Delaware lawmakers table bill extending FOIA to nonresidents

Legislation allowing nonresidents of Delaware to request public records under the state's Freedom of Information Act ran into a roadblock Wednesday in the General Assembly.

Currently, public bodies do not have to respond to FOIA requests from anyone who is not a resident of Delaware.

The proposed legislation, which was tabled in committee Wednesday, would remove that restriction while allowing state agencies and public bodies to charge higher fees to nonresidents, as long as they reasonably reflect the costs needed to defray expenses.

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