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Federal statute

FOIA Improvement Act of 2016

In plain terms. The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 strengthened the Freedom of Information Act by codifying the "foreseeable harm" standard for withholding, limiting the deliberative-process exemption to records less than 25 years old, and…

Last reviewedJune 7, 2026Version v1

In plain terms. The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 strengthened the Freedom of Information Act by codifying the "foreseeable harm" standard for withholding, limiting the deliberative-process exemption to records less than 25 years old, and requiring a centralized online request portal. It tilted FOIA further toward a presumption of openness.

Citation. Pub. L. 114-185 (Jun. 30, 2016); 5 U.S.C. § 552 (amended).