Better Managing Open Records Requests for Government Agencies
No matter what name your state uses to describe it, public records laws apply to all states. Since the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was passed in 1967 to provide the public the right to access to federal agency records, each individual state has implemented its own public records laws to define regulations and processes for how government records are to be shared with its citizens. Each state may have different stipulations for response times, branches of government included, and penalties for non-compliance, but in some format, public records laws apply to every state in the U.S., keeping scores of officials busy managing open records requests every day.
Common Challenges with Fulfilling Open Records Requests
Government officials routinely process public records requests, identify relevant records, determine applicability of exemptions outlined in the Act, respond to requests within mandated timeframes, and oversee the release of information.
Understanding the Law: At times, fulfilling open records requests can require a delicate balancing act between transparency and the legal limitations of the state’s act. The agency staff responsible for handling these requests must have a deep understanding of the act’s nuances, be familiar with various exemptions and adjudicate appeals of denials, and stay up-to-date on court rulings that can impact any interpretations of the law.
Need to Act Swiftly: Each state has its own regulations concerning how long an agency has to fulfill the request. This can be anywhere from a few days to up to a month. Staying on top of the deadlines is important to maintain compliance and avoid penalties.
Outsourcing to Other Departments: Open records requests can become further complicated to fulfill when the staff member tasked with the responsibility of managing requests doesn’t have access to the information themselves and has to outsource the request to another department, such as the police. This creates another step in the process that must be overseen and accomplished in the short window of time allotted.
Automating Open Records Request Management
Public records requests can be tedious and overwhelming to manage, especially when using manual methods to do so. Software such as citizen relationship management (CRM) solutions can automate workflows to streamline the process, creating less hassle for government officials and helping boost citizen engagement, increase transparency and build trust in the process.
Automate Workflows: With automations and triggers, your agency will be empowered to route requests to the appropriate agency contact the first time.
Notifications and Escalations: With tight timelines to fulfill requests, notifications are of the utmost importance. Incoming requests will automatically be assigned a due date in compliance with your state’s regulations. Staff members who have requests assigned to them will also receive automatic notifications leading up to the deadline to remind them to stay on-task.
Reporting: Centralizing records requests in a single solution, your agency can easily aggregate data on requests to maintain reporting requirements.
Comcate’s CRM/311 software provides all the functionality necessary to manage public records request management while also boosting citizen engagement. With two-way communication features, Comcate’s CRM can help break down barriers to improve the citizen experience. With real-time information about citizen concerns, local agencies can better address issues in the community and demonstrate the effectiveness of their work.
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