Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan released her office’s annual Public Access Report Wednesday, the timing of which coincided with Sunshine Week, the celebration of laws that ensure Illinoisans’ access to governmental records and meetings.
Madigan reported that the state’s Public Access Bureau received thousands of requests in 2015 for help in gaining access to public information – 4,770, to be exact.
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Read More… from Editorial: Public access woes in Illinois cloud Sunshine Week
More than 200 new Illinois laws scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1. Here are the new laws governing Ethics, Transparency and Local Government: Continue…
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Read More… from New Illinois Laws 2016: ETHICS, TRANSPARENCY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The City of Champaign and the Champaign Police Department has released several documents to the public in response to several inquiries regarding the department's Use of Force policy, litigation, and Freedom of Information Act requests regarding a Champaign Police officer.
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Read More… from Champaign officials release documents related to use of force FOIA requests
The Orland Police Department in Illinois has settled a lawsuit, paying out $12,000 for violating and not responding to Freedom of Information Act requests by local watchdogs.
Also, the Orland Park Public Library settled a lawsuit for $55,000 for the same reason.
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Read More… from Illinois police, public library settle public records lawsuit for $67k
Illinois legislators introduced the bipartisan Taxpayer Receipt Act on Wednesday, which would provide all taxpayers with itemized receipts detailing where taxpayers' dollars will be spent, as well as how much money the federal government is borrowing in their name.
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llinois law says government officials' emails about taxpayer business are public records for all to see. But what if they're sent from private accounts or personal cellphones?
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Read More… from Emails on private devices, FOIA issue goes back to court
The Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, has received a lot of attention lately. As has the subject of public officials using personal e-mail accounts to conduct government business.
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Read More… from Illinois Public Access Counselor talks about the Freedom of Information Act
A number of people with local ties received Illinois Courage Awards Thursday for their impact on the government transparency movement.
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Read More… from Illinois: Residents recognized for impact on government transparency
A Sangamon County judge has rejected a plea from a Massachusetts company that claims that requests for the company’s contracts with more than a dozen Illinois school districts are harming business and damaging the company’s reputation.
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A good-government bill inspired by the Oakwood Hills Village Board’s closed-session handling of a power plant proposal is awaiting action by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
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Read More… from Open Meetings Act reform awaiting Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s action
