Senate Judiciary Committee approves bill to boost disclosure of government docs

The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed the Freedom of Information Improvement Act, a bill meant to expand public disclosure of government documents and update the Freedom of Information Act. The bill requires agencies to adopt a policy that presumes disclosure and would ban denials of records based on technicalities, among other changes.

"The FOIA Improvement Act of 2015 reflects the input of both sides of the aisle, the open government community, the Administration, and many other stakeholders," Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-CT) said after the vote. "It is the product of careful negotiations, and it marks an historic step forward in our continued effort to open the government. The Senate should take up and pass this bill so it can be considered by the House and enacted this year.”