Sec. 552.
Public information; agency rules, opinions, orders, records, and proceedings
a) Each agency shall make available to the public information as
follows:
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.
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(6)(A) Each agency, upon any request for records made under paragraph (1), (2),
or (3) of this subsection, shall -
(ii) make a determination with respect to any appeal within twenty
days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the
receipt of such appeal. If on appeal the denial of the request for records is
in whole or in part upheld, the agency shall notify the person making such
request of the provisions for judicial review of that determination under paragraph
(4) of this subsection.
The 20-day period under clause (i) shall commence on
the date on which the request is first received by the appropriate component of
the agency, but in any event not later than ten days after the request is first
received by any component of the agency that is designated in the agency's
regulations under this section to receive requests under this section. The
20-day period shall not be tolled by the agency except -
(I) that the agency may make one
request to the requester for information and toll the 20-day period while it is
awaiting such information that it has reasonably requested from the requester under
this section; or
(II) if
necessary to clarify with the requester issues regarding fee assessment. In
either case, the agency's receipt of the requester's response to the agency's
request for information or clarification ends the tolling period.