This handout accompanies a presentation, "Data-Driven Enterprise off Any Beat," by Manuel Torres, enterprise editor for The Times-Picayune | Nola.com, for NewsTrain in Monroe, La., on Oct. 15-16, 2015. It offers tips on getting public records in general and by state, as well as resources at the federal level. NewsTrain is a training initiative of Associated Press Media Editors: http://bit.ly/NewsTrain

1. Help getting public records
Manuel Torres | NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | mtorres@nola.com | @1manueltorres
Tips
1. Google it. Many .gov, .edu and .org sites have records online already.
2. Know the law. Read it. Ask a newsroom colleague, your company attorneys or a
nearby college professor or sunshine think-tank to walk you through it.
3. Keep track. Use Excel, Evernote or another program or app with good
searching capabilities to keep track of your requests. Responses, especially from
federal agencies, can take months.
4. Set reminders. Schedule reminders on your phone or computer calendar so
you don’t neglect requests – especially useful with federal agencies.
5. Befriend your lawyers. If your company has attorneys on retainer, get to
know them. They are your allies.
Help obtaining public records
Arkansas
 Arkansas FOIA resources from the National Freedom of Information Coalition:
http://www.nfoic.org/arkansas-foi-resources
 Arkansas FOIA handbook from Attorney General & Arkansas Press Association:
http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/Documents/FOIAHandbook.pdf
 Arkansas sample request: http://www.nfoic.org/arkansas-sample-foia-request
Louisiana
 Louisiana Public Records Act resources from the Public Affairs Research Council:
http://www.parlouisiana.com/explore.cfm/publicrecords/
 PAR’s plain language translation of the Louisiana Open Records Act:
http://www.parlouisiana.com/dynaengine/loadDocument.cfm?site=1002087&d
oc=side%5Fby%5Fside%5Fpr%5F2012%2Epdf
 Louisiana sample request letter:
http://www.parlouisiana.com/dynaengine/loadDocument.cfm?site=1002087&d
oc=pr%5Freq%5Fletr%2Edocx

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Mississippi
 Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information resources:
http://www.mcfoi.org/handbook.html
 Mississippi sample request:
http://www.mcfoi.org/handbook/forms.html#request
 Mississippi FOIA Hotline (from the Center for Freedom of Information):
http://www.mcfoi.org/hotline.html or call (601) 973-8742.
Texas
 Texas FOIA handbook from the Attorney General’s Office:
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/files/og/publicinfo_hb.pdf
 Texas Freedom of Information Foundation Hotline:
http://foift.org/resources/foi-hotline/
 Texas sample FIOA letter: http://foift.org/resources/letter-templates/pia-letter/
Other states
 Resources for all states from the National Freedom of Information Council
http://www.nfoic.org/state-foi-resources
 Sample request letters for all states: http://www.nfoic.org/state-sample-foia-
request-letters
Federal and other resources (Compiled by reporter Jill Riepenhoff)
 Resources on public records at SPJ’s Journalist’s Toolbox:
http://www.journaliststoolbox.org/archive/public-records/
 FOIAMachine.org: https://www.foiamachine.org/ A letter generator and tracker
with social support.
 Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: http://www.rcfp.org/
Its iFOIA.org (letter generator and tracker): https://www.ifoia.org/#!/
Its Digital Journalist’s Legal Guide: http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-
resources/digital-journalists-legal-guide
Its Legal Hotline: 1-800-336-4243 or ifoia-help@rcfp.org
 Student Press Law Center: http://www.splc.org/
 U.S. Department of Justice site on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):
http://www.foia.gov/

3. Page 3 of 3
 The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records, by David Cuillier and
Charles N. Davis, CQ Press, 2010. A 200-page paperback:
http://www.cqpress.com/product/Art-of-Access.html
The Art of Access blog with quick list of links for help:
http://theartofaccess.com/foi-resources/
 GWU National Security Archive: http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/ Publishes
declassified documents obtained under FOIA.
 The Sunshine in Government Initiative: http://sunshineingovernment.org/ A
coalition of media groups dedicated to promoting openness in government.
 Five Great Online Tools for Mining Public Records: http://truth-
out.org/news/item/15306-five-great-online-tools-for-mining-public-records
From Truth-out.org