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Less Freedom of Information

Posted 3/18/22

The recent amendment by Governor Hochul and state legislators of a bill, aimed at subjecting law-enforcement agencies to greater scrutiny by the media and other interested parties, to delete a provision giving judges decision-making authority over such disclosures removes a vital component of the new law.

Under its original language, a denial by a police agency of a Freedom-of-Information Law request for records—including body-cam and dashboard-cam video of incidents—was subject to review by judges as to whether disclosure might truly interfere with judicial proceedings or ongoing investigations.

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