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.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

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). Makes technical changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - House Committee Amendment No. 3 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

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. Makes other technical changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Defines "automated request" as a request that a public body has a reasonable belief was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence or submitted without any specific, affirmative action taken by a human. Provides that a public body shall respond to an automated request within 5 business days after receipt and provide certain types of notice to the requester. Provides procedures for the requester to dispute having the request treated as an automated request. Adds automated requests to certain provisions regarding requests for a commercial purpose and voluminous requests. Allows a public body to charge requesters for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records associated with an automated request. Provides that a person whose request to inspect or copy a public record is treated as an automated request may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor, with certain exceptions.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

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.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that, within 6 business days after an employer participating in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund approves a budget, that employer must post on its website the total compensation package for each employee having a total compensation package that exceeds $125,000 (rather than $75,000) per year. Provides that, at least 6 days before an employer participating in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund approves an employee's total compensation package that is equal to or in excess of $200,000 (rather than $150,000) per year, the employer must post on its website the total compensation package for that employee. Effective January 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body may hold closed meetings to consider self evaluation, practices and procedures, or professional ethics, when meeting with a representative of a statewide or regional association (rather than only a statewide association) of which the public body is a member.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that electronic requests for public records must appear in their entirety within the body of the electronic submission and that no public body shall be required to open electronically attached files or hyperlinks to view or access the details of such a request. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

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".

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Changes the definition of "person". Allows, within 5 business days after its receipt of the request, a public body that has a reasonable belief that a request was not submitted by a person to require the requester to verify orally or in writing that the requester is a person. Provides that the deadline for the public body to respond to the request shall be tolled until the requester verifies that he or she is a person. Provides that, if the requester fails to verify that he or she is a person within 30 days after the public body requests such a verification, then the public body may deny the request.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. 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. Provides that a Chicago Police District Council may hold a closed meeting involving public safety concerns to discuss (i) an ongoing, prior, or future law enforcement or official misconduct investigation or allegation thereof involving specific individuals or (ii) 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 specific individuals. Provides that an agenda for each regular meeting of a public body must be posted the principal office of the public body if such an office exists. Provides that if a public body has a website that is maintained by its full-time staff but does not have a principal office or single building where meetings are regularly held, that body is deemed to have complied with the requirement to post physical notice at the office or building of the meeting if the notice is timely posted on the public body's website. Excludes from the definition of "meeting" for a Chicago Police District Council a gathering of 2 members, except if gathered for a regularly scheduled meeting or otherwise gathered to adopt any motion, resolution, or ordinance. Provides a Chicago Police District Council may hold meetings by audio or video conference without the physical presence of the members under certain conditions except for required regularly scheduled meetings.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, if a public body uses an electronic system for the submission of requests under the Act, then it shall employ a CAPTCHA test or other similar measures to verify that those electronically submitted requests are being made by a human.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, as used in the Act, the term "commercial purpose" means, among other things, the use of any part of a public record or records, or information derived from public records, in any form for any use or purpose that furthers the commercial, trade, or profit interests of the requester or the person on whose behalf the request is made.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that each public body shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 15 business days (rather than 5 business days) after its receipt of the request, unless extended for an additional 10 business days (rather than 5 business days) for specified reasons. Provides that commercial requests must be responded to within 30 business days (rather than 21 working days).

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides the each public body shall post a brief description of itself and other specified information on its website (rather than at each of its administrative or regional offices). Provides that, if a public body does not maintain a website, it shall also post that information at each of its administrative or regional offices.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, if the denial of a request includes a request for minutes or a verbatim record of a meeting of the public body closed to the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act that have not been previously made available for public inspection, suit may be filed under a specified provision only after a 60-day period following (i) the receipt of the request by the public body or (ii) the issuance of a binding or non-binding opinion from the Public Access Counselor, whichever is later, to allow for review of the requested records as provided under the Open Meetings Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body and any officer or employee of a public body (rather than only a public body) that discloses records in accordance with an opinion of the Attorney General is immune from all liabilities by reason thereof and shall not be liable for penalties under the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Allows attendance by a means other than physical presence under certain circumstances if a member of a public body is prevented from physically attending because of any reason designated in rules adopted by the public body in accordance with certain provisions in the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Reduces the number of record requests that must be made for a person to be considered a recurrent requester under the Act. Provides that public bodies must respond to requests from recurrent requesters with 30 (rather than 21) days after receipt of a request. Specifies that notice that requests are being treated as recurrent requests must be provided only once every 30 days. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for persons designated as recurrent requesters to knowingly obtain a public record without disclosing their status as recurrent requesters.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. In provisions regarding the authority to charge fees and the imposition of a fee for a voluminous request, removes requirements for an accounting of all personnel hours in connection with the request for public records.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In provisions regarding notice of changes to regular meeting dates, deletes requirements for publication in a newspaper or, in certain cases, posting in at least 3 prominent places within the governmental unit. Adds a requirement that notice of changes to regular meeting dates shall also be posted on the website of the public body.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides if a public body is a local school council organized under the Chicago School District Article of the School Code, then, subject to certain requirements, 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, as long as specified conditions are met. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that at a local school council's annual organizational meeting, the local school council shall take a vote to determine if meetings shall be held in-person or remotely; however, provides that a declaration by the Governor or Director of Public Health limiting the size of or prohibiting an in-person meeting shall supersede a local school council's vote to meet in-person. Provides that a local school council has the power and duty to pass resolutions requesting action from a member of the Chicago Board of Education representing the school, and to forward such resolutions to the member. Removes language providing that a school placed on probation that fails to make adequate progress in correcting deficiencies is subject to new local school council elections. Provides that the criteria for determining whether a school should remain on probation or the criteria for determining when a school is in educational crisis shall be delivered to each local school council on or before August 1 (rather than October 31) of each year. Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/18/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/18/2025 - Referred to House Rules

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a unit of local government may not hold or schedule an official meeting on the day of an election. Limits home rule powers. Defines terms.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

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.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

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". Effective immediately.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/20/2025 - Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading April 1, 2025

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.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In provisions regarding training, requires the Public Access Counselor to complete an accessibility review for electronic training under the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act and rules adopted under that Act. Provides for procedures to bring the training into compliance with the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act. Requires the establishment of an accessibility helpline, with certain requirements.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that each public body shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 15 business days (rather than 5 business days) after its receipt of the request, unless extended for an additional 10 business days (rather than 5 business days) for specified reasons. Provides that commercial requests must be responded to within 30 business days (rather than 21 working days).

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Allows attendance by a means other than physical presence under certain circumstances if a member of a public body is prevented from physically attending because of any reason designated in rules adopted by the public body in accordance with certain provisions in the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. In provisions regarding the authority to charge fees and the imposition of a fee for a voluminous request, removes requirements for an accounting of all personnel hours in connection with the request for public records.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In provisions regarding notice of changes to regular meeting dates, deletes requirements for publication in a newspaper or, in certain cases, posting in at least 3 prominent places within the governmental unit. Adds a requirement that notice of changes to regular meeting dates shall also be posted on the website of the public body.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/7/2025 - Referred to Senate Assignments

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that, if the denial of a request includes a request for minutes or a verbatim record of a meeting of the public body closed to the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act that have not been previously made available for public inspection, suit may be filed under a specified provision only after a 60-day period following (i) the receipt of the request by the public body or (ii) the issuance of a binding or non-binding opinion from the Public Access Counselor, whichever is later, to allow for review of the requested records as provided under the Open Meetings Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Reduces the number of record requests that must be made for a person to be considered a recurrent requester under the Act. Provides that public bodies must respond to requests from recurrent requesters with 30 (rather than 21) days after receipt of a request. Specifies that notice that requests are being treated as recurrent requests must be provided only once every 30 days. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for persons designated as recurrent requesters to knowingly obtain a public record without disclosing their status as recurrent requesters.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides the each public body shall post a brief description of itself and other specified information on its website (rather than at each of its administrative or regional offices). Provides that, if a public body does not maintain a website, it shall also post that information at each of its administrative or regional offices.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a public body and any officer or employee of a public body (rather than only a public body) that discloses records in accordance with an opinion of the Attorney General is immune from all liabilities by reason thereof and shall not be liable for penalties under the Act.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/21/2025 - Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 11, 2025