The New York Freedom of Information Act (FOIL) allows agencies to deny requests for lists if they would be used for commercial or fund-raising purposes. However, once obtained, there are no restrictions on how public records can be used. When it comes to who can access public records, the Education Act states that any school official's office records, books, and documents are the property of the district and are open to inspection. This applies to state and local agencies, including counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts and fire districts. The governing body of a public corporation or the director, executive director, or governing body of other agencies is responsible for ensuring compliance with the regulations of this document.
They must designate one or more persons as access officers to records by name or position and specific business address and, when requests by email are accepted, an email address. This person or body has the duty to coordinate the agency's response to public requests for access to records. Each agency must accept requests for public access to the records and submit the records during all the hours when they are open to the public. They must also designate the locations where the records will be available for public inspection and copying. Any conflict between the laws governing public access to records shall be interpreted in favor of the widest possible availability of public records. It provides access rights to records that reflect government decisions and policies that affect the lives of all New Yorkers. Access to public records varies from state to state, depending on the type of record you are looking for and depending on the currency or age of the record.
Each agency must maintain a reasonably detailed updated list, by subject, of all records in its possession, regardless of whether the records are available or not in accordance with subdivision 2 of section 87 of the Public Officials Act. The ease of access to public records also varies; some are available online, while others are only available on paper and require the submission of an application by mail to the specific government office where they were filed. The name of the agency (or municipality) has adopted regulations that govern when, where and how you can view public records. The provisions of FOIL relate to public citizens who have the right to information from public records.
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