A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for public access to information in an electronic format, to amend the Freedom of Information Act, and for other purposes.
Electronic Freedom of Information Improvement Act of 1994 - Amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to: (1) direct agencies to publish by computer telecommunications, or other electronic means if such communications are not available, all information required to be published in the Federal Register; (2) include among such required information a list of all statutes authorizing the agency to withhold information under such Act; (3) require reasonable efforts by the agency to provide records in an electronic format even when such records are not usually maintained in such format; (4) 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; (5) 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; (6) require an agency which violates such time limits to demonstrate that delay was warranted; (7) preclude treatment of routine agency backlogs as unusual circumstances warranting extension of time limits; (8) require denial notifications to specify the total number of denied records and pages considered in responding to the FOIA request; (9) mandate an agency first-in, first-out (FIFO) processing policy to determine the order in which requests are processed, allowing separate processing tracks for simple and complex requests; (10) mandate agency regulations governing FOIA requests for expedited access; (11) require deletions to be indicated on the released portion of the record where they were made; and (12) define "record" to include electronic information and "search" to include an automated examination to locate records.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Information, Justice, Transportation and Agriculture.
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S17056-17058)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Referred to Subcommittee on Technology and the Law.
Committee on Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Biden with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Judiciary. Reported to Senate by Senator Biden with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 594.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR S12646-12647)
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S12646-12647)
Received in the House.
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Referred to the House Committee on Government Operations.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
By Senator Biden from Committee on Judiciary filed written report. Report No. 103-365.
By Senator Biden from Committee on Judiciary filed written report. Report No. 103-365.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Information, Justice, Transportation and Agriculture.