HB 1323 Reducing Information Control Designations Act

About HB-1323

Reducing Information Control Designations Act - Requires each federal agency to reduce and minimize its use of information control designations on information that is not classified. Defines such designations to mean information dissemination controls that are not defined by federal statute or executive order relating to the classification of national security information and that are used to manage, direct, or route information or to control the accessibility of information, regardless of its form or format. Requires the Archivist of the United States to promulgate regulations to address:

• (1) standards for the use of such designations to maximize public access to information;
• (2) the process for removing such designations;
• (3) procedures for identifying and tracking designated information;
• (4) provisions to minimize the use of such designations, to prevent misuse, and prevent use to improperly interfere with competition in the private sector; and
• (5) a requirement for agencies to establish a process for individuals and the public to challenge the use of such designations and penalties for repeated failures to comply with designation policies

Requires the head of each federal agency to:

• (1) implement the regulations promulgated by the Archivist to encourage information sharing; and
• (2) ensure that such designations do not determine public disclosure requirements under the Freedom of Information Act.Requires the Inspector General of each federal agency to randomly audit and report to Congress on unclassified information with such designations to determine compliance

Directs the Archivist to:

• (1) require personal identifiers and agency affiliations of individuals applying such designations:
• (2) require training of such individuals; and
• (3) implement a program to detail federal employees to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to train such employees

Terminates such detail program on December 31, 2012.Requires promulgation of final regulations and implementation of this Act's requirements within 24 months.