HB0027 - PUBLISHING CRIMINAL RECORDS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency may not electronically provide or publish booking photographs unless: (1) the booking photograph is posted to a social networking website to assist in the search for a missing person or to assist in the search for a fugitive, person of interest, or individual wanted in relation to a crime other than a petty offense, business offense, Class C misdemeanor, or Class B misdemeanor; or (2) the person is convicted of a crime other than a petty offense, business offense, Class C misdemeanor, or Class B misdemeanor. Deletes language providing that a law enforcement agency may publish on its social networking website booking photographs relating to charges other than civil offenses, petty offenses, business offenses, Class C misdemeanors, and Class B misdemeanors. Provides that the prohibition against the production of booking photographs contained in this subsection does not apply to requests made by the news media. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice for a for-profit publishing entity that publishes on a publicly available website or in any other publication that charges a fee for removal or correction of the information to fail to remove within 30 days, without the imposition of any fee, the criminal record information of a person who provides the entity with: a pardon from the Governor or a certificate of innocence stating that the person is innocent of all offenses relating to the criminal record information; court records indicating that the person was found not guilty or that the case ended without a finding of guilt; or an order to expunge or seal the criminal record information of the person. Provides that a violating entity is subject to a civil penalty of $1,000 per day, plus attorney's fees, which shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund.
HB1066 - OPEN MEETINGS-CHILDCARE
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that if a quorum of the members of the public body is physically present, a majority of the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of, among other circumstances, childcare obligations.
HB1408 - OPEN MTGS-AUDIO AND VIDEO MTGS
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Modifies the conditions by which an open or closed meeting may be conducted by audio or video conference without the physical presence of a quorum of the members. Provides that a meeting may be held without the physical presence of a quorum of the members if, among other requirements, the chief elected or appointed official of the public body determines that an in-person meeting would pose a risk to the health or safety of members of the public body or the public and that conducting a meeting by an audio or video conference is in the best interests of the public body or the public and public notice of that meeting states the reason or reasons for such determination. Provides that such a determination by the chief elected or appointed official of the public body shall be required for any subsidiary body of the public body to conduct an open or closed meeting by audio or video conference. Specifies further requirements concerning notice and public comment. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.
HB1551 - FOIA-PREVAIL-NO ORDER REQUIRED
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that "prevail" means to achieve the desired outcome of the plaintiff through a court order or the production of all requested documents.
HB2265 - OPEN MEETINGS-NOTICE VIOLATION
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a civil action for violation of the Act may be brought within 60 days after the discovery of failure to comply with specified notice requirements.
HB2440 - FOIA-RESPONSE-FORMAT OF DATA
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body shall take all reasonable steps to provide records in a format that is readable by the requester if the format is available to the public body and requested by the requester. Effective immediately.
HB2444 - FOIA-RECORDS OF ATTORNEY GEN
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Deletes language providing that, to the extent that records or documents produced by a public body contain information that is claimed to be exempt from disclosure, the Public Access Counselor shall not further disclose that information. Provides instead that records or documents obtained by the Public Access Counselor from a public body for the purpose of addressing a request for review may not be disclosed to the public, including the requester, by the Public Access Counselor. Provides that such records, while in the possession of the Public Access Counselor, are exempt under the Act from disclosure by the Public Access Counselor.
HB2455 - FOIA-JUDICIAL RECORDS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, for purposes of the Act, "public body" includes judicial bodies of the State. Exempts preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, that pertain to the preparation of judicial opinions and orders. Exempts judicial records already subject to fees imposed under the Clerks of Courts Act.
HB2617 - DOCUMENT&JUDICIAL OFFICER DEF
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that "document", when used in reference to a public body, includes, but is not limited to, documents maintained by the clerk of the circuit court and otherwise available to the public. Amends the Judicial Privacy Act. Provides that "judicial officer" includes actively employed and former or deceased State's Attorneys.
HB2620 - FOIA-DEADLINES, LICENSE PLATES
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Changes the definition of "recurrent requester" to mean a person who, in the 12 months immediately preceding the request, has submitted to the same public body (i) a minimum of 40 (instead of 50) requests for records, (ii) a minimum of 10 (instead of 15) requests for records within a 30-day period, or (iii) a minimum of 5 (instead of 7) requests for records within a 7-day period. Requires a public body to either comply with or deny a request for public records, or to invoke its right to an extension of the deadline to produce the records, within 15 (instead of 5) business days after its receipt of the request. Extends the deadline to respond to a request made for a commercial purpose from 21 to 30 days. Exempts from disclosure records related to the location or operation of an automated license plate recognition system and records containing data generated or stored by those systems.
HB2852 - NOTICE BY PUBLICATION-WEBSITE
Amends the Notice by Publication Act. When a unit of local government or school district is required by law to give notice by publication in a newspaper, provides that: if there is no secular newspaper having a general circulation within the unit of local government or school district, the local government or school district may publish the notice on an official government website of a local government or school district, or if there is no official government website of a local government or school district, the local government or school district shall post copies of the printed notice in 5 of the most public places within that local government or school district; and if a local government or school district publishes notices on an official website or posts copies of the printed notice, whom would otherwise would be required by law, order of court, or contract to publish the notice within a newspaper, the local government or school district shall cause such notices to be placed on a statewide website established and maintained as a joint venture of a majority of State newspapers as a repository for such notices. Effective immediately.
HB2888 - FOIA-MEDICAL RECORDS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Modifies the definition of "private information" by providing that medical records include electronic medical records and the information contained within or extracted from an electronic medical records system operated or maintained by a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act covered entity. Exempts from disclosure all protected health information that may be contained within or extracted from any record held by a covered entity, including information that alone or compiled or under circumstances in which the patient information combined with other information could allow for patient identification, in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
HB3272 - FOIA/LOCAL-DIGITAL RECORDS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that public records include born-digital electronic material and digitized electronic material and defines both of those terms. Provides that "public inspection" or "inspection" means, as it relates to public records that are born-digital electronic material or digitized electronic material, inspection of public records on a public body's website or on a designated computer available at the official place of business of the public body. Amends the Local Records Act making similar changes to the definition of "public record". Further amends the Local Records Act providing that approval of the Commission is not needed for, and the Commission may not prohibit, destruction of an original record after it is converted into a digitized electronic format if the standards and procedures of the Commission relating to digitization are followed. Makes conforming changes.
HB3364 - FOIA-REQUEST FORMS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body may require (rather than may not require) that a request be submitted on a standard form or require the requester to specify the purpose for a request. Provides that a person making a request may not make a request for any other individual, but may make a request for an organization if the person discloses the organization for whom the request is being made.
HB3372 - STATE'S ATTY QUARTERLY REPORTS
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, on the website of each State's Attorney, the State's Attorney shall publish quarterly reports that include, at a minimum, the following information: (1) the number of all charges commenced by the State's Attorney for offenses within the county, classified by type and class; (2) the number of arrests referred to the State's Attorney for prosecution by a law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency for offenses within the county, and the number of charges that were commenced by the State's Attorney as a result of those referrals; and (3) the number of arrests of first responders referred to the State's Attorney for prosecution by a law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency for offenses within the county, and the number of charges that were commenced by the State's Attorney as a result of those referrals. Amends the Uniform Crime Reporting Act. Provides that each law enforcement agency that refers an arrest made to State's Attorney shall report to the State's Attorney if the individual is a first responder.
HB3514 - OPEN MEETINGS-REMOTE MEETINGS
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body shall not conduct a closed meeting by audio or video conference, and shall conduct such meetings only with the physical presence of a quorum of the members of the public body. Makes conforming changes.
HB3531 - NOTICE BY PUBLICATION-ONLINE
Amends the Notice by Publication Act. Provides that whenever notice by publication in a newspaper is required by law, order of court, or contract, the newspaper publishing the notice shall, at no additional cost to the government, cause the notice to be placed on the newspaper's website established and maintained as a joint venture of the majority of Illinois newspapers as a repository for such notices. Provides that notice published as required by the Act on news media that exist solely online shall also meet publication requirements so long as the notice is also published in print media as required.
HB3719 - PROP TX-RECORDS
Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, where assessment records are presently maintained in electronic format, the township assessor, multi-township assessor, or chief county assessment officer shall make those records available for immediate public inspection through Internet access. Provides that where assessment records, or some of them, are not presently maintained in electronic format, the township assessor, multi-township assessor, or chief county assessment officer shall convert all assessment records into electronic format and maintain those records in that format. Provides that those records shall be made available for immediate public inspection, preferably through Internet access. Contains provisions concerning requests for assessment records. In provisions providing that property records shall contain the elements (or basis) of valuation and computations that are taken into consideration by the chief county assessment officer in determining the fair cash value of property, provides that those elements include, but are not limited to, capitalization rates and tax loads, rental income data and any adjustments thereto, ratios of expenses to income, net income, vacancy and collection loss, reproduction or replacement cost calculators or manuals, physical, functional, and economic depreciation or obsolescence, and comparable sales and sales adjustment factors. Contains provisions concerning tax objections in the circuit court. Repeals provisions providing that the circuit court shall consider tax objections concerning valuation without regard to the correctness of any practice, procedure, or method of valuation followed by the assessor, board of appeals, or board of review in making or reviewing the assessment, and without regard to the intent or motivation of any assessing official. Effective immediately.
HB3833 - FOIA-PUBLIC OFFICIAL ACCESS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that an elected or appointed public official of a public body has a right to all records of the public body to which the official is elected or appointed, and to the records of each subsidiary of the public body to which the official is elected or appointed. Provides that a member of the General Assembly shall have access to all records of each State agency. Provides that records of a public body shall be provided under equal circumstances to all persons entitled to records under the new provisions. Provides that records shall be provided within 5 business days, unless a mutual agreement between the official and the public body provides otherwise. Provides that an official entitled to records under the new provisions is not required to submit a request for records under other provisions of the Act. Provides that the new provisions do not apply to records exempt under specified Sections of the Act.
HB3904 - LOCAL OFFICIAL VACANCY POSTING
Creates the Local Official Vacancy Posting Act. Provides that a unit of local government shall post every elected official vacancy on its website, if the full-time staff of the municipality maintain the website, and the county clerk shall also post the vacancy on the county clerk website. Provides that the unit of local government may not fill the vacancy until the posting has been on the municipality's website, or the county's website if the municipality does not have full-time staff maintaining a website, for at least 15 days. Limits home rule powers.
HB3968 - PUBLIC OFFICIAL PRIVACY ACT
Creates the Public Official Privacy Act. Provides that government agencies, persons, businesses, and associations shall not publicly post or display publicly available content that includes an official's personal information, provided that the government agency, person, business, or association has received a written request from the person that it refrain from disclosing the person's personal information. Provides injunctive or declaratory relief if the Act is violated. Includes procedures for a written request. Provides that it is a Class 3 felony for any person to knowingly and publicly post on the Internet the personal information of an official or an official's immediate family in a manner posing an imminent and serious threat to the official or the official's immediate family. Excludes criminal penalties for employees of government agencies who publish information in good faith during the ordinary course of carrying out public functions. Provides that the Act and any rules adopted to implement the Act shall be construed broadly to favor the protection of the personal information of officials. Amends various Acts and Codes allowing an official to list a business address rather than a home address and makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.
HB3994 - OPEN MEETINGS-REMOTE MEETINGS
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Removes the condition that a disaster declaration related to public health concerns needs to be in effect to conduct meetings by audio or video conference without the physical presence of a quorum. Provides that the presiding officer shall give a reason why conducting an audio or video conference is in the best interest of the public body (instead of the nature of the emergency) at the beginning of the meeting. Makes conforming changes.
HB4162 - OMA-DEFAULT RULES
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that, except as otherwise provided in the Act or any other Illinois statute (rather than except as otherwise provided in the Act), a quorum of members of a public body must be physically present at the location of an open meeting or present by video or audio conference at the open meeting (now, members must be physically present at the meeting). Provides that a member is present by video or audio conference at an open meeting if the member can hear and be heard by all other members of the body who are participating in the meeting. Specifies that, if a member wishes to attend a meeting by video or audio conference, the member must notify the recording secretary or clerk of the public body before the meeting, unless providing that advance notice is impractical for the member. Repeals existing provisions concerning the participation of public body members in open meetings by video conference or other means.
HB4231 - OMA-TOURISM/CONVENTION BDS
Amends the Open Meetings Act. In a provision concerning the establishment of a quorum at an open meeting, specifies that a public body with a geographic jurisdiction of more than 4,500 square miles that is a local workforce investment area, tourism board, convention center board, or civic center board and that holds its open meetings by interactive video conference in public buildings throughout the State may count toward its establishment of a quorum those individuals who participate in those interactive video conferences. Specifies that a provision concerning the attendance of members of public bodies, at public meetings, by means other than their physical presence, does not apply to a public body with a geographic jurisdiction of more than 4,500 square miles that is a tourism board, convention center board, or civic center board. Currently, these two provisions are not applicable to tourism boards, convention center boards, or civic center boards.
HB4292 - FOIA-JUDICIAL BRANCH
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, for purposes of the Act, "public body" includes the judicial branch and components of the judicial branch of the State. Exempts records that pertain to the preparation of judicial opinions and orders. Excludes denials of requests of records from the judicial branch or components of the judicial branch from the jurisdiction of the Public Access Counselor.
HB4325 - FREEDOM OF INFORMATION-VARIOUS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Specifies that, as used in the Act, "commercial purpose" includes the use of public records (or information contained in public records) for solicitation of individuals to join an organization. Authorizes a public body to extend the time for responding to a request for a public record by 7 business days (rather than 5 business days) in specified circumstances. Provides that, in the case of a request for a commercial purpose, a public body shall (rather than may) require the person to pay the estimated copy fee in full before copying the requested documents. Changes the way that a public body may respond to requests by recurrent requesters. Provides that, in the case of a voluminous request, a requester shall pay the entire fee before releasing the requested public record. Allows a public body after the first 2 hours (rather than the first 8 hours) to charge up to $10 for each hour spent by personnel in searching for and retrieving a requested record or examining the record for necessary redactions. Removes a limitation on the imposition of this $10 per hour fee. Exempts from disclosure under the Act communications that do not pertain to the transaction of public business that are sent to or received by an individual's personal electronic device, such as text messages, voice messages, and emails.
HB4339 - LOCAL RECORDS-POLICE SCANNERS
Amends the Local Records Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency that encrypts police scanner transmissions must provide, by license or otherwise, real-time access to those transmissions to broadcast stations, broadcasting stations, radio broadcast stations, and newspapers. Effective January 1, 2025.
HB4401 - FOIA/LOCAL RECORDS-JUNK MAIL
Amends the Freedom of Information Act and the Local Records Act. In the definition provisions of those Acts, defines the term "junk mail" and specifies that the term "public record" does not include junk mail.
HB4402 - OPN MTG-EMERGENCY DEFINED
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Defines the terms "bona fide emergency" and "exigent circumstances". Provides that, if a quorum of the members of a public body is physically present at a meeting, a majority of the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of, among other things, exigent circumstances concerning a family member (rather than because of, among other things, a family or other emergency).
HB4898 - REMOTE MEETINGS-SEVERE WEATHER
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that an open or closed meeting subject to the Act may be conducted by audio or video conference, without the physical presence of a quorum of the members, if the National Weather Service has determined that all or part of the jurisdiction of the public body is located within an area that is subject to a severe weather alert on the day of the meeting. Makes conforming changes.
HB5125 - FOIA-OFFICER-WORN BODY CAMERAS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, if a request for public records for officer-worn body camera recorded audio or video is received by a public body, the public body shall either comply with or deny the request within 15 business days (rather than 5 days) after its receipt of the request. Allows an extension to the time to respond to a request for officer-worn body camera recorded audio or video to 15 business days (rather than 5 business days).
HB5212 - REMOTE MEETINGS-SEVERE WEATHER
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that an open or closed meeting subject to the Act may be conducted by audio or video conference, without the physical presence of a quorum of the members, if the National Weather Service has determined that all or part of the jurisdiction of the public body is located within an area that is subject to a severe weather alert on the day of the meeting. Makes conforming changes.
HB5557 - PUBLIC ACCESS COUNSELOR DUTIES
Amends the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that the Public Access Counselor may investigate, gather data, and report on a public body for frequent violations of the Acts or for frequent violations of court orders for failure to comply with the Acts. Additionally allows the Public Access Counselor to, under the Freedom of Information Act, investigate, gather data, and report on a public body for failure to comply with that Act, for unreasonably denying a request under that Act, and for failure to adequately inform a requester why a request is denied under that Act. Provides that the Public Access Counselor may start an investigation after receiving a complaint from a person or sua sponte. Allows the Public Access Counselor to impose civil penalties if the Public Access Counselor's investigation finds that a public body has violated the provisions after a hearing with notice to the public body with an opportunity for the public body's representative to be heard. Provides that the Attorney General may enforce a penalty imposed by filing an action in circuit court. Requires the Attorney General to adopt rules to implement the provisions, including the procedures of the investigation and hearings and defining "frequent violation".
HB5624 - OPEN MEETINGS ACT-EXCEPTIONS
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that for a 3-member public body, "meeting" does not include a gathering of 2 members of the public body, except when gathered for a regularly scheduled meeting, or otherwise gathered to adopt any motion, resolution, or ordinance. Provides that for a 3-member body, 2 members of the body constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of 2 members is necessary to adopt any motion, resolution, or ordinance, unless a greater number is otherwise provided. Allows a Police District Council to conduct a closed meeting if discussion of an issue of public safety concerns: (i) the privacy of individuals involved; (ii) law enforcement or official misconduct investigations involving specific individuals; or (iii) other topics that if discussed in an open meeting would pose an unreasonable risk to an ongoing criminal investigation, or an unreasonable risk to the safety of the general public. Allows a public body that has a website which is maintained by full-time staff of the public body to post public notice for a special meeting solely by posting notice on its website. Adds a provision allowing Police District Councils, created pursuant to the Municipal Code of Chicago, to hold meetings (other than the required regularly scheduled monthly meetings) by audio or video conference, without the physical presence of the members, subject to specified conditions.
SB0103 - OPEN MTGS-AUDIO AND VIDEO MTGS
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Modifies the conditions by which an open or closed meeting may be conducted by audio or video conference without the physical presence of a quorum of the members. Provides that a meeting may be held without the physical presence of a quorum of the members if, among other requirements, the chief elected or appointed official of the public body determines that an in-person meeting would pose a risk to the health or safety of members of the public body or the public and that conducting a meeting by an audio or video conference is in the best interests of the public body or the public and public notice of that meeting states the reason or reasons for such determination. Provides that such a determination by the chief elected or appointed official of the public body shall be required for any subsidiary body of the public body to conduct an open or closed meeting by audio or video conference. Specifies further requirements concerning notice and public comment. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.
SB0146 - FOIA-PRELIMINARY DRAFT-STUDY
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from disclosure any studies, drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda, and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated, except that a specific record or relevant portion of a record is not exempt if the record has remained in draft form for more than a 12-month period and public dollars were spent by a unit of local government to conduct such a study.
SB0325 - FOIA-RECORDS OF ATTORNEY GENERAL
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Deletes language providing that, to the extent that records or documents produced by a public body contain information that is claimed to be exempt from disclosure, the Public Access Counselor shall not further disclose that information. Provides instead that records or documents obtained by the Public Access Counselor from a public body for the purpose of addressing a request for review may not be disclosed to the public, including the requester, by the Public Access Counselor. Provides that such records, while in the possession of the Public Access Counselor, are exempt under the Act from disclosure by the Public Access Counselor.
SB1445 - COUNTIES-AUTOPSY REPORT FEE
Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a coroner shall provide one copy of the deceased's autopsy report without charge to the deceased's physician after the physician attests to the physician-patient relationship in writing on a form provided by the coroner. Provides that a written physician attestation shall be maintained confidentially and is not subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Amends the Freedom of information Act to make conforming changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
SB1537 - OMA-REMOTE MEETINGS
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Allows meetings to be held by audio or video conference if the head of the public body determines that an in-person meeting or a meeting is not in the best interests of the public body or its members. Makes conforming changes. Modifies the requirements for meetings held by audio or video conference. Allows news outlets to receive notice of all special, emergency, rescheduled, or reconvened meetings by email. Removes provisions concerning meetings held on a legal holiday and certain quorum requirements.
SB1619 - OPEN MTG DURING EMERGENCY
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that an open or closed meeting may be conducted by audio or video conference, without the physical presence of a quorum of the members, so long as the following additional requirements are met: (1) the public body makes available a dedicated meeting space where those individuals who do not have access to the Internet may participate in the meeting; (2) the public body ensures that a means of remote participation other than audio-only communication is made available to those individuals who are interested in participating in the meeting; (3) the public body ensures that all cameras used for remote participation are operating properly; and (4) the public body maintains a written record of those individuals who participated in the meeting and a description of whether those individuals participated in person or by remote means. Makes technical and other changes.
SB1634 - LOCAL-COMPENSATION POSTING
Amends the Local Records Act. Provides that a unit of local government must compile a list of: (i) the pay and benefits of every employee, consultant, contractor, and other personnel of the unit of local government whose accumulated payments or compensation, during the fiscal year, is at least $1,000 during each fiscal year; and (ii) each entity to which it directs a payment of more than $3,000 during a fiscal year, the amount of the payments, the address of the entity, and the product or service supplied by the entity. Provides that the lists must continue to be updated throughout the entire fiscal year by adding additional names of persons being paid at least $1,000 and for expenditures of government funds greater than $3,000. Provides that the unit of local government must publish on its website, if it has one, the compiled lists and must update the lists at least annually. Provides that, if the unit of local government does not have a website, the unit of local government must publish the lists, on an annual basis, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the unit of local government is located. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.
SB1684 - OPEN MEETINGS-PUBLIC OFFICIALS
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that, under rules established and recorded by the public body, any person shall be permitted an opportunity to address public officials individually or to address the public body as a whole (now, under the rules established and recorded by the public body, a person must be permitted an opportunity to address public officials). Provides that the right to address individual public officials may not be restricted by the rules of the public body. Defines "public official".
SB2046 - FOIA OFFICERS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that each public body shall designate one or more public body officials or employees (rather than officials or employees) to act as its Freedom of Information officer or officers. Provides that "public body officials" means elected or appointed office holders of the public body but does not include private attorneys or law firms appointed to represent the public body.
SB2085 - FOIA-ENGINEERING PROPOSALS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that proposals or bids submitted by engineering consultants in response to requests for proposal or other competitive bidding requests by the Department of Transportation or the Illinois Toll Highway Authority are exempt from disclosure under the Act.
SB2087 - FOIA-LIST OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body shall include in its list of records available under the Act the identification and a plain-text description of each of the types or categories of information of each field of each database of the public body. Provides that the public body shall provide a sufficient description of the structures of all databases under the control of the public body to allow a requester to request the public body to perform specific database queries.
SB2178 - FOIA-DEADLINES, LICENSE PLATES
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Changes the definition of "recurrent requester" to mean a person who, in the 12 months immediately preceding the request, has submitted to the same public body (i) a minimum of 40 (instead of 50) requests for records, (ii) a minimum of 10 (instead of 15) requests for records within a 30-day period, or (iii) a minimum of 5 (instead of 7) requests for records within a 7-day period. Requires a public body to either comply with or deny a request for public records, or to invoke its right to an extension of the deadline to produce the records, within 15 (instead of 5) business days after its receipt of the request. Extends the deadline to respond to a request made for a commercial purpose from 21 to 30 days. Exempts from disclosure records related to the location or operation of an automated license plate recognition system and records containing data generated or stored by those systems.
SB2332 - FOIA-PUBLIC BODY OFFICIALS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Defines "public body official" as an elected or appointed officeholder of a public body. Provides that "public body official" does not include a private attorney or law firm appointed to represent the public body. Provides that a public body's freedom of information officer must be a public body official or employee of the public body.
SB2640 - FOIA-ADMIN OR TECHNICAL INFO
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that administrative or technical information associated with automated data operations shall be exempt from inspection and copying, but only to the extent that disclosure would jeopardize the security of the system or its data or the security of materials exempt under the Act.
SB2665 - OMA-SERVICE MEMBER ATTENDANCE
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that, if a quorum of the members of the public body is physically present, a majority of the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of performance of active military duty as a service member. Defines "active military duty" and "service member".
SB3076 - FOIA-LIST OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body shall include in its list of records available under the Act the identification and a plain-text description of each of the types or categories of information of each field of each database of the public body. Provides that the public body shall provide a sufficient description of the structures of all databases under the control of the public body to allow a requester to request the public body to perform specific database queries.
SB3129 - FOIA OFFICERS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that each public body shall designate one or more public body officials or employees (rather than officials or employees) to act as its Freedom of Information officer or officers. Provides that "public body officials" means elected or appointed office holders of the public body but does not include private attorneys or law firms appointed to represent the public body.
SB3171 - FOIA-ENGINEERING PROPOSALS
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that proposals or bids submitted by engineering consultants in response to requests for proposal or other competitive bidding requests by the Department of Transportation or the Illinois Toll Highway Authority are exempt from disclosure under the Act.
SB3613 - FOIA-JUDICIAL BRANCH
Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, for purposes of the Act, "public body" includes the judicial branch and components of the judicial branch of the State. Exempts records that pertain to the preparation of judicial opinions and orders. Excludes denials of requests of records from the judicial branch or components of the judicial branch from the jurisdiction of the Public Access Counselor.
SB3656 - LOCAL-COMPENSATION POSTING
Amends the Local Records Act. Provides that a unit of local government must compile a list of: (i) the pay and benefits of every employee, consultant, contractor, and other personnel of the unit of local government whose accumulated payments or compensation is at least $1,000 during a fiscal year; and (ii) each entity to which it directs a payment of more than $3,000 during a fiscal year, the amount of the payments, the address of the entity, and the product or service supplied by the entity. Provides that the lists must continue to be updated throughout the entire fiscal year by adding additional names of persons being paid at least $1,000 and for expenditures of government funds greater than $3,000. Provides that the unit of local government must publish on its website, if it has one, the compiled lists and must update the lists on the website at least annually. Provides that, if the unit of local government does not have a website, the unit of local government must publish the lists, on an annual basis, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the unit of local government is located. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.
SB3774 - OMA-MINUTES OF CLOSED MEETING
Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body may hold a closed session to consider the minutes (instead of discussion of minutes) of meetings lawfully closed under the Act, whether for purposes of approval by the body of the minutes or semi-annual review of the minutes, and, notwithstanding the requirement of the Act that no final action may be taken at a closed meeting, the final approval of minutes in closed session. In provisions concerning the semi-annual review of minutes of a closed session, provides that the public body may may approve any closed session minutes taken since the last meeting to fully satisfy the requirement to approve closed session minutes at a public meeting.