FOIL at 50 and Yay for 50-a (Repeal): How New York Views its Freedom of Information Law

Abstract

In 2020, the New York legislature repealed New York Civil Rights Law Section 50-a, which shielded law enforcement disciplinary records from release via New York’s Freedom of Information Law. In 2025, two New York Courts of Appeals upheld the public’s right to access the disciplinary records, creating a potentially pathbreaking change in access to law enforcement records. The study considers the implications of the repeal and decisions on law enforcement transparency.