The most powerful tool of the public, the Freedom of Information Act, was the subject of “How I learned to live with FOIA,” a discussion Saturday hosted by the national chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Virginia Coalition for Open Government Executive Director Frosty Landon described the act as a citizens’ guarantee to government oversight. Landon stressed the importance of informing the public about the FOIA request process and enforcing government compliance to maintain access.
The act protects the public’s right to open access to meetings and government records, unless a specific exemption is applied. Government agencies must reply to requests within five days or face fines.
“A lot of government custodians plead ignorance and get away with it,” Landon said.
Dick Hammerstrom, news editor of Fredericksburg’s Free Lance-Star, offered advice on how to best utilize FOIA requests.
“Be consistent in the way that you use it,” Hammerstrom said. “Don’t let one person get away with something, and not another person.”
While there is a federal FOIA statute, each state has individual laws with variations. Hammerstrom suggested using a state FOIA advisory committee, if one is available, to guide a person through a request.
“The most important thing is to know the law in the state,” he said. “Nothing is worse than asking the wrong question and losing your credibility.” Virginia created a full-time ombudsman to aid requests. Many state agencies now require FOIA Web sites.
“(State governments) don’t want to be embarrassed by further violations of the act,” Landon said.
Bryan Sears, political editor for the Towson Times in Maryland, said the seminar provided him with ideas he would try to use in Baltimore County.
“I took on FOIA issues as a general interest,” Sears said. “But it is the most important issue to all reporters.”