Middle TN Pro argues for 'Faster FOIA' bill

It's the "Faster FOIA Act of 2005," and it calls for a commission that would study ways to "help reduce delays in processing requests" under the federal Freedom of Information Act. The bill, Senate Bill 589, is being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Middle Tennessee Pro Chapter sent off a letter to the committee a couple of weeks ago and you can read the text. We're also sending letters to Sens. Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander. As a national organization, SPJ is part of the "Sunshine in Government Initiative" that is endorsing Faster FOIA.

The Middle Tennessee Pro Chapter encourages its members to support Faster FOIA and to encourage Sens. Frist and Alexander to support it, too -- their addresses are on their Web sites. For more information, contact SPJ's national FOI Committee Co-Chairman Prof. Charles Davis of the University of Missouri.

And if you need help writing a FOIA letter, here's a handy fill-in-the-blank FOIA letter generator from the Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press.