Thanks Patrice. That is very interesting (although the link does not work for me, at least from where I currently am, in an airport, as usual). Is the existing portal a government one? If so, why would they aim to create a new one instead of just formalising that one? On a somewhat sobering note, here in Canada we are piloting, also in three public agencies, not a central portal but electronic requests. Fully equipped with the tools for you to pay the $5 that is required here just to make a request (along with verification that you are a Canadian citizen or resident - ouch!).
Anyway, good luck with your campaign. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help. And conversely, if and once you get this, please help spread the word around in the spirit of sharing better practices. Toby ___________________________________ Toby Mendel Executive Director Centre for Law and Democracy toby@law-democracy Tel: +1 902 431-3688 Fax: +1 902 431-3689 www.law-democracy.org On 26 Jul 2013, at 11:22, Patrice McDermott wrote: > Toby & all, > > We think it takes good steps to improve the process of FOIA, but will be > working with the Senate to also get some substantive reforms (e.g., relating > to fees, overuse of some of the exemptions) in addition to what the House > bill does. > > We are hopeful for the Chief FOIA Officers Council -- the role exists, but > it is one assignment among many for the individuals & they have not really > been pushed to do much. The career FOIA officials (the folks who do the > processing) greatly support the idea -- for the same reason. > > We have mixed feelings re the centralized portal -- one already exists > foiaonline.regulations.gov/. It is not perfect but it is growing & the > developers (govt folks at EPA, NARA, and the Dept of Commerce) have been very > open to working with/talking to requesters. So, we are somewhat concerned > that the work -- and money -- that has gone into that will be sidelined. We > definitely support and have pushed for a centralized portal -- and getting it > in the bill without pushback from the executive branch; the implementation of > what is stated in the bill is something we will be watching. And talking to > the Senate about the specific language... > > Thanks. It is REALLY helpful to get ideas & responses from outside the US. > > Patrice > OpenTheGovernment.org > 202 332 6736 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: foianet-boun...@lists.foiadvocates.info > [mailto:foianet-boun...@lists.foiadvocates.info] On Behalf Of Toby Mendel > Sent: Friday, July 26, 2013 9:42 AM > To: foia...@lists.foiadvocates.info > Subject: Re: [foianet] US FOIA Reform report > >> >> Thanks David. >> >> This all looks positive (do our US colleagues agree?) >> >> I found two things particularly interesting: >> >> 1) The central requesting portal, which we included in the document we >> circulated recently for comment on this list to help countries be more >> ambitious in their OGP commitments. It will be very interesting to see how >> this gets assessed after the three year pilot. >> 2) The Council for Chief FOIA Officers. We have been promoting Information >> Officers networks in countries which have recently adopted RTI laws, as a >> way to help them share information and build capacity. This sort of takes it >> one step further. >> >> Best, Toby >> >> ___________________________________ >> Toby Mendel >> Executive Director >> >> Centre for Law and Democracy >> t...@law-democracy.org >> Tel: +1 902 431-3688 >> Fax: +1 902 431-3689 >> www.law-democracy.org >> >> >> >> >> On 26 Jul 2013, at 05:38, David Goldberg wrote: >> >>> Dear all, >>> >>> "The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, to whom was >>> referred the bill (H.R. 1211) to amend section 552 of title 5, United >>> States Code (commonly known as the Freedom of Information Act), to >>> provide for greater public access to information, and for other >>> purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with >>> amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. >>> >>> http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2013_rpt/foia_oversight.html >>> >>> Best wishes >>> >>> David >>> >>> -- >>> "Ye canna get leave tae thrive for thrang", A Ramsay (ed) A >>> collection of Scots Proverbs (1736) >> >
