Lend your standing to a public-records request.

Five states let only their own residents ask for public records, and two more let anyone ask but only residents enforce. If you live in one of them, you hold something a journalist, a researcher or a campaign anywhere else cannot get: the right to ask. The Exchange connects people who have it with people who need it. Requests go out in your name, you are copied on everything, and you can revoke at any time.

Map of the United States with the seven states whose public-records laws are limited to their own citizens marked — Residents only: Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, Delaware. Anyone may ask, only residents can enforce: Kentucky, New Jersey.

Why

Journalists. A newsroom in one state reporting on another cannot use the other state's records law directly. A member with standing can, and the reporter has the whole thread.

Researchers. Fifty-state studies die in the five states that will not answer an out-of-state request. The Exchange is the fifty-first state.

Campaigns. The End School Corporal Punishment record is built one district policy at a time; forty-three Arkansas districts are missing because Arkansas will only answer Arkansans.

Residents. Most people never use their right to ask. Lending it costs nothing, changes nothing about your life, and puts a public record where there was none.

Where it matters

The public-records laws of these states limit requests to their own citizens; the Supreme Court upheld the arrangement in McBurney v. Young (2013). In Kentucky and New Jersey anyone may ask but only a resident can take an agency to court over a refusal. Everywhere else, anyone may ask — Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida and the rest — though an agency that knows you are from out of state has no reason to hurry. Source: the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Open Government Guide.

Arkansas · 1 memberTennesseeAlabamaVirginiaDelaware

In September 2026, two Arkansas school districts refused a request for their corporal-punishment policy because it came from out of state, and a third asked for proof of residency. Those are the requests this network was built to make.

How it works

You sign up with your name, email and where you live, and attest that you are a resident. No documents at sign-up; if an agency ever asks for proof, you decide whether and how to provide it.
You choose the scope. One campaign — right now, End School Corporal Punishment — or general, in which case every request is sent to you for a one-click approval before it goes out.
Requests go out in your name from an address at foia.earthpilot.org that forwards to you. You are BCC'd on every message in and out. The campaign drafts, sends, follows up and files.
Everything obtained is public. That is the point.

Sign up

Name Email

State

City

ZIP

Scope of authorization

This campaign only. Requests for school districts' corporal-punishment policies in my state, for End School Corporal Punishment. Sent without further approval; I am copied on each. General. Any public-interest campaign on the Exchange may ask; each request is emailed to me first and goes out only when I approve it.

Anything we should know (optional)

I am a resident of the state I named, and I authorize public-records requests to be made in my name within the scope I chose. I understand I am the requester of record, that I will be copied on every message, and that I can revoke this at any time by replying to any message from the Exchange.

1 member so far. We will only ever email you about a request in your state, a confirmation, or a change to these terms.

Questions

Is this legal? Yes. A public-records request may be made by a resident for any reason; the law does not ask why, and a resident may ask on behalf of anyone. You are the requester; the campaign is your agent for the paperwork.

Could it cost me anything? Some agencies charge copying fees. The campaign pays them; no request is sent in your name that could obligate you to a fee without your approval.

What if an agency contacts me directly? Forward it to us, or answer it yourself — you will have the whole thread.

Is it paid? Not now. The founding idea is a network of people who support open government, lending what they have.

FOIA Request Exchange · EarthPilot · foia@earthpilot.org · Built with Ground Crew