Resources for Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)

Federal agencies spotty in compliance with Freedom of Information Act requests

www.southtownstar.com

The Internal Revenue Service arguably has the most famous and feared deadline in the United States.

But when it comes to deadlines for Freedom of Information Act requests, the tax agency isn't nearly so demanding of itself.

"I apologize for any inconvenience my delay may cause," wrote the tax agency, as it explained why it would blow the 20-day deadline on a GateHouse News Service FOIA letter for logs of its public records requests. And if you don't like it: "You may file suit."

So IRS FOIA requests in the past calendar year will remain a mystery until at least May 9.

In advance of Sunshine Week - a national effort to promote the public's right to access government that starts today - GateHouse News Service filed FOIA requests with 100 federal and state entities. The agencies were asked for logs of everyone who sought public records in the past year as part of an investigation to see how open-records laws play out in practice.

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