FOIA News: CPSC commissioners approve FOIA fee changes

On April 1, 2020, the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s board unanimously approved publishing a Federal Register notice that would amend the agency’s fee regulations.

FOIA News: FBI reactivates eFOIA portal

A note on the FBI’s FOIA website indicates that requests may be submitted through its eFOIA portal or by standard mail. On March 17, 2020, the FBI announced that it was suspending its eFOIA portal due to the coronavirus outbreak.

FOIA News: ICYMI, CRS surveys agencies for COVID-19 impact

The Congress Research Service published a report last week that identified thirteen agencies whose FOIA processing had been affected by the pandemic.

FOIA News: OGIS encourages agencies to "keep lines of communication open" during pandemic

Because COVID-19 is likely to delay agency FOIA responses, the Office of Government Information Services has encouraged agencies to provide an estimated date of completion upon request. See full blog post here.

FOIA News: Virus delays court's review of Mueller report

Virus Delaying Court's Review Of Unredacted Mueller Report

By Khorri Atkinson, Law360, Mar. 31, 2020

A D.C. federal judge said ongoing court disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic is preventing him from immediately reviewing the unredacted version of former special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Read more here.

FOIA News: More on FOIA backlogs

FOIA Requests, Backlog Continue to Grow

FEDweek, Mar. 31, 2020

Requests received by agencies for records under the Freedom of Information Act increased by about 30 percent over 2012-2018 to more than 860,000, while the number of those process increased by about 25 percent to above 830,000, resulting in a larger backlog, GAO has reported.

Read more here.

FOIA News: DOJ submits Mueller report to judge

DOJ turns over full Mueller report to judge who will rule on lifting William Barr’s redactions

By David Edwards, Raw Story, Mar. 30, 2020

The Department of Justice on Monday turned over an unredacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the Russia investigation to a federal judge.

Read more here.

FOIA News: Government FOIA jobs available

• Gov’t Info. Specialist, Fed. Trade Comm’n, D.C., closes Apr. 3, 2020

• Att’y-Advisor, Dep’t of the Treasury, D.C., closes Apr. 27, 2020

• Gov’t Info. Specialist, Dep’t of the Navy, D.C., closes Apr. 1, 2020

• Gov’t Info. Specialist, Comptroller of the Currency, D.C., closes Apr. 8, 2020

• Gov’t Info. Specialist, Dep’t of Agric., D.C., closes Mar. 31, 2020

• Info. Release Ass’t, Dep’t of the Navy, Norfolk, VA, closes Mar. 31, 2020

FOIA News: Agencies seek litigation delays

Coronavirus Challenges Force Slowdowns in DC FOIA Litigation

Lawyers for federal agencies say in court filings that staff are struggling to process Freedom of Information Act requests as they work remotely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Jacqueline Thomsen, Nat’l Law J., Ma. 27, 2020

Public records litigation making its way through Washington, D.C.’s federal court is slowing down as officers tasked with combing through the documents work from home or are cut off from accessing databases that house the records.

In court filings made in recent days in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, lawyers representing several different federal agencies have laid out the difficulties Freedom of Information Act officers are facing in responding to court-ordered deadlines. Some are asking judges to adjust or stay deadlines, and the filings indicate that plaintiffs are agreeing to the temporary delays.

Read more here.

FOIA News: Litigation trends for February 2020

February 2020 FOIA Litigation with Five-Year Monthly Trends

By FOIA Project, Mar. 24, 2020

During the month of February 2020 federal district courts saw a total of 63 new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits filed under 5 U.S.C. 552. To place this number in perspective, 63 new filings compares with a monthly average of 74 filings during the last 12 months. This month’s total brought overall FOIA filings on an annual basis for these last 12 months to 886.

Read more here.