100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB3385

 

Introduced , by Rep. Jeanne M Ives

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 140/3.5

    Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that each public body shall designate one or more public officials or employees of the public body (instead of "one or more officials or employees") to act as its Freedom of Information officer or officers.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Freedom of Information Act is amended by
5changing Section 3.5 as follows:
 
6    (5 ILCS 140/3.5)
7    Sec. 3.5. Freedom of Information officers.
8    (a) Each public body shall designate one or more public
9officials or employees of the public body to act as its Freedom
10of Information officer or officers. Except in instances when
11records are furnished immediately, Freedom of Information
12officers, or their designees, shall receive requests submitted
13to the public body under this Act, ensure that the public body
14responds to requests in a timely fashion, and issue responses
15under this Act. Freedom of Information officers shall develop a
16list of documents or categories of records that the public body
17shall immediately disclose upon request.
18    Upon receiving a request for a public record, the Freedom
19of Information officer shall:
20        (1) note the date the public body receives the written
21    request;
22        (2) compute the day on which the period for response
23    will expire and make a notation of that date on the written

 

 

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1    request;
2        (3) maintain an electronic or paper copy of a written
3    request, including all documents submitted with the
4    request until the request has been complied with or denied;
5    and
6        (4) create a file for the retention of the original
7    request, a copy of the response, a record of written
8    communications with the requester, and a copy of other
9    communications.
10    (b) All Freedom of Information officers shall, within 6
11months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
1296th General Assembly, successfully complete an electronic
13training curriculum to be developed by the Public Access
14Counselor and thereafter successfully complete an annual
15training program. Thereafter, whenever a new Freedom of
16Information officer is designated by a public body, that person
17shall successfully complete the electronic training curriculum
18within 30 days after assuming the position. Successful
19completion of the required training curriculum within the
20periods provided shall be a prerequisite to continue serving as
21a Freedom of Information officer.
22(Source: P.A. 96-542, eff. 1-1-10.)