HB4419 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 35274 AWJ 65297 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4419

Introduced 1/16/2024, by Rep. Maura Hirschauer

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

5 ILCS 120/1.05

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that an elected or appointed member of a public body of a township may satisfy specified training requirements of the Act by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents townships created under the Township Code. Specifies the contents of the course of training. Provides that if an organization that represents townships provides a course of training, it must provide a certificate of course completion to each elected or appointed member of a public body who successfully completes that course of training.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Open Meetings Act is amended by changing Section 1.05 as follows:

(5 ILCS 120/1.05)

Sec. 1.05. Training.

(a) Every public body shall designate employees, officers, or members to receive training on compliance with this Act. Each public body shall submit a list of designated employees, officers, or members to the Public Access Counselor. Within 6 months after January 1, 2010 (the effective date of Public Act 96-542), the designated employees, officers, and members must successfully complete an electronic training curriculum, developed and administered by the Public Access Counselor, and thereafter must successfully complete an annual training program. Thereafter, whenever a public body designates an additional employee, officer, or member to receive this training, that person must successfully complete the electronic training curriculum within 30 days after that designation.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, each elected or appointed member of a public body subject to this Act who is such a member on January 1, 2012 (the effective date of Public Act 97-504) must successfully complete the electronic training curriculum developed and administered by the Public Access Counselor. For these members, the training must be completed within one year after January 1, 2012 (the effective date of Public Act 97-504).

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, each elected or appointed member of a public body subject to this Act who becomes such a member after January 1, 2012 (the effective date of Public Act 97-504) shall successfully complete the electronic training curriculum developed and administered by the Public Access Counselor. For these members, the training must be completed not later than the 90th day after the date the member:

(1) takes the oath of office, if the member is required to take an oath of office to assume the person's duties as a member of the public body; or

(2) otherwise assumes responsibilities as a member of the public body, if the member is not required to take an oath of office to assume the person's duties as a member of the governmental body.

Each member successfully completing the electronic training curriculum shall file a copy of the certificate of completion with the public body.

Completing the required training as a member of the public body satisfies the requirements of this Section with regard to the member's service on a committee or subcommittee of the public body and the member's ex officio service on any other public body.

The failure of one or more members of a public body to complete the training required by this Section does not affect the validity of an action taken by the public body.

An elected or appointed member of a public body subject to this Act who has successfully completed the training required under this subsection (b) and filed a copy of the certificate of completion with the public body is not required to subsequently complete the training required under this subsection (b).

(c) An elected school board member may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization created under Article 23 of the School Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization created under Article 23 of the School Code provides a course of training under this subsection (c), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each school board member who successfully completes that course of training.

(d) A commissioner of a drainage district may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents the drainage districts created under the Illinois Drainage Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents the drainage districts created under the Illinois Drainage Code provides a course of training under this subsection (d), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each commissioner who successfully completes that course of training.

(e) A director of a soil and water conservation district may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents soil and water conservation districts created under the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents the soil and water conservation districts created under the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act provides a course of training under this subsection (e), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each director who successfully completes that course of training.

(f) An elected or appointed member of a public body of a park district, forest preserve district, or conservation district may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents the park districts created in the Park District Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents the park districts created in the Park District Code provides a course of training under this subsection (f), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each elected or appointed member of a public body who successfully completes that course of training.

(g) An elected or appointed member of the board of trustees of a fire protection district may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents fire protection districts created under the Fire Protection District Act. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents fire protection districts organized under the Fire Protection District Act provides a course of training under this subsection (g), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each elected or appointed member of a board of trustees who successfully completes that course of training.

(h) An elected or appointed member of a public body of a municipality may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents municipalities as designated in Section 1-8-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents municipalities as designated in Section 1-8-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code provides a course of training under this subsection (h), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each elected or appointed member of a public body who successfully completes that course of training.

(i) An elected or appointed member of a public body of a township may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents townships created under the Township Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents townships created under the Township Code provides a course of training under this subsection, it must provide a certificate of course completion to each elected or appointed member of a public body who successfully completes that course of training.

(Source: P.A. 101-233, eff. 1-1-20; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)