What is the purpose of FOIL?

• A. To restrict access to government records to officials only.
• B. To provide public access to government records, subject to exemptions and procedural rules.
• C. To require agencies to disclose every record without exemptions.
• D. To regulate private records held by individuals.

Answer: (B)

FOIL is about shedding light on government actions. Its purpose is to provide the public with access to government records so people can see what the government is doing and evaluate it. At the same time, the law recognizes that some information should be kept confidential, so access is balanced with exemptions and procedural rules that govern how requests are made, how records are disclosed, and how disputes are handled. This means there is public access to government records, but not an indiscriminate disclosure of every document. It also applies to government agencies, not to private individuals’ records. Those reasons show why providing public access to government records, subject to exemptions and procedural rules, is the best description.