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SUBJECT MATTER LIST

This FOIL Subject Matter List is not all inclusive and is provided as a “reasonably detailed current list by subject matter, of all records in the possession of the agency, whether or not available under FOIL” in compliance with NY Public Officer’s Law Section 87(3)(c).

For more information regarding this list, contact the Committee on Open Government.

Last updated: February 2023

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AIRPORT

  • Operation certification records Airport security and safety records Tenant legal and reference files Incident or accident reports
  • Airline/airport schedule and usage records
  • Fuel, de-icer or other chemical storage and dispensing records
  • Noise study
  • Accreditation records for airport personnel

ATTORNEY OR COUNSEL

  • Legal files (i.e., notices of claim, pleadings, complaints, police reports, court orders, releases and closing documents, etc.)

BUDGET

  • Budget preparation file Annual budget
  • Budget hearing and review files Preliminary or tentative budget Budget status report

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

  • Disaster preparedness or crisis relocation records
  • Disaster response and damage files

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

  • Environmental disturbance permit file
  • Property acquisition or regulation file
  • Spill, release or investigation records
  • Sanitary code violation records
  • Records of minor repairs, enlargements or cleaning
  • Informational copies of reports and studies
  • Environmental quality review records
  • Air contamination permits files
  • Permit files for construction, operation and maintenance
  • Detailed construction specifications and other supplementary documentation
  • Charts, graphs and similar records
  • Hazardous waste site identification records
Permits, approvals:
  • Approval necessary for connection to public water supply or waste-water disposal system
  • Water quality certification which affects federally navigable waters
  • Permit for use of solid waste management facility by business or resident of municipality
  • Permit files for fluoridation plan, backflow prevention devices, fire pump chlorinators, distribution of bottled or bulk water, or for interconnecting water systems.
Reports and studies

Annual reports, final reports, special studies and detailed reports, including facility inspection reports, reports on watershed rules and rules violations, environmental facility monitoring, overall operational reports and reports of emergencies

Reports
  • Operational report for fire pump chlorinator, backflow prevention device or fluoridation process
  • Hazardous waste disposal records
  • Recycling marketing records
  • Recycling waste collection records
  • Natural resource inventory
  • Environmental quality review records
  • Capital construction or public improvement project file
  • Permit or registration files for construction, operation and maintenance
  • Log or equivalent record containing information such as changes in pressure and level, proportion of chemicals present, operational changes, problems and emergencies, and personal observations Charts, graphs and similar records of pumpage, flow, pressure, emissions, temperature, levels of chemicals and related information
  • Operator qualifications records Reports, studies or data queries
  • Alarm, problem and emergency records

EXECUTIVE, MANAGER, AND/OR ADMINISTRATOR

Executive, Manager or Administrator’s office files

EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES & SUPPLIES

  • Maintenance, testing, service, operational and repair records for equipment and vehicles
  • Cumulative summary records for vehicles and equipment
  • Individual reports when posted to cumulated summary records
  • Repair, installation, maintenance or similar record, including, but not limited to, request for service, work order, record of work done, and summary or log of service performed
  • Individual reports when not posted to cumulated summary records
  • Logs and similar records
  • Specifications, warranties and descriptive information received from vendors for vehicles and equipment
  • Vehicle usage records including schedules and trip logs
  • Consumption and dispensing records for fuel, oil and similar products used by publicly owned vehicles and equipment
Requests for services and supplies including stockroom supplies, forms and publications, duplication, or use of any vehicle or equipment:
  • When a chargeback or fee is involved
  • When no chargeback or fee is involved
  • Petroleum bulk storage records
  • Hazardous waste generation records
  • Building rehabilitation and reconstruction project files
  • Video and/or audio on revenue generating vehicles

FISCAL

Banking and Investment
  • Banking communications
  • Canceled checks (including payroll checks)
  • Copy of check or check stub
  • Depository agreement
  • Checking account statements
  • Time deposit account statements
  • Money Market account statements
  • Deposit slips
Bonds and Notes
  • Bond issue preparation files
  • Transcripts of legal proceedings
  • Periodic reports and similar records
General Accounting and Miscellaneous
  • General ledger
  • Subsidiary ledger Journal
  • Accounting register
  • Cash transaction records
  • Fare collection records
  • Daily cash records
  • Past due account fiscal records and summaries
  • Notice of encumbrances
  • Intermediary fiscal record of receipts and disbursements
  • Billing records covering services provided
  • Bill of sale
  • Tax exemption records
  • Master summary records of grants
  • Detailed records of grants
  • Credit card records
  • Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or other periodic fiscal reports
  • Annual or final fiscal reports
  • Verification of travel expenses

GENERAL

  • Official minutes and hearing proceedings
  • Video and/or audio including public or other meetings of governing board or committees thereof
  • Agendas, background materials and other records used at meetings of governing body or board or agency, commission or committee thereof
  • Legal agreements including contracts, leases, and releases
  • Policies and Procedures standards documenting significant policies or decisions containing legal, fiscal or administrative information
  • Official publication, including newsletter, press release, published report, bulletin, homepage or other website file, educational or informational program material
  • Special project or program files
  • Internal investigation or non-fiscal audit records
  • Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or other periodic internal or external report, summary, review, evaluation, log, list, statement or statistics
  • Annual, special or final report, summary, review or evaluation
  • Report of incident of theft, arson, vandalism, property damage or similar occurrence
  • Guide, listing, index or other finding aid to archival records Subject matter list of record holdings of state government Listing of officers and employees
  • Register or list of applicants seeking access to public records
  • Freedom of Information Law Request file
Grant program files
  • Planning Documents related to the distribution of grant funds (short-term/long-term)
  • Application Packages (Includes all supporting documentation for grant funding projects).
  • Grant Agreements/Contracts
  • Internal or external reports (quarterly and/or annually)
  • Grant Closeout Documentation
HUMAN RIGHTS/ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
  • Individual complaint or problem case file
  • Summary record for individual case and/or master summary record of all cases
  • Periodic statistical or narrative activity or progress reports

INSURANCE/SELF-INSURANCE

  • Insurance policies and supporting application documentation
  • Certificates of Insurance
  • Claim Files
  • Property carrier risk records
  • NFTA Non-revenue vehicle information

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Statutory Federal and State Lobbying Reports
  • Transit-Oriented Development Planning

PAYROLL

  • Payroll, including information on gross and net pay, base pay, and taxes
  • Payroll report when needed for an audit or other fiscal purposes
  • Payroll distribution breakdown record
  • Summary record of employees’ payroll changes Employees’ time cards, sheets or books
  • Record of employee absences or accruals
  • Employees’ voluntary payroll deduction request form
  • Schedule or other notification from issuing bank
  • Employees’ personal earnings record
  • Quarterly or other periodic report of wages paid
  • Payroll report submitted to New York State Employee’s Retirement System
  • Employer’s copy of Annual Federal Tax Return (Form 940), Quarterly Federal Tax Return (Form 941E) and Continuation Sheets (Form 941a), Notice of Tax Return Due (Form TY 14), or equivalent forms
  • Employer’s copy of U.S. Information Return for Calendar Year (Form 1099), Withholding Tax Statement (Form W-2) or Transmittal of Wages and Tax Statements (Form W-3), or equivalent forms
  • Employees’ Withholding Exemption Certificate (Form W-4) Employer’s copy of New York State income tax records

PERSONNEL

  • Master summary records from personnel case file, including, but not limited to, age, dates of employment and job titles
  • Personnel case file materials, including, but not limited to, application for employment, resume, report of personnel change, evaluation, examination results, notice of resignation or termination, and correspondence
  • Investigative records and disciplinary proceedings Employees’ time records
  • Annual or other financial disclosure statements Employee training history records
  • Administrative organization chart and related records Identification card records
  • Equal employment opportunity report and related records Health and life insurance records
  • Unemployment insurance records Labor-management meeting records Contract negotiations records
  • Job action records Grievance records
  • Listing or roster of officials and/or employees
  • Log and summary of occupational injuries and illnesses Employee injury record
  • Employee medical records Notification of vacancy in office
  • Drivers’ license review records for employees
  • Employee attestation of knowledge of code of ethics, staff policy manual or other official policies or procedures
  • Records documenting the specimen collection and testing process for alcohol and drug testing Drivers’ alcohol and controlled substance test results and related records
  • Documentation of other violations of alcohol or substance abuse rules Staff training and evaluation records for drivers’ alcohol and drug testing Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9
  • Employee Assistance Program records Job classification records
  • Job postings and position duties statement Personnel requisition
  • Application for employment
  • Recruitment, hiring, interview and selection records Seniority list
  • Copy of all policies and procedures, including the documentation of the random selection process Annual statistical and other reports regarding alcohol and controlled substance testing
  • Other records, including periodic reports and statistics and collection logbooks

PLANNING/ENGINEERING

  • Planning/Engineering Projects and Program files developed by/for agency
  • Final reports and essential supporting information used to develop reports, including, but not limited to, maps, plans, technical memoranda and environmental impact studies
  • Background material, including but not limited to notes, memos, worksheets and correspondence
  • Discretionary planning review case files, including review of planning review cases, federal or other funded projects, environmental impact or similar studies, or other reviews, including but not limited to application, correspondence, copies of local planning/zoning records, maps, plans, sketches and supporting materials.
Project files for capital transportation improvements for structures, parking lots and garages and public transportation improvements
  • Feasibility studies, successful bids, plans, specifications and designs; project descriptions; in-progress and completion photographs, inspection reports; environmental impact statements; annual project statements; fiscal and other final reports, and significant correspondence.
  • Supplementary documentation including applications for assistance, project budgets, memoranda, worksheets, routine correspondence, detailed construction specifications and inspection records.
  • Unsuccessful bids

PUBLIC SAFETY/EMERGENCY SERVICES

Fire
  • Emergency call receipt and/or equipment dispatch record
  • Communications log
  • Vehicle readiness checklist
  • Record of equipment - public safety personnel
  • Incident attendance record
  • Ambulance run or pre-hospital care record
  • Emergency medical training records
  • Daily Log
  • Printout of fire department or district incidents
  • Reports on fire-fighting activity
  • Fire investigation records
  • Fire mutual aid plan
  • Fire hydrant records, including master record of hydrant locations
  • Alarm records
  • Hazardous materials location report or exemption
  • Training records for fire-fighting personnel, including records of course completed and course content
  • Combine Emergency Medical, Structural Fire Fighting, ARFF Training, Hazards Materials training, Confined Space training, Auto Extrication training and any other training covered by the fore mentioned topics.
  • Confined Space locations.
  • Fire Protection Systems- Fire Alarm system- Maintenance and Inspection Reports; Sprinkler System-Maintenance and Inspection Reports.
  • Inspection and Testing records Per FAA standards for Foam and Dry Chemical.

POLICE

  • Incident data summary report, including blotter or equivalent record containing summary of department or station activities
  • Law enforcement reports, studies or data queries Case investigation record
  • Personal information data file
  • Arrest information cumulative data file Personal property record
  • Firearm licensing file
  • Records of issuance of firearms or other weapons to law enforcement personnel
  • Repair and maintenance records for firearms or other weapons used by law enforcement personnel
  • Record of stolen or missing firearms Traffic and parking violation records
  • Vehicle accident case record
  • Vehicle history files
  • Individual’s driving and accident records
  • Impounded or abandoned vehicle record
  • Vehicle towing records
  • Warrant execution and subpoena or summons service records
  • Escort service record
  • Emergency call receipt and/or equipment dispatch record
  • Communications log
  • Tape recording of communications
  • Vehicle readiness checklist
  • Training records for law-enforcement officers
  • Incident attendance record
  • Individual identification file including, disposition records, and miscellaneous reports
  • Vacant place check record
  • Missing person records
  • Child abuse or maltreatment reports
  • Prisoner case record
  • Order, report, or notice concerning vehicle operator’s license or registration
  • Reports or other records of repossessed vehicles, not impounded by law enforcement
  • Use of force reports

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Maps, plans, schedules, diagrams of entire system and specific branches and routes providing information on stations, stops, dates of operation and times of arrival and departure

System operational records covering vehicle scheduling, passenger service and related subjects
  • Summary records, reports and statistics
  • Records of original entry where information is posted to reports and other summary records such as passenger counts, tickets and stubs
Operational certification and review records relating to approval and inspection by NYSDOT
  • Operations review records
  • Certificate of inspections and approval to operate
  • Transit Asset Management Plan
  • Metro Annual Performance Report
    • ABBG Benchmarking Data
    • GOAL Benchmarking Data
    • Personnel Variance Reports
    • Monthly Committee Reports
  • State of Good Repair Studies/Inventory
  • 17A and NTD Inventory Reports

PURCHASING

  • Purchase requisitions
  • Purchasing files
  • Performance guarantee or written warranty for products (bid RFP documents)
  • Purchase orders, bids, RFPs
  • Cancelled bids file
  • Minority and women-owned business files

REAL PROPERTY

  • Real property acquisition or sale file, copy of deed, copy of assessment, copy of site or plot plan, closing statement, memoranda and correspondence
  • Master summary record (book, log or register)
  • Official copy of sale or auction list, and notice or advertisement of sale of real property Capital construction or public improvement project file; bids, specifications, contracts Official plans, maps, designs, architectural drawings, and photographs
  • Inventory of real estate
  • Building and property history data file
  • Maintenance or building inspection records Fire safety records
  • Right-of-way records including legal description, copies of deeds, maps and photographs.
  • Property Acquisition records documenting the acquisition of real property obtained for transportation related improvement projects including record of public hearing, findings and determinations, appraisal information, copies of court proceedings and correspondence
  • Public property sale or discard records (except real property), including description of property, bids or offers, and receipt of deed of gift

SAFETY

Toxic substance exposure records
  • List of toxic substances present at workplace
  • Material safety data sheet or fact sheet
  • Employee training records
  • Safety and Security Plans
  • Safety Performance records
  • On-site safety inspection records
  • Hazard Inspections and Logs
  • Accident and Injury investigation records
  • Regulatory inspection records
  • Evacuation Drill records