Few things cause more stress to public entities and their officers than the burdens of complying with the Freedom of Information and Open Meetings Laws. Not only are the laws governing the obligations of public entities lengthy, unclear and subject to interpretation, but penalties for violating these laws can be severe and unpleasant. Additionally, compliance with FOIL requests can be burdensome, time consuming and costly. This Guide will make your job easier and your obligations to comply more clear. This Guide contains: • Easy to understand interpretations of the Open Meetings Law, Freedom of Information Law and the Personal Privacy Protection Law • A comprehensive list of entities that fall within the purview of each law • Detailed guidance on how to comply with each of the laws • Sample forms, policies and procedures • Recommended practices for legal compliance • Detailed discussions on exceptions which permit denials of Freedom of Information requests • Helpful information to navigate complicated appeals processes • Record Management policies, procedures and forms • Suggestions and best practices for managing FOIL programs • Reviews every significant court decision concerning FOIL, Open Meetings Law and the Personal Privacy Protection Law • And much more!