YONKERS, NY: Shelley Mayer Press Release.

Shelley Mayer Press Release.

For Immediate Release:
August 5, 2006

MAYER CALLS FOR GOVERNOR TO SIGN LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN NEW YORK'S FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW

Shelley Mayer, Democratic and Working Families Party candidate for the State Assembly (93rd Assembly District, Yonkers), today urged the Governor to sign A. 11449A/ S. 7011A, which would allow a court to grant attorneys fees to citizens forced to sue to get access to authorized public documents when there was no reasonable basis for withholding them, or when the government agency filed to respond within the time limits set by law, and the citizen prevails on their claim.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Roanne Destito and Senator John DeFrancisco, would strengthen the provisions of the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) by creating stronger incentives to ensure that government agencies comply with FOIL's requirements.

Mayer said, "The right to know what our government is doing is central to our democracy. New Yorkers already have the right to access public information and records under the FOIL law but they should not need to go to court simply to enforce these rights. This law would protect citizens who want to see documents they are entitled to get them in a timely fashion. I urge the Governor to sign it."

The bill would authorize the court to award attorney's fees when there is no reasonable basis for denying the documents, or when the law's time provisions are ignored, and the plaintiff prevails on their claim. It would modify the current provision in the law that only allows the court to grant attorney's fees when the document sought was of "significant interest to the general public".

Mayer has consistently favored the strengthening of the State's important FOIL law. She has pledged to make greater government openness and accountability one of her top priorities in the New York State Assembly.