[JURIST] Only one in five US federal agencies actually complies with the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments (E-FOIA) [HR 3802 summary], according to a report [PDF text, press release] released Monday by the National Security Archive [official website]. The E-FOIA amendments, which took effect in 1997, require federal agencies to post key records online, provide citizens with detailed guidance on making information requests and use new information technology to publish information proactively. The survey reviewed 149 federal agency and component websites and found widespread failure. Among the key findings are that just 21 percent of federal agencies and components fully follow the E-FOIA amendments and post all of the required categories of documents online; only one in three agencies provide the required indexes and guides to agency records; and many agency websites are poorly organized and difficult to navigate.

The National Security Archive cited NASA and the US Department of Education as examples of excellent FOIA websites and the Air Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the US Department of Veterans Affairs [official websites] as delinquent websites. AP has more.