Public Access to Information Amendment Act 2024

What this bill does

This bill changes Bermuda's freedom of information laws to limit how much time government departments must spend responding to public requests for documents. It introduces fees for complex requests and excludes the Legal Aid Office from having to provide information to the public.

If passed (voted YES)

• Citizens requesting government documents will pay $60 per hour for requests that take more than 16 hours to process
• Government departments can refuse requests that would take more than 16 hours to complete, or must refuse requests taking more than 100 hours
• The Legal Aid Office will be exempt from providing documents to the public, similar to how the Attorney General's office currently operates
• The Information Commissioner will have clearer deadlines (4 months) to complete reviews of disputed requests

If rejected (voted NO)

• All freedom of information requests remain free regardless of how much work they require
• Government departments must process requests no matter how time-consuming they are
• The Legal Aid Office continues to be subject to public information requests like other government offices
• Current processing times and procedures stay the same

Who it affects

This primarily affects Bermuda residents, journalists, and organizations who request government documents, as they may now face fees and refusals for complex requests. Government workers processing these requests will also have different time limits and procedures to follow.