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Electronic Freedom of Information Act of 1996
As an amendment to the Freedom of Information Act of 1966, the Electronic Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was passed in 1996. The basic provisions allow individuals to not only access paper documents, but also to access electronically created documents and information, such as electronic databases, electronic documents, word-processing documents, and e-mail. Thus, FOIA has broadened the right of individuals to gain greater access to government documents. The Act has three primary components: the development of agency electronic reading rooms; the creation of an electronic FOIA Reference Guide; and the publication of an Annual FOIA Report, due by February 1 of each year. The report must contain such data as how many requests for documents were made, how long it took to fill the requests, and how many personnel were available to conduct this task.
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