iowa Code Ann. 22.1 to .14
ID Idaho Public Records Law Id Code 9-338 to 350
IL Freedom of Information Act 5 ILCS 140/1
IN Access to Public records Ind.Code Ann. 5-14-3-1 to 10
KS Open Records Act Kan.Stat.Ann 45-215 to 225
KY Open Records Act Ky.Rev.Stat..Ann. 61.870 to .884
LA Louisiana Public Records Law La.Rev.Stat.Ann. 44:31, http://www.lla.state.la.us/userfiles/file/Public Records Law.pdf
MA Public Records Act Mass.Gen.Laws Ann. Ch.4, 7; Ch. 66,10
MD Public information Act Md.Code Ann., State & Govt, 10-611 to 628
ME Freedom of Access Act Me.Rev.Stat.Ann. 1-13 § 408
MI Freedom of Information Act MCL 15.231
MN Data Practices Act Minn. Stat. Ann. 13.03
MO Sunshine Law Mo.Ann.Stat. 109.180 to .190
MS Public Records Act Miss. Code Ann. 25-61-1 et seq
MT Public Records Act Mont.Code Ann. 2-6-101 to 111
NC Public Records Law N.C.Gen. Stat. 132-1 to 10
ND Open Records Statue N.D. Cent. Code 44-04-18 to -18.8
NE Public Records Law NEB. REV. STAT. 84-712
NH Right to Know Law NH Rev. Stat. 91-A:1
NJ Open Public Records Act N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.
NM Inspection of Public Records Act 14-2-1 NMSA 1978 et seq.
NV Open Records Act Nev.Rev.Stat.Ann. 239.005 to .040
NY Freedom of Information Law NY Pub. Off. Law Sec. 84
OH Open Records Law Ohio Rev. Code. Ann 149.43
OK Open Records Act Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit. 51.24A.1 to .18
OR Public Recrods Law Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. 192.410 to .505
PA Right to Know Law Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. Tit. 65, 66..1 to .4
RI Access to Public Records Act R.I. Gen. Laws 38-2-1 to -14
SC Freedom of Information Act S.C. Code Ann. 30-4-10
SD Sunshine Law S.D. Codified Laws Ann. 1-27-1 to -19
TN Open Records Act Tenn. Code Ann. 10-7-503 et seq.
TX Public Information Act Tx Code Ann.Secs552.001 to 552.353
UT Government Records Access and Management Act Utah Code.Ann. 63G-2-101 to -207
VA Freedom of Information Act Va. Code Sec. 2.2-3704
VT Public Recrods Law 1 V.S.A. Sec. 315-320
WA Public records Act Wash. Rev. Code Ann. 42.56.001 to .904
WI Open Records Law Wis. Stat. Ann. 19.31 to .39
WV Freedom of Information Act W.Va. Code Sec. 29B-1-1
WY Sunshine Law Wyo.Stat.Ann,9-2-407
 

self preservation

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2012
Messages
1,036
Location
Owingsville,KY
I see a lot of people talk about FOIA requests. Unless you are asking a Federal Agency for public records FOIA does NOT apply. You should make the request under the state's open records law. Every state is a little different. I have worked with most of the housing agencies in all of the states in the course of my normal job. Please do not e-mail a state or local agency and make a request under FOIA. FOIA is not binding on them and there is a good chance they will IGNORE your request and there isn't much you can do about it. Here is a list of every state that I've compiled, the name of the state law and the actual code that covers their request. A few states might require you to be a citizen of that state, Arkansas is one. There is one Federal Circuit court that struck down the citizen requirement as unconstitutional, another circuit court said that it is OK.

If you are going to make a request take a look at the chart below. If you are making a request to AZ for example you would want to say something like, I am making this request under Arizona's Public Records Law (Ariz Rev Stat.Ann.39-121 to 1-24.) Make sure to FOLLOW UP, and if needs be go up the chain of command, including the attorney general of the state. If all else fails you will need to file a lawsuit to get the records (And possibly monetary compensation.)

Name of State Law for Public Records Requests Law Code
AK Public Records Act Alaska Stat. 09.25.100 to .220
AL Public Open Records Act Ala. Code 36-12-40 et seq.
AR Freedom of Information Act Ark. Code Ann. 25-19-101.
AZ Public Records Law Ariz. Rev. Stat.Ann.39-121 to 1-24, http://www.azleg.gov/ombudsman/public_records.html
CA Public Records Act Cal.Gov.Code 6250 to 6270
CO Open Public Records Law C.R.S. 24-72-201 et seq
CT Freedom of Information Act Conn.Gen.Stat.§1-200 et seq
DC Freedom of Information Act DC Official Code §§ 2-531
DE Freedom of Information Act 29 Del. C. § 10001 et seq.
FL Sunshine Law Fla.Stat.Ann. 119.01 to .165
GA Open Records Act Ga.CodeAnn. 50-18-70 to 76
HI Uniform Information Practices Act Haw. Rev. Stat. §92F-1 et seq.
IA Open Records Law Iowa Code Ann. 22.1 to .14
ID Idaho Public Records Law Id Code 9-338 to 350
IL Freedom of Information Act 5 ILCS 140/1
IN Access to Public records Ind.Code Ann. 5-14-3-1 to 10
KS Open Records Act Kan.Stat.Ann 45-215 to 225
KY Open Records Act Ky.Rev.Stat..Ann. 61.870 to .884
LA Louisiana Public Records Law La.Rev.Stat.Ann. 44:31, http://www.lla.state.la.us/userfiles/file/Public Records Law.pdf
MA Public Records Act Mass.Gen.Laws Ann. Ch.4, 7; Ch. 66,10
MD Public information Act Md.Code Ann., State & Govt, 10-611 to 628
ME Freedom of Access Act Me.Rev.Stat.Ann. 1-13 § 408
MI Freedom of Information Act MCL 15.231
MN Data Practices Act Minn. Stat. Ann. 13.03
MO Sunshine Law Mo.Ann.Stat. 109.180 to .190
MS Public Records Act Miss. Code Ann. 25-61-1 et seq
MT Public Records Act Mont.Code Ann. 2-6-101 to 111
NC Public Records Law N.C.Gen. Stat. 132-1 to 10
ND Open Records Statue N.D. Cent. Code 44-04-18 to -18.8
NE Public Records Law NEB. REV. STAT. 84-712
NH Right to Know Law NH Rev. Stat. 91-A:1
NJ Open Public Records Act N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.
NM Inspection of Public Records Act 14-2-1 NMSA 1978 et seq.
NV Open Records Act Nev.Rev.Stat.Ann. 239.005 to .040
NY Freedom of Information Law NY Pub. Off. Law Sec. 84
OH Open Records Law Ohio Rev. Code. Ann 149.43
OK Open Records Act Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit. 51.24A.1 to .18
OR Public Recrods Law Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. 192.410 to .505
PA Right to Know Law Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. Tit. 65, 66..1 to .4
RI Access to Public Records Act R.I. Gen. Laws 38-2-1 to -14
SC Freedom of Information Act S.C. Code Ann. 30-4-10
SD Sunshine Law S.D. Codified Laws Ann. 1-27-1 to -19
TN Open Records Act Tenn. Code Ann. 10-7-503 et seq.
TX Public Information Act Tx Code Ann.Secs552.001 to 552.353
UT Government Records Access and Management Act Utah Code.Ann. 63G-2-101 to -207
VA Freedom of Information Act Va. Code Sec. 2.2-3704
VT Public Recrods Law 1 V.S.A. Sec. 315-320
WA Public records Act Wash. Rev. Code Ann. 42.56.001 to .904
WI Open Records Law Wis. Stat. Ann. 19.31 to .39
WV Freedom of Information Act W.Va. Code Sec. 29B-1-1
WY Sunshine Law Wyo.Stat.Ann,9-2-407

Good info. I see a lot of states use "Freedom of Information Act" as well. My favorite is the "Sunshine law"....Makes me feel warm and fuzzy:p
 

skeith5

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
356
Location
United States
Good info. I see a lot of states use "Freedom of Information Act" as well. My favorite is the "Sunshine law"....Makes me feel warm and fuzzy:p

This is true, there are a couple states that call their state statue "freedom of information act". In that case it's ok to say... ;)

Sunshine law is my favorite...
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Does saying FOIA indicate that its a RECORDS request?

Sure +FOIA is easy to write and we are lazy on the internet!

So I see nothing wrong with it ... everyone should be familiar with their respective states' proper terminology...

Using FOIA conveys a record request.

Great list bye the bye !:)
 
Last edited:

skeith5

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
356
Location
United States
Sure +FOIA is easy to write and we are lazy on the internet!

So I see nothing wrong with it ... everyone should be familiar with their respective states' proper terminology...

Using FOIA conveys a record request.

Great list bye the bye !:)

Yes, on this site everyone knows what you mean when you say FOIA. I have run into some agencies though who have no idea what FOIA is, and some that will deny your request because they aren't governed by the federal FOIA. Just wanted to pass along information.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Yes, on this site everyone knows what you mean when you say FOIA. I have run into some agencies though who have no idea what FOIA is, and some that will deny your request because they aren't governed by the federal FOIA. Just wanted to pass along information.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

We should just call it : "freedom of sunshine open public record right to know data information" request or "FSOPRRKDI" to make it simple.
 
Top