Permits records required to be disclosed under the freedom of information law to have exempt parts of such documents be redacted before disclosure

This bill (S 67) clarifies how state agencies must handle Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests for documents containing both public and exempt information. It requires agencies to redact only the specific exempt portions (e.g., personal privacy details or security-sensitive data) before disclosing the rest of the document, rather than withholding the entire record. The change directly affects state agencies that process FOIL requests, ensuring they disclose non-exempt information whenever possible. It also mandates that any denial must include a specific, justified reason for redaction, not just the document's category. This procedural update streamlines transparency while maintaining legal exemptions.