Electronic Access to Public Records.
Draft as submitted.
Published as Chapter 15 of
G. David Garson (ed) Handbook of Public Information Systems.
(NY: Marcel Dekker, 2000.)

By Jeremy R. T. Lewis
Huntingdon College, Montgomery Alabama

ABSTRACT:

An examination of issues involved in the 1990s shift from release of public documents to the release of electronic resources via electronic means. The causes and consequences of the Electronic Freedom of Information Act. Exploration of case studies at several federal agencies to analyze the difficulties and successes of implementing electronic processing of requested records, and online dissemination of databases.
CONTENTS:

I. INTRODUCTION TO FEDERAL INFORMATION POLICY BEFORE 1996.

II. THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE 1990S

III. PREPARING THE GROUND FOR EFOIA

IV. TRANSITION IN THE WHITE HOUSE, 1992-1994

V. LEGISLATIVE VERSUS ADMINISTRATIVE STRATEGY

VI. JUNE 1996 HOUSE HEARINGS ON THE SENATE EFOIA BILL (S.1090)

VIII. CONGRESSIONAL ACTION

VIII. PROVISIONS OF THE 1996 EFOIA

IX. PRESIDENTIAL SIGNATURE

X. CRITICISM OF THE EFOIA PROVISIONS

XI. BUDGET AND STAFF REQUESTS FOR EFOIA IMPLEMENTATION (1997)

XII. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1996 EFOIA: HEARINGS (1998)

XIII. REDACTION SOFTWARE FOR EFOIA PROCESSING

XIV. EFOIA INITIAL COMPLIANCE

XVI. AGENCIES' BUDGET REQUESTS FOR AUGMENTED RESOURCES FOR THE EFOIA, POST 1996

XVII. CONCLUSION