OMB

The Office of Government Information Services issued its recommendations for policy changes to the federal Freedom of Information Act yesterday, more than a year after it submitted a draft version to the Office of Management and Budget in February 2011 for review.

More than a week after media reports revealed that proposed Office of Government and Information Services recommendations to improve federal Freedom of Information Act implementation have been awaiting the Office of Management and Budget’s approval for nine months, OMB has taken no further public action, although discussions about the recommendations are allegedly ongoing.

“There were talks going on [Tuesday] and things are in development,” said OMB spokeswoman Meg Reilly.

Much of the information the Office of Management and Budget refused to give a public watchdog group as requested must be released because it is not covered by FOIA exemptions, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington (D.C. Cir.) ruled last week.