FOIA-obtained information to be kept for 90 days

The Commerce Township Board of Trustees has approved an amendment to the Code of Ordinances that will slightly change how requests for public information are handled.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a law ensuring public access to local government records. Upon written request, local, county, state and federal governments and agencies are required to disclose certain records and information unless the requested material falls within one of nine exemptions outlined in the law.

The purpose of the ordinance amendment is to set a period of time during which the information requested will be available to the person who requested it.

According to the amendment to Chapter 2, Article VII, Section 2-365 of the township’s Code of Ordinances, requested information will be available to the person requesting it for 90 days following the FOIA coordinator’s grant or partial grant of the request. After 90 days, the request will be automatically terminated.

If the person still wants that requested information after 90 days, they will have to submit a new written FOIA request, as well as pay all the normal fees inherent in a FOIA request.

This amendment was adopted by the board at its last meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 11.