Records and rights
Where Aurora's rules and records are kept, how to ask for a record that is not online, and the rights any person has to attend, record and request.
Where the rules and records are
Your rights to attend, record and request
Illinois Freedom of Information Act
Who may request; presumption of openness
Each public body "shall make available to any person for inspection or copying all public records, except as otherwise provided in Sections 7 and 8.5" of the Act (Section 3(a)). A "person" is "any individual or any individual acting as an agent of a corporation, partnership, firm, organization or association, acting individually or as a group" (Section 2(b)). Public bodies include all legislative, executive, administrative, or advisory bodies of the State, state universities and colleges, counties, townships, cities, villages, incorporated towns, school districts, and all other municipal corporations, boards, bureaus, committees, or commissions of the State, with their subsidiary bodies such as committees and subcommittees (Section 2(a)). The term does not include a child death review team, the Illinois Child Death Review Teams Executive Council, a regional youth advisory board, or the Statewide Youth Advisory Board (Section 2(a)). All records in the custody or possession of a public body "are presumed to be open to inspection or copying" (Section 1.2). A public body that asserts that a record is exempt "has the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that it is exempt" (Section 1.2). Public records include electronic communications and all other documentary materials "pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of any public body" (Section 2(c)). Junk mail is not a public record: Section 2(j) defines it as unsolicited commercial mail or electronic communications sent to a public body and not responded to by an official, employee, or agent of the public body (Section 2(c), (j)). A record held by a party that has contracted with the public body "to perform a governmental function on behalf of the public body" is a public record of that body if it "directly relates to the governmental function and is not otherwise exempt under this Act" (Section 7(2)).
How to use it: Send a written request to the public body (Section 3(c)). Each public body "shall prominently display on its website" a directory designating its Freedom of Information officer or officers and the address where requests for public records should be directed (Section 4(b)). A public body that does not maintain a website "shall also post this information at each of its administrative or regional offices" (Section 4).
Deadlines, fees and limits: A public body that "has a reasonable belief that a request was not submitted by a person" may, within 5 business days after receiving the request, require the requester "to verify orally or in writing that the requester is a person" (Section 3(j)). The deadline to respond is tolled until the requester verifies, and the public body may deny the request if the requester does not verify within 30 days after it asks (Section 3(j)). For this verification the public body "may not require the requester to submit personal information, private information, or identifying information" (Section 3(j)). The definition of "person" in Section 2(b) does not mention residence.
Illinois FOIA
No reason required; written request; no mandatory form
Requests "shall be made in writing and directed to the public body" (Section 3(c)). Written requests may be submitted "via personal delivery, mail, telefax, or other means available to the public body" (Section 3(c)). Electronic requests "must appear in their entirety within the body of the electronic submission," and no public body "shall be required to open electronically attached files or hyperlinks to view or access details of a request" (Section 3(c)). A public body that receives a request that would require it to open hyperlinks or attached files "shall, within 5 business days, notify the requester" that the entire electronic request must appear within the body of the submission (Section 3(c)). A public body "may not require that a request be submitted on a standard form or require the requester to specify the purpose for a request, except to determine whether the records are requested for a commercial purpose or whether to grant a request for a fee waiver" (Section 3(c)). All requests received by a public body "shall immediately be forwarded to its Freedom of Information officer or designee" (Section 3(c)).
How to use it: If you send a request by email or another electronic means, put the whole request in the body of the message, not in an attachment or a link (Section 3(c)). It is "a violation of this Act for a person to knowingly obtain a public record for a commercial purpose without disclosing that it is for a commercial purpose, if requested to do so by the public body" (Section 3.1(c)). To ask for a fee waiver, state "the specific purpose for the request" and indicate that a waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest (Section 6(c)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: A public body "may honor oral requests for inspection or copying" (Section 3(c)).
Response deadline and extension
A public body "shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 5 business days after its receipt of the request, unless the time for response is properly extended under subsection (e)" (Section 3(d)). A denial "shall be in writing as provided in Section 9" (Section 3(d)). The public body may extend the time "for not more than 5 business days from the original due date" for any of the following reasons (Section 3(e)). The reasons are: the records are stored in whole or in part at other locations; the request requires collecting a substantial number of specified records; the request is couched in categorical terms and requires an extensive search; the records have not been located in a routine search and additional efforts are being made to locate them; the records require examination by qualified personnel to determine whether they are exempt or should be released only with deletions; the request cannot be met within the time limits without unduly burdening or interfering with the public body's operations; or the public body needs to consult with another public body, or among 2 or more of its components, having a substantial interest in the determination or in the subject matter of the request (Section 3(e)). To extend, the public body "shall, within 5 business days after receipt of the request, notify the person making the request of the reasons for the extension and the date by which the response will be forthcoming" (Section 3(f)). The requester and the public body "may agree in writing to extend the time for compliance for a period to be determined by the parties," and if they agree, a failure to meet earlier deadlines "shall not be treated as a denial of the request" (Section 3(e)). Failure to comply with a written request, extend the time for response, or deny a request within 5 business days after receipt, or to respond within the time permitted for extension, "shall be considered a denial of the request" (Section 3(d), (f)). A public body that fails to respond within these periods but later provides copies of the records "may not impose a fee" for them (Section 3(d), (f)). A public body that fails to respond to a request, or that requests an extension and then fails to respond, "may not treat the request as unduly burdensome under subsection (g)" (Section 3(d), (f)).
How to use it: A person whose request is denied by a public body, other than the General Assembly and its committees, commissions, and agencies, may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor in the Office of the Attorney General "not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial" (Section 9.5(a)); a person whose request is made for a commercial purpose may ask only for review of "whether the public body properly determined that the request was made for a commercial purpose" (Section 9.5(b)). The request for review "must be in writing, signed by the requester," and must include a copy of the request and any responses from the public body (Section 9.5(a)). Any person denied access to inspect or copy a public record by a public body "may file suit for injunctive or declaratory relief" (Section 11(a)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Five business days after receipt; an extension may add not more than 5 business days from the original due date, unless the requester and the public body agree in writing to a longer period (Section 3(d), (e)). These time periods "shall not apply to requests for records made for a commercial purpose, requests by a recurrent requester, or voluminous requests," which are subject to Sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.6 (Section 3(i)). If a public body that has a reasonable belief that a request was not submitted by a person requires the requester, within 5 business days after receipt, to verify that the requester is a person, the response deadline "shall be tolled until the requester verifies that he or she is a person" (Section 3(j)). A requester is "deemed to have exhausted his or her administrative remedies" if the public body fails to act within the time periods provided in Section 3 (Section 9(c)).
Commercial, recurrent and voluminous requests
The Section 3 time periods "shall not apply to requests for records made for a commercial purpose, requests by a recurrent requester, or voluminous requests," which follow Sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.6 instead (Section 3(i)). A commercial purpose is the use of any part of a public record, or information derived from public records, "in any form for sale, resale, or solicitation or advertisement for sales or services" (Section 2(c-10)). Requests by news media and non-profit, scientific, or academic organizations are not considered commercial when the principal purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information concerning news and current or passing events, for articles of opinion or features of interest to the public, or for academic, scientific, or public research or education (Section 2(c-10)). A public body "shall respond to a request for records to be used for a commercial purpose within 21 working days after receipt" (Section 3.1(a)). The response "shall" do one of these: estimate the time and fees, which the public body may require the person to pay in full before copying; deny the request under an exemption; notify the requester that the request is unduly burdensome and offer an opportunity to reduce it to manageable proportions; or provide the records (Section 3.1(a)). Unless the records are exempt, the public body shall comply within a reasonable period considering the size and complexity of the request, "giving priority to records requested for non-commercial purposes" (Section 3.1(b)). It is "a violation of this Act for a person to knowingly obtain a public record for a commercial purpose without disclosing that it is for a commercial purpose, if requested to do so by the public body" (Section 3.1(c)). A recurrent requester is a person that, in the 12 months immediately before the request, has submitted to the same public body at least 50 requests for records, at least 15 requests within a 30-day period, or at least 7 requests within a 7-day period (Section 2(g)). Requests by news media and non-profit, scientific, or academic organizations are not counted when their principal purpose is news, opinion or features of interest to the public, or academic, scientific, or public research or education (Section 2(g)). A public body "shall respond to a request from a recurrent requester" within 21 business days after receipt, and within 5 business days after receipt it shall notify the requester that it is treating the request this way, why, and that it will send an initial response within 21 business days (Section 3.2(a), (b)). A voluminous request is one that includes more than 5 individual requests for more than 5 different categories of records, or a combination of requests totaling more than 5 different categories of records in 20 business days, or one that requires compiling more than 500 letter or legal-sized pages "unless a single requested record exceeds 500 pages" (Section 2(h)). It does not include a request by news media and non-profit, scientific, or academic organizations whose principal purpose is news, opinion or features of interest to the public, or academic, scientific, or public research or education (Section 2(h)). Within 5 business days after receipt, the public body shall notify the requester that it is treating the request as voluminous and why, and the requester has 10 business days from the date that response is sent to amend the request so that it is no longer treated as voluminous (Section 3.6(a), (b)). If the request remains voluminous or the requester does not respond, the public body shall respond within the earlier of 5 business days after it receives the requester's response or 5 business days after the requester's last day to respond, and it may extend that time to not more than 10 business days from the requester's last day to respond, for a reason listed in Section 3(e) (Section 3.6(c), (d)). An unpaid fee for a voluminous request "shall be considered a debt due and owing to the public body," and the fee may be charged "even if the requester fails to accept or collect records the public body has prepared" (Section 3.6(e)).
How to use it: A person whose request is made for a commercial purpose "may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor," except that a person whose request was treated as commercial under Section 3.1 may ask the Public Access Counselor to review "whether the public body properly determined that the request was made for a commercial purpose" (Section 9.5(b)). A person whose request was treated as voluminous by a public body other than the General Assembly and its committees, commissions, and agencies may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor "for the purpose of reviewing whether the public body properly determined that the request was a voluminous request" (Section 9.5(b-5)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Commercial: response within 21 working days (Section 3.1(a)). For commercial requests only, a public body "may 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," but no fees "shall be charged for the first 8 hours spent by personnel in searching for or retrieving a requested record" (Section 6(f)). It may also charge the actual cost of retrieving and transporting public records from an off-site storage facility when a third-party storage company under contract with the public body maintains them (Section 6(f)). Recurrent: notice within 5 business days; response within 21 business days (Section 3.2(a), (b)). Voluminous: notice within 5 business days; 10 business days for the requester to amend (Section 3.6(a), (b)). For a voluminous request for electronic records that are not in PDF, the public body "may charge up to $20 for not more than 2 megabytes of data, up to $40 for more than 2 but not more than 4 megabytes of data, and up to $100 for more than 4 megabytes of data" (Section 6(a-5)). For records in PDF, it may charge up to $20 for not more than 80 megabytes, up to $40 for more than 80 but not more than 160 megabytes, and up to $100 for more than 160 megabytes of data (Section 6(a-5)). If the records are in both formats, the public body may separate the fees and charge under both scales (Section 6(a-5)). A public body that imposes a fee under Section 6(a-5) or 6(f) "must provide the requester with an accounting of all fees, costs, and personnel hours in connection with the request for public records" (Section 6(a-5), (f)).
Unduly burdensome requests and repeat requests
Requests "calling for all records falling within a category shall be complied with" unless compliance would be unduly burdensome for the public body, there is no way to narrow the request, and the burden on the public body outweighs the public interest in the information (Section 3(g)). Before invoking this exemption, the public body "shall extend to the person making the request an opportunity to confer with it in an attempt to reduce the request to manageable proportions" (Section 3(g)). A public body that responds to a category request by stating that compliance would unduly burden its operation "shall do so in writing, specifying the reasons why it would be unduly burdensome and the extent to which compliance will so burden the operations of the public body" (Section 3(g)). Such a response "shall be treated as a denial of the request for information" (Section 3(g)). Repeated requests "from the same person for the same records that are unchanged or identical to records previously provided or properly denied under this Act shall be deemed unduly burdensome" (Section 3(g)).
How to use it: Because an unduly burdensome response is treated as a denial, the requester may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor "not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial," except for denials by the General Assembly and its committees, commissions, and agencies, and except that a person whose request is made for a commercial purpose "may not file a request for review" other than on whether the request was properly treated as commercial (Section 3(g); Section 9.5(a), (b)). For commercial, recurrent and voluminous requests, one permitted response is to notify the requester that the request is unduly burdensome and "extend an opportunity to the requester to attempt to reduce the request to manageable proportions" (Sections 3.1(a), 3.2(a), 3.6(c)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: A public body that fails to respond to a request "may not treat the request as unduly burdensome under subsection (g)," and the same applies to a public body that requests an extension and then fails to respond (Section 3(d), (f)).
Fees and electronic copies
When a person requests a copy of a record maintained in an electronic format, the public body "shall furnish it in the electronic format specified by the requester, if feasible" (Section 6(a)). If that is not feasible, it shall furnish the record in the format in which it is maintained, or in paper format at the requester's option (Section 6(a)). It "may charge the requester for the actual cost of purchasing the recording medium, whether disc, diskette, tape, or other medium" (Section 6(a)). If a request is not a request for a commercial purpose or a voluminous request, a public body "may not charge the requester for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records" (Section 6(a)). Except to the extent that the General Assembly expressly provides, statutory fees for paper copies "shall not be applicable to those records when furnished in an electronic format" (Section 6(a)). Except when a fee is otherwise fixed by statute, a public body may charge fees reasonably calculated to reimburse its actual cost for reproducing and certifying public records and for the use of its equipment to copy records (Section 6(b)). No fees shall be charged for the first 50 pages of black and white, letter or legal sized copies, and the fee for those copies "shall not exceed 15 cents per page" (Section 6(b)). For copies in color or in a size other than letter or legal, the public body "may not charge more than its actual cost for reproducing the records" (Section 6(b)). In calculating its actual cost, a public body "shall not include the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records, except for commercial requests" under Section 6(f) (Section 6(b)). Fees "shall be imposed according to a standard scale of fees, established and made public by the body imposing them" (Section 6(b)). The cost for certifying a record "shall not exceed $1" (Section 6(b)). Documents "shall be furnished without charge or at a reduced charge, as determined by the public body, if the person requesting the documents states the specific purpose for the request and indicates that a waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest" (Section 6(c)). A waiver or reduction is in the public interest "if the principal purpose of the request is to access and disseminate information regarding the health, safety and welfare or the legal rights of the general public and is not for the principal purpose of personal or commercial benefit" (Section 6(c)). In setting the amount of a waiver or reduction, the public body "may take into consideration the amount of materials requested and the cost of copying them" (Section 6(c)). Imposing a fee not consistent with Section 6(a) and (b) "constitutes a denial of access to public records for the purposes of judicial review" (Section 6(d)).
How to use it: Name the electronic format you want, since Section 6(a) requires the public body to furnish a record maintained in an electronic format "in the electronic format specified by the requester, if feasible" (Section 6(a)). Each public body "shall prominently display on its website" a brief description of how the public may request records, a directory of its Freedom of Information officers, the address for requests, and "any fees allowable under Section 6 of this Act" (Section 4(b)). To ask for a waiver or reduction, state the specific purpose of the request and indicate that a waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest (Section 6(c)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Paper: first 50 black and white, letter or legal sized pages free; after that, not more than 15 cents per page; certification not more than $1 (Section 6(b)). Electronic: the actual cost of the recording medium; no search, review or other personnel costs unless the request is for a commercial purpose or is a voluminous request (Section 6(a)). Voluminous requests for electronic records have their own fee scale (Section 6(a-5)), and the search fees in Section 6(f) "apply only to commercial requests" (Section 6(f)).
Main Section 7 exemptions (as in force Oct. 2026)
When a public record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, the public body "may elect to redact the information that is exempt" and "shall make the remaining information available for inspection and copying" (7(1)). Section 7(1) then lists the categories that "shall be exempt from inspection and copying", lettered (a) through (uu); some of them are described below. Item (a) covers "Information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or State law or rules and regulations implementing federal or State law". Item (b) covers "Private information, unless disclosure is required by another provision of this Act, a State or federal law, or a court order". Section 2(c-5) defines private information as "unique identifiers, including a person's social security number, driver's license number, employee identification number, biometric identifiers, personal financial information, passwords or other access codes, medical records, home or personal telephone numbers, and personal email addresses". Private information also includes "home address and personal license plates, except as otherwise provided by law or when compiled without possibility of attribution to any person" (2(c-5)). Item (c) covers "Personal information contained within public records, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, unless the disclosure is consented to in writing by the individual subjects of the information". Item (c) defines "Unwarranted invasion of personal privacy" as the disclosure of information "that is highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person and in which the subject's right to privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining the information". It also says: "The disclosure of information that bears on the public duties of public employees and officials shall not be considered an invasion of personal privacy" (7(1)(c)). Item (d) covers "Records in the possession of any public body created in the course of administrative enforcement proceedings, and any law enforcement or correctional agency for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that disclosure would" have one of the results listed in (d)(i) through (vii). Among them: "interfere with pending or actually and reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings conducted by any law enforcement or correctional agency that is the recipient of the request" (i); "unavoidably disclose the identity of a confidential source, confidential information furnished only by the confidential source, or persons who file complaints with or provide information to administrative, investigative, law enforcement, or penal agencies" (iv); "endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel or any other person" (vi); and "obstruct an ongoing criminal investigation by the agency that is the recipient of the request" (vii). Item (d)(iv) adds that "the identities of witnesses to traffic crashes, traffic crash reports, and rescue reports shall be provided by agencies of local government, except when disclosure would interfere with an active criminal investigation conducted by the agency that is the recipient of the request". Item (f) covers "Preliminary 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 shall not be exempt when the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body". Item (g) covers "Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person or business where the trade secrets or commercial or financial information are furnished under a claim that they are proprietary, privileged, or confidential, and that disclosure of the trade secrets or commercial or financial information would cause competitive harm to the person or business, and only insofar as the claim directly applies to the records requested". Item (h) covers "Proposals and bids for any contract, grant, or agreement, including information which if it were disclosed would frustrate procurement or give an advantage to any person proposing to enter into a contractor agreement with the body, until an award or final selection is made". Item (l) covers "Minutes of meetings of public bodies closed to the public as provided in the Open Meetings Act until the public body makes the minutes available to the public under Section 2.06 of the Open Meetings Act". Item (m) covers "Communications between a public body and an attorney or auditor representing the public body that would not be subject to discovery in litigation, and materials prepared or compiled by or for a public body in anticipation of a criminal, civil, or administrative proceeding upon the request of an attorney advising the public body, and materials prepared or compiled with respect to internal audits of public bodies". Item (n) covers "Records relating to a public body's adjudication of employee grievances or disciplinary cases; however, this exemption shall not extend to the final outcome of cases in which discipline is imposed". Item (p) covers "Records relating to collective negotiating matters between public bodies and their employees or representatives, except that any final contract or agreement shall be subject to inspection and copying". Item (r) covers records relating to real estate purchase negotiations "until those negotiations have been completed or otherwise terminated", and records relating to a real estate sale "until a sale is consummated". For a parcel involved in "a pending or actually and reasonably contemplated eminent domain proceeding under the Eminent Domain Act", records relating to that parcel "shall be exempt except as may be allowed under discovery rules adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court" (7(1)(r)). Item (v) covers "Vulnerability assessments, security measures, and response policies or plans that are designed to identify, prevent, or respond to potential attacks upon a community's population or systems, facilities, or installations, but only to the extent that disclosure could reasonably be expected to expose the vulnerability or jeopardize the effectiveness of the measures, policies, or plans, or the safety of the personnel who implement them or the public". Item (kk) covers "The public body's credit card numbers, debit card numbers, bank account numbers, Federal Employer Identification Number, security code numbers, passwords, and similar account information, the disclosure of which could result in identity theft or impression or defrauding of a governmental entity or a person". Under 7(2), a public record in the possession of "a party with whom the agency has contracted to perform a governmental function on behalf of the public body", and that "directly relates to the governmental function and is not otherwise exempt under this Act", "shall be considered a public record of the public body". Section 7(3) says: "This Section does not authorize withholding of information or limit the availability of records to the public, except as stated in this Section or otherwise provided in this Act".
How to use it: If part of a record is exempt, Section 7(1) still requires the public body to "make the remaining information available for inspection and copying". A denial based on a Section 7 exemption "shall specify the exemption claimed to authorize the denial and the specific reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis and a citation to supporting legal authority" (9(b)). In a suit under Section 11, on the plaintiff's motion "the court shall order the public body to provide an index of the records to which access has been denied" (11(e)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Some of these exemptions end at a set point: bids and proposals "until an award or final selection is made" (7(1)(h)); closed-meeting minutes until the public body makes them available "under Section 2.06 of the Open Meetings Act" (7(1)(l)); real estate purchase negotiation records "until those negotiations have been completed or otherwise terminated" (7(1)(r)); but records relating to a parcel involved in "a pending or actually and reasonably contemplated eminent domain proceeding under the Eminent Domain Act" "shall be exempt except as may be allowed under discovery rules adopted by the Illinois Supreme Court" (7(1)(r)).
Enacted change, effective January 1, 2027: The exemption for information "specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or State law or rules and regulations implementing federal or State law" moves from item (a) to item (a-5), with the same words. A new item (a) covers "Records created or compiled by a State public defender agency or commission subject to the State Public Defender Act" that contain the kinds of records it lists, such as individual client identity and individual case file information. "This exclusion does not apply to deidentified, aggregated, administrative records". (P.A. 104-300)
Section 7.5 statutory exemptions
Section 7.5, titled "Statutory exemptions", lists items that "shall be exempt from inspection and copying"; five of them are described here. Item (b) covers "Library circulation and order records identifying library users with specific materials under the Library Records Confidentiality Act". Item (q) covers "Information prohibited from being disclosed by the Personnel Record Review Act". Item (bb) covers "Information which is or was prohibited from disclosure by the Juvenile Court Act of 1987". Item (cc) covers "Recordings made under the Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act, except to the extent authorized under that Act". Item (hh) covers "Records that are exempt from disclosure under Section 1A-16.7 of the Election Code".
How to use it: A notice of denial must give "the reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis for the application of any exemption claimed" (9(a)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: The items are exempt "To the extent provided for by the statutes referenced below" (7.5, opening words).
Records the Act expressly makes public
Section 2.5: "All records relating to the obligation, receipt, and use of public funds of the State, units of local government, and school districts are public records subject to inspection and copying by the public". Section 2.10: "Certified payroll records submitted to a public body under Section 5(a)(2) of the Prevailing Wage Act are public records subject to inspection and copying in accordance with the provisions of this Act; except that contractors' employees' addresses, telephone numbers, and social security numbers must be redacted by the public body prior to disclosure". Section 2.15(a): arrest information maintained by State or local criminal justice agencies "shall be furnished as soon as practical, but in no event later than 72 hours after the arrest". It covers information that identifies the individual, including the name, age, address, and photograph, "when and if available"; information detailing any charges relating to the arrest; the time and location of the arrest; the name of the investigating or arresting law enforcement agency; and, "if the individual is incarcerated", the time and date that the individual was received into, discharged from, or transferred from the arresting agency's custody (2.15(a)(i)-(vi)). The information in items (iii) through (vi) "may be withheld if it is determined that disclosure would" interfere with pending or actually and reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings conducted by any law enforcement agency, endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement or correctional personnel or any other person, or compromise the security of any correctional facility (2.15(c)). Under Section 2.15(b), these documents maintained by a public body pertaining to criminal history record information are public records: "court records that are public"; "records that are otherwise available under State or local law"; and "records in which the requesting party is the individual identified, except as provided under Section 7(1)(d)(vi)". Section 2.20: "All settlement and severance agreements entered into by or on behalf of a public body are public records subject to inspection and copying by the public, provided that information exempt from disclosure under Section 7 of this Act may be redacted". Section 2.25: "Demolition, repair, enclosure, or remediation records submitted to a county under Section 5-1121 of the Counties Code or a municipality under Section 11-31-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code are public records subject to inspection and copying in accordance with the provisions of this Act; except that contractors' employees' addresses, telephone numbers, and social security numbers must be redacted by the public body prior to disclosure". Section 7(1)(p): for records of collective negotiating matters, "any final contract or agreement shall be subject to inspection and copying". Section 7(1)(n): the exemption for records of a public body's adjudication of employee grievances or disciplinary cases "shall not extend to the final outcome of cases in which discipline is imposed".
How to use it: Sections 2.5, 2.10, 2.15(b), 2.20 and 2.25 each state that the records they cover are "public records subject to inspection and copying".
Deadlines, fees and limits: Arrest information: "as soon as practical, but in no event later than 72 hours after the arrest, notwithstanding the time limits otherwise provided for in Section 3 of this Act" (2.15(a)). Section 2.15(d): "The provisions of this Section do not supersede the confidentiality provisions for law enforcement or arrest records of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987".
Denials and Request for Review to the Public Access Counselor
A public body denying a request must notify the requester "in writing of the decision to deny the request, the reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis for the application of any exemption claimed, and the names and titles or positions of each person responsible for the denial" (9(a)). Each notice of denial must also inform the requester "of the right to review by the Public Access Counselor and provide the address and phone number for the Public Access Counselor", and of the right to judicial review under Section 11 (9(a)). When a request is denied because the records are exempt under Section 7, the notice "shall specify the exemption claimed to authorize the denial and the specific reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis and a citation to supporting legal authority" (9(b)). Copies of all notices of denial "shall be retained by each public body in a single central office file that is open to the public and indexed according to the type of exemption asserted and, to the extent feasible, according to the types of records requested" (9(b)). A requester "shall be deemed to have exhausted his or her administrative remedies" if the public body fails to act within the time periods in Section 3 (9(c)). A person whose request is denied by a public body, "except the General Assembly and committees, commissions, and agencies thereof", "may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor established in the Office of the Attorney General not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial" (9.5(a)). The request for review "must be in writing, signed by the requester", and must include a copy of the request and any responses from the public body (9.5(a)). A person whose request is made for a commercial purpose as defined in Section 2(c-10) "may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor"; a person whose request was treated as commercial under Section 3.1 may file one "for the limited purpose of reviewing whether the public body properly determined that the request was made for a commercial purpose" (9.5(b)). A person whose request was treated as a voluminous request under Section 3.6 by a public body other than the General Assembly and its committees, commissions, and agencies may file a request for review "for the purpose of reviewing whether the public body properly determined that the request was a voluminous request" (9.5(b-5)). If the Public Access Counselor determines that the alleged violation is unfounded, the Counselor "shall so advise the requester and the public body and no further action shall be undertaken" (9.5(c)). In all other cases, the Public Access Counselor "shall forward a copy of the request for review to the public body within 7 business days after receipt" and specify the records the public body must furnish; "Within 7 business days after receipt of the request for review, the public body shall provide copies of records requested and shall otherwise fully cooperate with the Public Access Counselor" (9.5(c)). The public body "may, but is not required to," answer within 7 business days; the Public Access Counselor "shall forward a copy of the answer to the person submitting the request for review", with alleged confidential information redacted; and the requester "may, but is not required to, respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days and shall provide a copy of the response to the public body" (9.5(d)). Unless the Public Access Counselor extends the time "by no more than 30 business days" by written notice to both parties stating the reasons, or decides to address the matter without a binding opinion, the Attorney General "shall issue to the requester and the public body an opinion in response to the request for review within 60 days after its receipt" (9.5(f)). The opinion "shall be binding upon both the requester and the public body, subject to administrative review under Section 11.5" (9.5(f)). The Attorney General "may exercise his or her discretion and choose to resolve a request for review by mediation or by a means other than the issuance of a binding opinion", and "The decision not to issue a binding opinion shall not be reviewable" (9.5(f)). After a binding opinion finding a violation, the public body "shall either take necessary action immediately to comply with the directive of the opinion or shall initiate administrative review under Section 11.5"; if the opinion finds no violation, "the requester may initiate administrative review under Section 11.5" (9.5(f)).
How to use it: The Attorney General's Public Access Counselor page lists the e-mail address public.access@ilag.gov and the address Office of the Attorney General, 500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701. With the request for review, include "a copy of the request for access to records" and "any responses from the public body" (9.5(a)). The Attorney General's page also links a "FOIA Request for Review Form". If you file suit under Section 11 over the same denial while a request for review is pending, "the requester shall notify the Public Access Counselor, and the Public Access Counselor shall take no further action with respect to the request for review" (9.5(g)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Request for review: "not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial" (9.5(a)). Section 3(d): "Failure to comply with a written request, extend the time for response, or deny a request within 5 business days after its receipt shall be considered a denial of the request". Those time periods "shall not apply to requests for records made for a commercial purpose, requests by a recurrent requester, or voluminous requests" (3(i)). 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 may require the requester to verify orally or in writing that the requester is a person", and "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" (3(j)). If the requester fails to verify "within 30 days after the public body requests such a verification, then the public body may deny the request", and "a public body may not require the requester to submit personal information, private information, or identifying information to verify that the requester is a person" (3(j)). A binding opinion "shall be considered a final decision of an administrative agency, for purposes of administrative review under the Administrative Review Law (735 ILCS 5/Art. III)", and "An action for administrative review of a binding opinion of the Attorney General shall be commenced in Cook or Sangamon County" (11.5).
Lawsuits, attorney fees and penalties
"Any person denied access to inspect or copy any public record by a public body may file suit for injunctive or declaratory relief" (11(a)). Where the denial is from a public body of the State, suit may be filed "in the circuit court for the county where the public body has its principal office or where the person denied access resides" (11(b)); where it is from a municipality or other public body, "in the circuit court for the county where the public body is located" (11(c)). The court "shall consider the matter de novo, and shall conduct such in camera examination of the requested records as it finds appropriate to determine if such records or any part thereof may be withheld under any provision of this Act" (11(f)). The burden "shall be on the public body to establish that its refusal to permit public inspection or copying is in accordance with the provisions of this Act", and "Any public body that asserts that a record is exempt from disclosure has the burden of proving that it is exempt by clear and convincing evidence" (11(f)). On the plaintiff's motion, "the court shall order the public body to provide an index of the records to which access has been denied" (11(e)). "Except as to causes the court considers to be of greater importance", these proceedings "shall take precedence on the docket over all other causes" (11(h)). If the person seeking the record prevails, "the court shall award such person reasonable attorney's fees and costs", considering "the degree to which the relief obtained relates to the relief sought" (11(i)). If the court determines that a public body "willfully and intentionally failed to comply with this Act, or otherwise acted in bad faith", the court "shall also impose upon the public body a civil penalty of not less than $2,500 nor more than $5,000 for each occurrence" (11(j)). In assessing that penalty, the court "shall consider in aggravation or mitigation the budget of the public body and whether the public body has previously been assessed penalties for violations of this Act" (11(j)). The court "may impose an additional penalty of up to $1,000 for each day the violation continues if" the public body fails to comply with the court's order after 30 days, the order is not on appeal or stayed, and the court does not grant the public body additional time to comply (11(j)(1)-(3)). A requester "may file an action to enforce a binding opinion issued under Section 9.5 of this Act" (11(a-5)). Under Section 11.6(a), the requester "may file an action under Section 11 and there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the public body willfully and intentionally failed to comply with this Act for purposes of subsection (j) of Section 11" if the Attorney General issued a binding opinion and the public body neither files for administrative review nor complies "within 35 days after the binding opinion is served on the public body". The public body may rebut the presumption by "showing that it is making a good faith effort to comply with the binding opinion, but compliance was not possible within the 35-day time frame" (11.6(b)).
How to use it: If a request for review is pending when the requester files suit over the same denial, "the requester shall notify the Public Access Counselor, and the Public Access Counselor shall take no further action with respect to the request for review" (9.5(g)). A requester "shall be deemed to have exhausted his or her administrative remedies" if the public body fails to act within the time periods in Section 3 (9(c)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Civil penalty, which the court "shall" impose on a finding of willful and intentional noncompliance or bad faith: "not less than $2,500 nor more than $5,000 for each occurrence" (11(j)). Additional penalty, which the court "may" impose when all three conditions in 11(j)(1)-(3) are met: "up to $1,000 for each day the violation continues" (11(j)). Binding-opinion presumption: 35 days "after the binding opinion is served on the public body" (11.6(a)).
FOIA officer designation and posting duties
"Each public body shall designate one or more officials or employees to act as its Freedom of Information officer or officers" (3.5(a)). "Except in instances when records are furnished immediately", Freedom of Information officers or their designees "shall receive requests submitted to the public body under this Act, ensure that the public body responds to requests in a timely fashion, and issue responses under this Act" (3.5(a)). They "shall develop a list of documents or categories of records that the public body shall immediately disclose upon request" (3.5(a)). Upon receiving a request, the officer "shall" note the date the public body receives the written request, compute the day the response period will expire and note it on the request, keep a copy of the request and all documents submitted with it "until the request has been complied with or denied", and create a file holding the original request, a copy of the response, a record of written communications with the requester, and a copy of other communications (3.5(a)(1)-(4)). All Freedom of Information officers must complete an electronic training curriculum developed by the Public Access Counselor "and thereafter successfully complete an annual training program", and a newly designated officer "shall successfully complete the electronic training curriculum within 30 days after assuming the position" (3.5(b)). "Successful completion of the required training curriculum within the periods provided shall be a prerequisite to continue serving as a Freedom of Information officer" (3.5(b)). Each public body "shall prominently display on its website, make available for inspection and copying, and send through the mail if requested" the two items in Section 4(a) and (b). Item (a) is "A brief description of itself", including a short summary of its purpose, a block diagram of its functional subdivisions, the total amount of its operating budget, the number and location of its separate offices, the approximate number of full and part-time employees, and "the identification and membership of any board, commission, committee, or council which operates in an advisory capacity relative to the operation of the public body, or which exercises control over its policies or procedures, or to which the public body is required to report and be answerable for its operations" (4(a)). Item (b) is "A brief description of the methods whereby the public may request information and public records, a directory designating the Freedom of Information officer or officers, the address where requests for public records should be directed, and any fees allowable under Section 6 of this Act" (4(b)). "If a public body does not maintain a website, it shall also post this information at each of its administrative or regional offices" (4). For public records prepared or received after the Act took effect, each public body "shall maintain and make available for inspection and copying a reasonably current list of all types or categories of records under its control", and "The list shall be reasonably detailed in order to aid persons in obtaining access to public records pursuant to this Act" (5). A public body "is not required to copy a public record that is published on the public body's website", but it "shall notify the requester that the public record is available online and direct the requester to the website where the record can be reasonably accessed" (8.5(a)). If the requester is unable to reasonably access the record online after being directed to the website, "the requester may re-submit his or her request for the record stating his or her inability to reasonably access the record online, and the public body shall make the requested record available for inspection or copying as provided in Section 3 of this Act" (8.5(b)).
How to use it: The directory designating the Freedom of Information officer or officers, and the address where requests should be directed, are among the items Section 4 requires a public body to display on its website or, if it has no website, to post at each of its administrative or regional offices. The Section 5 list of types or categories of records must be available "for inspection and copying".
Deadlines, fees and limits: Training: a new Freedom of Information officer "shall successfully complete the electronic training curriculum within 30 days after assuming the position", and all officers must "successfully complete an annual training program" (3.5(b)).
Illinois Open Meetings Act
Right to attend; closing requires a public vote
All meetings of public bodies "shall be open to the public" unless the subject is one excepted in Section 2(c) and the meeting is closed in accordance with Section 2a (120/2(a)). The exceptions "are to be strictly construed, extending only to subjects clearly within their scope", and they "authorize but do not require the holding of a closed meeting" (120/2(b)). A public body may close a meeting, or a portion of a meeting, "upon a majority vote of a quorum present", taken at a meeting open to the public for which notice has been given as the Act requires (120/2a). Each member's vote on closing, and "a citation to the specific exception contained in Section 2" that authorizes it, "shall be publicly disclosed at the time of the vote and shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the meeting" (120/2a). Only topics specified in the vote to close "may be considered during the closed meeting" (120/2a). No final action may be taken at a closed meeting, and final action "shall be preceded by a public recital of the nature of the matter being considered and other information that will inform the public of the business being conducted" (120/2(e)). Public meetings "shall be held at specified times and places which are convenient and open to the public" (120/2.01). 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" (120/2.01).
How to use it: Check the minutes of the meeting for each member's vote on closing and the exception cited, which "shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the meeting" (120/2a). A person who believes that a public body has violated the Act may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor in the Office of the Attorney General "not later than 60 days after the alleged violation", or within 60 days of a later discovery made with reasonable diligence, not exceeding 2 years after the alleged violation (120/3.5(a)). The request "must be in writing, must be signed by the requester, and must include a summary of the facts supporting the allegation" (120/3.5(a)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: A single vote may cover a series of meetings with closed portions, "provided each meeting in such series involves the same particular matters and is scheduled to be held within no more than 3 months of the vote" (120/2a). At an open meeting for which proper notice has been given, the body may hold a closed meeting under the Act "without additional notice under Section 2.02" (120/2a).
Right to record meetings
Subject to Section 8-701 of the Code of Civil Procedure, "any person may record the proceedings at meetings required to be open by this Act by tape, film or other means" (120/2.05). The authority holding the meeting "shall prescribe reasonable rules to govern the right to make such recordings" (120/2.05). If a witness at a meeting required to be open under the Act, conducted by a commission, administrative agency or other tribunal, refuses to testify on the grounds that he may not be compelled to testify if any portion of his testimony is to be broadcast or televised or if motion pictures are to be taken of him while he is testifying, the authority holding the meeting "shall prohibit such recording during the testimony of the witness" (120/2.05). Section 2.05 is not to be construed "to extend the right to refuse to testify at any meeting not subject to the provisions of Section 8-701 of the Code of Civil Procedure" (120/2.05).
How to use it: Ask the authority holding the meeting for the reasonable rules that Section 2.05 says it "shall prescribe" to govern recording (120/2.05).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Recording is subject to the reasonable rules that the authority holding the meeting "shall prescribe" (120/2.05). During the testimony of a witness who refuses to testify on the grounds set out in Section 2.05, at a meeting conducted by a commission, administrative agency or other tribunal, the authority holding the meeting "shall prohibit such recording" (120/2.05).
Public comment
Any person "shall be permitted an opportunity to address public officials under the rules established and recorded by the public body" (120/2.06(g)).
How to use it: Ask the public body for the rules it has "established and recorded" for addressing public officials (120/2.06(g)). A person who believes that a public body has violated the Act may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor in the Office of the Attorney General (120/3.5(a)). The request "must be in writing, must be signed by the requester, and must include a summary of the facts supporting the allegation" (120/3.5(a)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: The opportunity to speak is governed by the rules the public body has "established and recorded" (120/2.06(g)). A request for review must be filed "not later than 60 days after the alleged violation", or within 60 days of discovery if the facts are discovered later, "not exceeding 2 years after the alleged violation, by a person utilizing reasonable diligence" (120/3.5(a)).
Notice and 48-hour agenda
Every public body "shall give public notice of the schedule of regular meetings at the beginning of each calendar or fiscal year and shall state the regular dates, times, and places of such meetings" (120/2.02(a)). An agenda for each regular meeting "shall be posted at the principal office of the public body and at the location where the meeting is to be held at least 48 hours in advance of the holding of the meeting" (120/2.02(a)). A public body that has a website maintained by its full-time staff "shall also post on its website the agenda of any regular meetings of the governing body of that public body", and that agenda "shall remain posted on the website until the regular meeting is concluded" (120/2.02(a)). The requirement of a regular meeting agenda "shall not preclude the consideration of items not specifically set forth in the agenda" (120/2.02(a)). Any agenda required by Section 2.02 "shall set forth the general subject matter of any resolution or ordinance that will be the subject of final action at the meeting" (120/2.02(c)). Public notice of a special meeting (except one held in the event of a bona fide emergency), a rescheduled regular meeting or a reconvened meeting "shall be given at least 48 hours before such meeting", and the notice shall also include the agenda for that meeting (120/2.02(a)). Notice of a reconvened meeting is not required where the meeting was open to the public and either "it is to be reconvened within 24 hours" or "an announcement of the time and place of the reconvened meeting was made at the original meeting and there is no change in the agenda" (120/2.02(a)). Notice of an emergency meeting "shall be given as soon as practicable, but in any event prior to the holding of such meeting, to any news medium which has filed an annual request for notice" (120/2.02(a)). Public notice "shall be given by posting a copy of the notice at the principal office of the body holding the meeting or, if no such office exists, at the building in which the meeting is to be held" (120/2.02(b)). In addition, a public body that has a website maintained by its full-time staff "shall post notice on its website of all meetings of the governing body of the public body" (120/2.02(b)). The public body "shall ensure that at least one copy of any requested notice and agenda for the meeting is continuously available for public review during the entire 48-hour period preceding the meeting", and posting the notice and agenda on a website it maintains satisfies this requirement (120/2.02(c)).
How to use it: Compare any final action on a resolution or ordinance with the general subject matter that the agenda set forth for it (120/2.02(c)). A person who believes that a public body has violated the Act may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor in the Office of the Attorney General "not later than 60 days after the alleged violation", or within 60 days of a later discovery made with reasonable diligence, not exceeding 2 years after the alleged violation (120/3.5(a)). The request "must be in writing, must be signed by the requester, and must include a summary of the facts supporting the allegation" (120/3.5(a)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Regular meeting agendas must be posted at least 48 hours in advance, and notice of a special meeting not held for a bona fide emergency, a rescheduled regular meeting or a reconvened meeting (unless the reconvened-meeting exceptions apply) must be given at least 48 hours before it (120/2.02(a)). The failure of a public body to post on its website notice of any meeting or the agenda of any meeting "shall not invalidate any meeting or any actions taken at a meeting" (120/2.02(b)). If a notice or agenda is not continuously available for the full 48-hour period "due to actions outside of the control of the public body", that lack of availability does not invalidate any meeting or action taken at a meeting (120/2.02(c)). For a special, rescheduled or reconvened meeting, "the validity of any action taken by the public body which is germane to a subject on the agenda shall not be affected by other errors or omissions in the agenda" (120/2.02(a)).
Minutes; closed-session minutes and verbatim recordings
All public bodies "shall keep written minutes of all their meetings, whether open or closed, and a verbatim record of all their closed meetings in the form of an audio or video recording" (120/2.06(a)). Minutes shall include at least the date, time and place of the meeting; the members recorded as present or absent, and whether they were physically present or present by video or audio conference; and "a summary of discussion on all matters proposed, deliberated, or decided, and a record of any votes taken" (120/2.06(a)). A public body "shall approve the minutes of its open meeting within 30 days after that meeting or at the public body's second subsequent regular meeting, whichever is later" (120/2.06(b)). The minutes of open meetings "shall be available for public inspection within 10 days after the approval of such minutes" (120/2.06(b)). A public body that has a website maintained by its full-time staff shall post the minutes of a regular open meeting of its governing body on the website within 10 days after their approval, and minutes posted there "shall remain posted on the website for at least 60 days after their initial posting" (120/2.06(b)). Each public body "shall periodically meet to review minutes of all closed meetings", every 6 months "or as soon thereafter as is practicable, taking into account the nature and meeting schedule of the public body" (120/2.06(d)). Committees that are ad hoc in nature "shall review closed session minutes at the later of" 6 months from the date of the last review or the committee's next scheduled meeting (120/2.06(d)). At each review the body determines, and reports in an open session, either that the need for confidentiality still exists as to all or part of the minutes, or that the minutes or portions of them "no longer require confidential treatment and are available for public inspection" (120/2.06(d)). Minutes of closed meetings "shall be available only after the public body determines that it is no longer necessary to protect the public interest or the privacy of an individual by keeping them confidential" (120/2.06(f)). Unless the body has determined that the verbatim recording no longer requires confidential treatment or otherwise consents to disclosure, the recording of a closed meeting "shall not be open for public inspection or subject to discovery in any administrative or judicial proceeding other than one brought to enforce this Act" (120/2.06(e)). In a civil action to enforce the Act, the court, if the judge believes it necessary, "must conduct such in camera examination of the verbatim record as it finds appropriate" (120/2.06(e)). The Public Access Counselor "has the same right to examine a verbatim recording of a meeting closed to the public or the minutes of a closed meeting as does a court in a civil action brought to enforce this Act" (120/3.5(b)).
How to use it: The determination made at each closed-minutes review is "reported in an open session" (120/2.06(d)). Each public body "shall make available to any person for inspection or copying all public records, except as otherwise provided in Sections 7 and 8.5" of FOIA (5 ILCS 140/3(a)), and FOIA exempts closed-meeting minutes only "until the public body makes the minutes available to the public under Section 2.06 of the Open Meetings Act" (5 ILCS 140/7(1)(l)). A FOIA request can name the minutes of the open session at which a review was reported and any closed-meeting minutes that the review found to "no longer require confidential treatment" (5 ILCS 140/3(a); 120/2.06(d)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Open-meeting minutes: approval within 30 days or at the second subsequent regular meeting, whichever is later, and public inspection within 10 days after approval (120/2.06(b)). Closed-meeting minutes: review every 6 months, or as soon thereafter as is practicable, and for ad hoc committees at the later of 6 months from the last review or the committee's next scheduled meeting (120/2.06(d)). The verbatim record may be destroyed "no less than 18 months after the completion of the meeting recorded", and only after the body approves the destruction of that recording and approves minutes of the closed meeting that meet the written minutes requirements of Section 2.06(a) (120/2.06(c)).
Closed-session exceptions (selected items of Section 2(c))
Section 2(c) lists the subjects a public body "may hold closed meetings to consider", including the following (120/2(c)). Item (1): the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees, specific volunteers of the public body, legal counsel for the public body, or specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational or educational setting, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against any of them to determine its validity (120/2(c)(1)). Under item (1), "a meeting to consider an increase in compensation to a specific employee of a public body that is subject to the Local Government Wage Increase Transparency Act may not be closed and shall be open to the public" (120/2(c)(1)). Item (2): "Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees" (120/2(c)(2)). Item (3): the selection of a person to fill a public office (which, as defined in Section 2(d), does not include organizational positions filled by members of the body), including a vacancy, "when the public body is given power to appoint under law or ordinance", or the discipline, performance or removal of the occupant of a public office, "when the public body is given power to remove the occupant under law or ordinance" (120/2(c)(3), (d)). Item (5): the purchase or lease of real property "for the use of the public body", including meetings held to discuss whether a particular parcel should be acquired (120/2(c)(5)). Item (6): "The setting of a price for sale or lease of property owned by the public body" (120/2(c)(6)). Item (8): "Security procedures, school building safety and security, and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably potential danger to the safety of employees, students, staff, the public, or public property" (120/2(c)(8)). Item (11): litigation, when an action against, affecting or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal, or when the public body finds that an action is probable or imminent, in which case "the basis for the finding shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the closed meeting" (120/2(c)(11)). Item (12): the establishment of reserves or settlement of claims as provided in the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, "if otherwise the disposition of a claim or potential claim might be prejudiced", or the review or discussion of claims, loss or risk management information, records, data, advice or communications from or with respect to any insurer of the public body or any intergovernmental risk management association or self-insurance pool of which the public body is a member (120/2(c)(12)). Item (21): "Discussion of minutes of meetings lawfully closed under this Act, whether for purposes of approval by the body of the minutes or semi-annual review of the minutes as mandated by Section 2.06" (120/2(c)(21)). Item (29): meetings between internal or external auditors and governmental audit committees, finance committees and their equivalents, when the discussion involves internal control weaknesses, identification of potential fraud risk areas, known or suspected frauds, and fraud interviews conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards of the United States of America (120/2(c)(29)).
How to use it: Each member's vote on closing and "a citation to the specific exception contained in Section 2" that authorizes it "shall be publicly disclosed at the time of the vote" and entered into the minutes (120/2a). Only topics specified in the vote to close "may be considered during the closed meeting" (120/2a). Minutes of closed meetings must include "a summary of discussion on all matters proposed, deliberated, or decided, and a record of any votes taken" (120/2.06(a)). Compare the exception cited with those minutes once the body determines that they "no longer require confidential treatment and are available for public inspection" (120/2.06(d)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: The exceptions "are to be strictly construed, extending only to subjects clearly within their scope", and they "authorize but do not require the holding of a closed meeting" (120/2(b)).
Enforcement: PAC Request for Review, lawsuit, criminal penalty
A person who believes that a public body has violated the Act "may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor established in the Office of the Attorney General not later than 60 days after the alleged violation" (120/3.5(a)). If the facts are not discovered within that period but are discovered later, "not exceeding 2 years after the alleged violation, by a person utilizing reasonable diligence", the request may be made within 60 days of the discovery (120/3.5(a)). The request "must be in writing, must be signed by the requester, and must include a summary of the facts supporting the allegation" (120/3.5(a)). If the Public Access Counselor determines from the request that the alleged violation is unfounded, the counselor "shall so advise the requester and the public body and no further action shall be undertaken" (120/3.5(b)). For its review, the counselor "has the same right to examine a verbatim recording of a meeting closed to the public or the minutes of a closed meeting as does a court in a civil action brought to enforce this Act" (120/3.5(b)). Unless the counselor extends the time by no more than 21 business days, by written notice to the requester and the public body stating the reasons, or decides to address the matter without a binding opinion, the Attorney General "shall issue to the requester and the public body an opinion within 60 days after initiating review" (120/3.5(e)). The opinion "shall be binding upon both the requester and the public body, subject to administrative review under Section 7.5 of this Act" (120/3.5(e)). The Attorney General may instead "choose to resolve a request for review by mediation or by a means other than the issuance of a binding opinion", and the decision not to issue a binding opinion "shall not be reviewable" (120/3.5(e)). Where the Act is not complied with, or there is probable cause to believe it will not be, any person may bring a civil action in the circuit court for the judicial circuit where the alleged noncompliance has occurred or is about to occur, or where the public body has its principal office, "prior to or within 60 days of the meeting alleged to be in violation of this Act" (120/3(a)). If the person timely filed a request for review, the action may be brought "within 60 days of the decision by the Attorney General to resolve a request for review by a means other than the issuance of a binding opinion" (120/3(a)). If the requester files suit on the same alleged violation while the request for review is pending, the requester "shall notify the Public Access Counselor", and the counselor "shall take no further action with respect to the request for review" (120/3.5(f)). Having due regard for orderly administration, the public interest and the interests of the parties, the court may grant relief including mandamus requiring that a meeting be open to the public, an injunction against future violations, an order to make available to the public the portion of the minutes not authorized to be kept confidential, or "declaring null and void any final action taken at a closed meeting in violation of this Act" (120/3(c)). The court may assess reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation costs, reasonably incurred by a party who substantially prevails, against any party except a State's Attorney (120/3(d)). Costs may be assessed against a private party bringing the action "only upon the court's determination that the action is malicious or frivolous in nature" (120/3(d)). Any person violating the Act, except subsections (b) through (f) of Section 1.05, "shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor" (120/4).
How to use it: A requester or a public body "may furnish affidavits and records concerning any matter germane to the review" (120/3.5(d)). If the public body answers, the requester "may, but is not required to, respond in writing to the answer within 7 working days and shall provide a copy of the response to the public body" (120/3.5(c)). The Attorney General's Public Access Counselor page lists the e-mail address public.access@ilag.gov and links an "OMA Request for Review Form".
Deadlines, fees and limits: Request for review: not later than 60 days after the alleged violation, or within 60 days of a later discovery made with reasonable diligence, not exceeding 2 years after the alleged violation (120/3.5(a)). Court action: prior to or within 60 days of the meeting, or, after a timely request for review, within 60 days of the Attorney General's decision to resolve it by a means other than a binding opinion (120/3(a)). Binding opinion: within 60 days after the Attorney General initiates review, unless the Public Access Counselor extends the time by no more than 21 business days by written notice to the requester and the public body that states the reasons (120/3.5(e)).
Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, Art. 4A
Statements of economic interests: who files and public access
Persons listed in Section 4A-101.5 "shall file verified written statements of economic interests with the county clerk" of the county where the principal office of their unit of local government is located (5 ILCS 420/4A-101.5, 4A-106.5). They include persons elected to office in a unit of local government and candidates for nomination or election to that office (4A-101.5(a)). They also include persons appointed to the governing board of a unit of local government or special district, to a zoning board or zoning board of appeals, to a regional, county or municipal plan commission, or to a county board of review, and persons appointed to a local board or commission "who have authority to authorize the expenditure of public funds" (4A-101.5(b)). Subsection (b) "does not apply to members of boards or commissions who function in an advisory capacity" (4A-101.5(b)). Local employees compensated as employees, not as independent contractors, file if they head a department or other administrative unit or exercise similar authority; have direct supervisory authority over, or direct responsibility for, contracts of $1,000 or greater; have authority to approve licenses and permits, other than employees who function in a ministerial capacity; adjudicate, arbitrate or decide, or review, judicial or administrative proceedings; have authority to issue or adopt rules and regulations; or supervise 20 or more employees (4A-101.5(c)). School district employees in positions that require "an administrative or a chief school business official endorsement" also file with the county clerk, as do members of the board of any pension fund established under the Illinois Pension Code who are not required to file under another item of that Section (4A-101.5(d), (e)). Persons listed in Section 4A-101, including members of the General Assembly, holders of elected Executive Branch offices, judges, candidates for those offices, and State employees described in 4A-101(f), "shall file verified written statements of economic interests with the Secretary of State" (4A-101, 4A-106). Except as provided in Section 4A-106.1, a statement must be filed by May 1 each year by each person whose position at that time requires one, unless the person has already filed for the same unit of government that calendar year (4A-105). A candidate for elective office "shall file" no later than the end of the period for taking the action needed to qualify for nomination, election or retention, unless the candidate filed for the same unit of government within the preceding year (4A-105(a)). All statements filed with the Secretary of State or with a county clerk "shall be available for examination and copying by the public at all reasonable times" (4A-106, 4A-106.5). Beginning with statements filed in calendar year 2004, the Secretary of State "shall make statements of economic interests filed with the Secretary available for inspection and copying via the Secretary's website" (4A-106).
How to use it: Statements of local filers are with the county clerk of the county where the unit of local government's principal office is located, and there they "shall be available for examination and copying by the public at all reasonable times" (4A-106.5). Each county clerk compiles an alphabetical listing of persons required to file, marks each filing on it, notes who failed to file by May 1, and within 30 days after the due dates mails a true copy showing who has filed to the State Board of Elections (4A-106.5). For filers with the Secretary of State, the Secretary "shall make" filed statements "available for inspection and copying via the Secretary's website" (4A-106).
Deadlines, fees and limits: If a statement is not filed by May 1, the filing officer "shall, within 7 days after May 1, notify such person by certified mail" (4A-105). Except as may be prescribed by rule of the Secretary of State, the person "shall file" by May 15 with a $15 late filing fee (4A-105). A person who fails to file by May 15 is subject to a penalty of $100 for each day from May 16 to the date of filing, in addition to the $15 fee (4A-105). Failure to file by May 31 "shall result in a forfeiture in accordance with Section 4A-107" (4A-105). A person who takes office or becomes required to file within 30 days before May 1 "may file his or her statement at any time on or before May 31 without penalty"; for that person the $15 fee applies to filing by June 15, the $100 daily penalty runs from June 16, and failure to file by June 30 results in forfeiture under Section 4A-107 (4A-105). Late filing does not result in a fine, ineligibility or forfeiture when the failure comes from not being included for notification and the statement is filed within 30 days of actual notice (4A-105). The filing officer "may, in his or her discretion, waive" the late filing fee, the penalty and the ineligibility or forfeiture when late filing or failure to file is due to serious or catastrophic illness that makes the person temporarily incapable of completing the statement, or to military service (4A-105).
Illinois Election Code
Inspecting nominating petitions
Under Section 7-12, "All nominating petitions shall be available for public inspection and shall be preserved for a period of not less than 6 months" (10 ILCS 5/7-12(12)). Under Section 10-7, "All certificates of nomination and nomination papers when presented or filed shall be open, under proper regulation, to public inspection" (10 ILCS 5/10-7). The State Board of Elections, election authorities and local election officials having charge of nomination papers "shall preserve the same in their respective offices not less than 6 months" (10-7).
How to use it: Ask the office where the petition or nomination papers were filed; the offices having charge of nomination papers keep them "in their respective offices" (10-7). Under Section 7-12, petitions for State, congressional, judicial and multi-county offices are filed with the State Board of Elections (7-12(1)); petitions for county offices and sanitary district trustees, with the county clerk (7-12(2)); and petitions for municipal and township offices, with the local election official, or with a municipal board of election commissioners in the cases 7-12(3) describes, except that petitions for multi-township assessor are filed with the election authority (7-12(3)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Preservation: "not less than 6 months" under both Section 7-12(12) and Section 10-7. Home addresses: since January 1, 2026, after the period for filing objections ends, a candidate who is a "public official" as defined in Section 10 of the Public Official Safety and Privacy Act (10-10.3(a)) may file a written request for redaction of the official's home address from the official's certificate of nomination or nomination papers, and the office where they were filed "shall redact or cause redaction" of it "within 5 business days" (10 ILCS 5/10-10.3(b), added by P.A. 104-443). That definition says "Public official" includes "members or former members of the Illinois General Assembly", "constitutional officers or former constitutional officers", "elected or appointed State's Attorneys", "appointed Public Defenders", and "county clerks and members of a Board of Election Commissioners whose responsibilities include administering and overseeing elections" (Public Official Safety and Privacy Act, Section 10, enacted by P.A. 104-443). Before the objection period ends, the address "shall be available for public inspection"; after redaction, it is available "only for in camera inspection by the court reviewing an objection" (10-10.3(c)).
Illinois Election Code, Art. 9
Campaign disclosure: quarterly reports, $1,000+ contribution reports, and public access
The treasurer of every political committee "shall file with the Board reports of campaign contributions and expenditures" (10 ILCS 5/9-10(a)). Every political committee "shall file quarterly reports" of contributions, expenditures and independent expenditures for January through March, April through June, July through September and October through December, "no later than the 15th day of the month following each period" (9-10(b)). Reports "must be filed to cover the prescribed time periods even though no contributions or expenditures may have been received or made during the period" (9-10(b)). A political committee "shall file a report of any contribution of $1,000 or more electronically with the Board within 5 business days after receipt of the contribution" (9-10(c)). The report is due within 2 business days after receipt if the contribution is received 30 or fewer days before an election and the committee supports or opposes a candidate or public question on that election's ballot, or makes expenditures of more than $500 on behalf of or in opposition to candidates or public questions on that ballot (9-10(c)). The Board "shall allow" committees that are not required to file electronically to file these reports by facsimile, and no report is needed for a contribution "received and returned within the same period it is required to be disclosed on a quarterly report" (9-10(c)). A political committee that makes independent expenditures of $1,000 or more "shall file a report electronically with the Board within 5 business days after making the independent expenditure," or within 2 business days if it is made "during the 60-day period before an election" (9-10(e)). An independent expenditure committee whose independent expenditures "supporting or opposing" one public official or candidate total more than $250,000 for statewide office, or more than $100,000 for any other elective office, during the election cycle "must file a written disclosure with the State Board of Elections within 2 business days after making any expenditure that results in the independent expenditure committee exceeding the applicable threshold" (9-10(e-5)). All statements and reports filed under Article 9 with the Board or a county clerk "shall be available for examination and copying by the public at all reasonable times" (9-17). It is the Board's duty "to promptly make all reports and statements filed under this Article available for public inspection and copying no later than 2 business days after their receipt" and to permit copying "at the expense of the person requesting the copy" (9-15(5)). It is also the Board's duty "to redact the home addresses of all current and past officers of political committees upon the written request of the supported candidate or the current chair of the political committee," and that information "shall be redacted from a filed statement before that statement is provided for public inspection or copying" (9-15(3.5), (5)). Selling or using information copied from these statements and reports "for the purpose of soliciting contributions or for the purpose of business solicitation" is a Class B misdemeanor (9-17).
How to use it: The Board "shall promptly make all reports filed under this Article by all political committees publicly available by means of a searchable database that is accessible on the Board's website" (9-28). To examine or copy a filed statement or report, ask the State Board of Elections; statements and reports "shall be available for examination and copying by the public at all reasonable times" (9-17).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Quarterly reports: no later than the 15th day of the month after each quarter; a report is timely if the Board receives it by 11:59 p.m. on the deadline or it is postmarked no later than 3 days before the deadline (9-10(b)). Contributions of $1,000 or more: 5 business days after receipt, or 2 business days in the cases described in 9-10(c). Independent expenditures of $1,000 or more: 5 business days, or 2 business days during the 60-day period before an election (9-10(e)). Fines: the Board "may assess a civil penalty" for a violation of Section 9-10; a fine "shall not exceed the amount of the contribution" and may be no more than $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second, $2,000 for a third and $3,000 for any later violation (9-10(g)). The Board "shall provide notice of any violation no later than 365 days after the date of the violation" and an opportunity to appeal, and "A committee shall not be fined if notice is not provided as required by this subsection" (9-10(g)). Copies: at the expense of the person requesting the copy (9-15(5)).
Local Records Act
No destruction without Local Records Commission approval
In this Act, "Agency" means "any court, and all parts, boards, departments, bureaus and commissions of any county, municipal corporation or political subdivision," and "Court" means "a court, other than the Supreme Court" (50 ILCS 205/3). Except as otherwise provided in Section 4(b), public records "made or received by, or under the authority of, or coming into the custody, control or possession of any officer or agency shall not be mutilated, destroyed, transferred, removed or otherwise damaged or disposed of, in whole or in part, except as provided by law" (4(a)). Library and museum material kept solely for reference or exhibition, extra copies kept only for convenience of reference, stocks of publications and of processed documents, and junk mail "are not included within the definition of public record" (Section 3). Except as otherwise provided by law, "no public record shall be disposed of by any officer or agency unless the written approval of the appropriate Local Records Commission is first obtained" (Section 7). An agency may dispose of the original of a record reproduced on microfilm or in digitized electronic format if the reproduction meets the conditions in Section 7(i), the reproduction is kept for the prescribed retention period, and the Commission is notified when the original, and later the reproduction, is disposed of (Section 7). The head of each agency "shall submit" to the Commission lists or schedules of public records not needed in current business and without sufficient administrative, legal or fiscal value to keep, and lists or schedules proposing how long each records series should be kept (Section 10). The Commission "shall determine what public records have no administrative, legal, research or historical value and should be destroyed or otherwise disposed of and shall authorize destruction or other disposal thereof," and "No public record shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by any Local Records Commission on its own initiative, nor contrary to law" (Section 10). Section 10 "shall not apply to court records as governed by Section 4" (Section 10). Court records filed with the circuit clerks "shall be destroyed in accordance with the Supreme Court's General Administrative Order on Recordkeeping in the Circuit Courts" (4(a)). The circuit clerks "shall notify the Supreme Court, in writing," of records they intend to destroy, the Supreme Court "shall review the schedule of items to be destroyed and notify the appropriate Local Records Commission," and the Commission "may," within 90 days after that notice, photograph, microphotograph or digitize the records or move the originals to the State Archives or other storage under its supervision (4(a)). A person who "knowingly, without lawful authority and with the intent to defraud any party, public officer, or entity, alters, destroys, defaces, removes, or conceals any public record commits a Class 4 felony" (4(a)).
How to use it: To check a disposal, the documents the Act calls for are the Commission's written approval obtained before disposal (Section 7), the lists or schedules the agency head submits to the Commission (Section 10, which does not apply to court records), and the notice to the Commission when the original of a reproduced record, and later the reproduction, is disposed of (Section 7(iii)). For court records, Section 4(a) requires the circuit clerk's written notice to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court's notice to the Commission.
Deadlines, fees and limits: Retention periods are proposed by each agency head in lists or schedules "proposing the length of time each records series warrants retention for administrative, legal or fiscal purposes after it has been received by the agency" (Section 10). For court records slated for destruction, the Commission may act within 90 days after receipt of the Supreme Court's notice (4(a)).
Federal Freedom of Information Act
Federal agency records: requests, timing, fees, appeals, OGIS
Each agency "shall make the records promptly available to any person" upon a request that "reasonably describes such records" and "is made in accordance with published rules stating the time, place, fees (if any), and procedures to be followed" (5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3)(A)). The request rule does not cover records made available under 552(a)(1) and (a)(2) (552(a)(3)(A)). An agency that is an element of the intelligence community "shall not make any record available under this paragraph" to a government entity other than a State, territory, commonwealth or district of the United States or a subdivision of one, or to a representative of such an entity (552(a)(3)(E)). Each agency "shall" determine within 20 days, excepting Saturdays, Sundays and legal public holidays, after receiving a request whether to comply (552(a)(6)(A)(i)). It "shall immediately notify" the requester of the determination and the reasons, and of the right to seek assistance from the agency's FOIA Public Liaison (552(a)(6)(A)(i)(I)-(II)). For an adverse determination, the notice also covers the right to appeal to the head of the agency and the right to seek dispute resolution services from the FOIA Public Liaison or the Office of Government Information Services (552(a)(6)(A)(i)(III)). The appeal period is "determined by the head of the agency" and is "not less than 90 days after the date of such adverse determination" (552(a)(6)(A)(i)(III)(aa)), and the agency "shall" decide an appeal "within twenty days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the receipt of such appeal" (552(a)(6)(A)(ii)). Agency fee regulations "shall provide" that fees are limited to "reasonable standard charges" for document search, duplication and review "when records are requested for commercial use" (552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(I)). When records are not sought for commercial use and the request is made by "an educational or noncommercial scientific institution, whose purpose is scholarly or scientific research; or a representative of the news media," fees are limited to reasonable standard charges for document duplication (552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II)). For any other request, fees are limited to reasonable standard charges for document search and duplication (552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(III)). Documents "shall be furnished without any charge or at a charge reduced below the fees established under clause (ii) if disclosure of the information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester" (552(a)(4)(A)(iii)). An agency "shall" withhold information only if it "reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by an exemption described in subsection (b)" or "disclosure is prohibited by law" (552(a)(8)(A)(i)). Paragraph (8) does not require disclosure of information "otherwise prohibited from disclosure by law, or otherwise exempted from disclosure under subsection (b)(3)" (552(a)(8)(B)). The section "does not apply to matters that are" in nine categories (552(b)(1)-(9)). Exemptions 1 to 3 cover matters authorized by Executive order criteria to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy that are "in fact properly classified"; matters "related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency"; and matters "specifically exempted from disclosure by statute" where the statute leaves no discretion or sets particular criteria or types of matters and, if enacted after the OPEN FOIA Act of 2009, specifically cites (b)(3) (552(b)(1)-(3)). Exemption 4 covers "trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential" (552(b)(4)). Exemption 5 covers inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters "that would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency," but "the deliberative process privilege shall not apply to records created 25 years or more before the date on which the records were requested" (552(b)(5)). Exemption 6 covers "personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy," and Exemption 7 covers records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes "but only to the extent" that their production meets one of the tests in (b)(7)(A)-(F); four of them, (A), (C), (D) and (F), ask whether production "could reasonably be expected to" cause the harm named (552(b)(6)-(7)). Exemption 8 covers matters "contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports" prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency that regulates or supervises financial institutions, and Exemption 9 covers "geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells" (552(b)(8)-(9)). Any "reasonably segregable portion of a record shall be provided to any person requesting such record after deletion of the portions which are exempt," and the amount deleted and the exemption used "shall be indicated on the released portion of the record" unless that would harm an interest the exemption protects (552(b)). The Office of Government Information Services, within the National Archives and Records Administration, "shall offer mediation services to resolve disputes between persons making requests under this section and administrative agencies as a nonexclusive alternative to litigation" (552(h)(1), (h)(3)). Each agency's Chief FOIA Officer shall "designate 1 or more FOIA Public Liaisons" (552(j)(2)(H)), who "shall be responsible for assisting in reducing delays, increasing transparency and understanding of the status of requests, and assisting in the resolution of disputes" (552(l)).
How to use it: Each agency "shall separately state and currently publish in the Federal Register" the places, employees and methods through which the public may "make submittals or requests" (552(a)(1)(A)). The head of each agency "shall prepare and make available for public inspection in an electronic format, reference material or a guide for requesting records or information from the agency" (552(g)). The Director of the Office of Management and Budget "shall ensure the operation of a consolidated online request portal that allows a member of the public to submit a request for records under subsection (a) to any agency from a single website" (552(m)(1)). A requester "shall be deemed to have exhausted his administrative remedies" if the agency "fails to comply with the applicable time limit provisions of this paragraph" (552(a)(6)(C)(i)). The federal district court where the complainant resides or has a principal place of business, where the records are, or in the District of Columbia "has jurisdiction to enjoin the agency from withholding agency records and to order the production of any agency records improperly withheld from the complainant" (552(a)(4)(B)).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Initial decision: 20 days, excepting Saturdays, Sundays and legal public holidays (552(a)(6)(A)(i)); the period starts when the appropriate component first receives the request, and no later than ten days after any component designated to receive requests first receives it (552(a)(6)(A)). The agency may toll the 20 days once while awaiting information it reasonably requested from the requester, and when necessary to clarify fee issues (552(a)(6)(A)). In "unusual circumstances," as defined in 552(a)(6)(B)(iii), the time limits for a request or an appeal may be extended by written notice, and no notice "shall specify a date that would result in an extension for more than ten working days, except as provided in clause (ii)" (552(a)(6)(B)(i)). Under clause (ii), when a request cannot be processed within the time limit, the agency "shall provide the person an opportunity to limit the scope of the request" or to arrange an alternative time frame, and "shall make available its FOIA Public Liaison, who shall assist in the resolution of any disputes between the requester and the agency" (552(a)(6)(B)(ii)). Appeals: a period set by the head of the agency of not less than 90 days after the adverse determination to file, and 20 days, excepting Saturdays, Sundays and legal public holidays, for the decision (552(a)(6)(A)(i)(III)(aa), (a)(6)(A)(ii)). No fee may be charged for any request described in 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II) or (III), that is, any request except one for commercial use, "for the first two hours of search time or for the first one hundred pages of duplication" (552(a)(4)(A)(iv)(II)). No fee may be charged "if the costs of routine collection and processing of the fee are likely to equal or exceed the amount of the fee" (552(a)(4)(A)(iv)(I)). No agency may require advance payment unless the requester "has previously failed to pay fees in a timely fashion, or the agency has determined that the fee will exceed $250" (552(a)(4)(A)(v)). If the agency fails to comply with any time limit under 552(a)(6), it "shall not assess any search fees" (or, for educational, noncommercial scientific and news-media requesters, duplication fees), except as provided in 552(a)(4)(A)(viii)(II) (552(a)(4)(A)(viii)(I)).
Clerks of Courts Act
Public access to Illinois circuit court records
Under 705 ILCS 105/16, all records, dockets and books the circuit clerks are required by law to keep "shall be deemed public records, and shall at all times be open to inspection without fee or reward." Under the same Section, "all persons shall have free access for inspection and examination" to those records, dockets and books "and also to all papers on file in the different clerks' offices," and "shall have the right to take memoranda and abstracts thereto" (705 ILCS 105/16). The judgment docket, in which final judgments are minuted, "may be searched by persons, at all reasonable times without fee" (705 ILCS 105/16, item 4). Unless otherwise provided by rule or administrative order of the Supreme Court, the clerks "shall keep in their offices" the books Section 16 lists, including a general docket, a judgment docket and a fee book (705 ILCS 105/16). Records kept by the circuit clerks "are subject to the provisions of" the Local Records Act (705 ILCS 105/16). In that Act, "Agency" includes "any court," and "Court" means "a court, other than the Supreme Court" (50 ILCS 205/3). Court records filed with the circuit clerks "shall be destroyed in accordance with the Supreme Court's General Administrative Order on Recordkeeping in the Circuit Courts" (50 ILCS 205/4(a)).
How to use it: Ask the circuit clerk's office: the clerks "shall keep in their offices" the books Section 16 lists, and all persons have free access to them and to "all papers on file in the different clerks' offices" (705 ILCS 105/16).
Deadlines, fees and limits: Inspection is "without fee or reward," and the judgment docket may be searched "at all reasonable times without fee" (705 ILCS 105/16).
Illinois FOIA / OMA – Attorney General PAC
PAC contact and Request for Review submission method
Requests for review under FOIA and the Open Meetings Act are filed with "the Public Access Counselor established in the Office of the Attorney General" (5 ILCS 140/9.5(a); 5 ILCS 120/3.5(a)). The Attorney General's Public Access Counselor page says the Public Access Bureau "can assist in resolving disputes over compliance with FOIA and OMA". Contact details on that page: Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General, 500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701; phone (877) 299-3642; fax (217) 782-1396; e-mail public.access@ilag.gov. The page links the "Public Access Counselor Guide", "Frequently Asked Questions about FOIA", "Frequently Asked Questions about OMA", the "How to Submit a Request for Review Fact Sheet", the "FOIA Request for Review Form", the "OMA Request for Review Form" and a "Sample FOIA Request Form". It states that "a public body may not require a request to be submitted on a standard form"; Section 3(c) of FOIA says "A public body may not require that a request be submitted on a standard form".
How to use it: Under both Acts the request for review must be in writing and signed by the requester; under FOIA it must include "a copy of the request for access to records" and "any responses from the public body" (5 ILCS 140/9.5(a)), and under OMA "a summary of the facts supporting the allegation" (5 ILCS 120/3.5(a)). The Attorney General's "How to Submit a Request for Review" fact sheet says a Request for Review "may be submitted to the PAC by either electronic mail or U.S. Mail" and "does not need to follow any particular format". Send it by e-mail to public.access@ilag.gov or by U.S. Mail to Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General, 500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701.
Deadlines, fees and limits: FOIA: "not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial" (5 ILCS 140/9.5(a)). OMA: "not later than 60 days after the alleged violation"; if facts concerning the violation are not discovered within that period but are discovered later, "not exceeding 2 years after the alleged violation, by a person utilizing reasonable diligence", the request "may be made within 60 days of the discovery of the alleged violation" (5 ILCS 120/3.5(a)).
Notes on this guide (9)
- How the statute text was checked: www.ilga.gov refuses automated requests and directs them to the General Assembly's public file repository (ftp.ilga.gov), whose statute folder is a snapshot dated November 24, 2025. The text in force on October 29, 2026 was therefore rebuilt from that snapshot and the 855 Public Acts of the 104th General Assembly in the repository, 19 of which amend an Act this guide cites. Eighteen sections rebuilt this way were compared word for word with www.ilga.gov in a browser: 17 were identical, and one differed only in how a form table is laid out. Federal FOIA statements come from the official 2024 edition of the United States Code (govinfo.gov); the Office of the Law Revision Counsel's tables list no change to 5 U.S.C. 552 by any law enacted through Public Law 119-136 (October 22, 2026).
- P.A. 104-300 (effective January 1, 2027) adds a new FOIA item 7(1)(a) for certain records "created or compiled by a State public defender agency or commission subject to the State Public Defender Act," and relabels the current 7(1)(a), "Information specifically prohibited from disclosure by federal or State law or rules and regulations implementing federal or State law," as 7(1)(a-5). Citations of 7(1)(a) in this guide refer to the text in force on October 29, 2026. In the pending versions of Section 7 from P.A. 104-300, 104-526 and 104-742, all effective January 1, 2027, no other item of subsection (1) is relabeled; P.A. 104-526 adds item (vv), "Records described in Section 25.1 of the Health Care Violence Prevention Act," and P.A. 104-742 replaces "Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health" with "Department of Human Services" in items (e-5) through (e-10).
- The Attorney General's documents in the forms list are listed by their titles on the Public Access Counselor's "Illinois Residents" page: "Public Access Counselor Guide," "Frequently Asked Questions about FOIA," "Frequently Asked Questions about OMA," "How to Submit a Request for Review Fact Sheet," "FOIA Request for Review Form," "OMA Request for Review Form" and "Sample FOIA Request Form"; their contents are not summarized here. The Public Access Counselor's mailing address, phone, fax and email given for a Request for Review come from the contact block on that page.
- Referendum petitions: this guide does not cover public inspection of local referendum petitions.
- Emails on personal accounts or devices: 5 ILCS 140/2(c) defines "public records" to include "electronic communications" and other materials "pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of any public body." Case law and PAC opinions on officials' personal accounts are not summarized here.
- Court records: under 705 ILCS 105/16, the records, dockets and books the circuit clerks are required by law to keep "shall at all times be open to inspection without fee or reward." Supreme Court rules and orders, and statutes other than those cited, on access to particular court files, such as sealed or impounded files, and on electronic access are not summarized here.
- The federal FOIA statements come from 5 U.S.C. 552 in the United States Code, 2024 Edition, from the U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo.gov); its source credit ends with Pub. L. 114-185 of June 30, 2016. Each agency "shall promulgate regulations" specifying its fee schedule, which "shall conform to the guidelines" issued by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (552(a)(4)(A)(i)). The appeal period is "determined by the head of the agency" and is "not less than 90 days after the date of such adverse determination" (552(a)(6)(A)(i)(III)(aa)).
- Statements of economic interests: statements filed with a county clerk "shall be available for examination and copying by the public at all reasonable times" (5 ILCS 420/4A-106.5), and, beginning with statements filed in calendar year 2004, the Secretary of State "shall make statements of economic interests filed with the Secretary available for inspection and copying via the Secretary's website" (5 ILCS 420/4A-106). Any county clerk's own online posting is not covered here.
- This is a legal-information guide, not legal advice.
Records request templates
General Illinois FOIA request
[Before sending: if you send this request by email, paste the whole request into the body of the email rather than attaching it or linking to it. Under 5 ILCS 140/3(c), electronic requests "must appear in their entirety within the body of the electronic submission," and no public body "shall be required to open electronically attached files or hyperlinks to view or access details of a request." Delete this note before sending.] [Date] Via email: [FOIA officer email] [Name of FOIA Officer], Freedom of Information Officer [Public Body Name] [Address] Re: Request for public records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140 Dear FOIA Officer: Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/3, I request copies of the following public records: 1. [Describe record(s) as specifically as possible: type, subject, author/recipient, department] 2. [Additional item] Time frame: [start date] through [end date]. This request is not for a commercial purpose (5 ILCS 140/2(c-10)). Format: Please provide the records electronically, by email or download link, in [searchable PDF / native format, e.g., .xlsx]. For a record maintained in an electronic format, Section 6(a) provides that the public body "shall furnish it in the electronic format specified by the requester, if feasible," and that it "may charge the requester for the actual cost of purchasing the recording medium." If a request is not a request for a commercial purpose or a voluminous request, Section 6(a) provides that a public body "may not charge the requester for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records." If any part of a record is exempt, please redact only that part and release the rest (5 ILCS 140/7(1)). For anything withheld, please give the exemption claimed and the specific reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis and a citation to supporting legal authority, as 5 ILCS 140/9(b) requires. I look forward to your response within 5 business days after you receive this request, as 5 ILCS 140/3(d) requires unless the time is properly extended under 5 ILCS 140/3(e). If any part of this request is unclear, please contact me. If you believe compliance would be unduly burdensome, 5 ILCS 140/3(g) requires that, before invoking that ground, you give me an opportunity to confer in an attempt to reduce the request to manageable proportions. Thank you, [Your name] [Mailing address] [Phone] [Email]
Contracts and payments to a named vendor
Re: FOIA request – records of contracts and payments to [Vendor Legal Name] (5 ILCS 140) Dear FOIA Officer: Under 5 ILCS 140/3, and noting that records about the obligation, receipt and use of public funds are public records under 5 ILCS 140/2.5, I request: 1. All contracts, agreements, amendments, change orders, renewals and purchase orders between [Public Body] and [Vendor Legal Name] (including d/b/a [other names]) in effect at any time from [start date] to [end date]. 2. A ledger, check register, vendor payment history or accounts-payable report showing every payment to [Vendor] from [start date] to [end date], with date, amount, fund/account and description. An existing electronic report or export is acceptable. 3. The council/board agenda item, staff memo and approving resolution or ordinance for each contract in item 1. 4. The bid tabulation or proposal evaluation for any contract in item 1 that has been awarded. The exemption for proposals and bids in 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(h) applies "until an award or final selection is made." This request is not for a commercial purpose. Please provide records electronically (searchable PDF, or .xlsx/.csv for payment data) under 5 ILCS 140/6(a). If trade-secret material is claimed under 7(1)(g), please redact only that material and release the remainder. Please respond within 5 business days after receipt (5 ILCS 140/3(d)), unless the time is properly extended under 5 ILCS 140/3(e). [Name / contact info]
A named official's emails on a topic (keyword-limited)
Re: FOIA request – email correspondence of [Official Name, Title] regarding [topic] (5 ILCS 140) Dear FOIA Officer: Under 5 ILCS 140/3, I request copies of emails (including attachments) that meet ALL of the following criteria: - Custodian: sent or received by [Official Name] at [official email address(es)], or on any other account [Official Name] used to conduct public business. Under 5 ILCS 140/2(c), public records include electronic communications "pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics," that were "prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of any public body." - Date range: [start date] through [end date]. - Keywords: containing any of the following terms in the subject, body or attachments: "[keyword 1]", "[keyword 2]", "[keyword 3]" [specific terms, project names, addresses or company names]. - [Optional] Correspondents: limited to emails to or from [named person/organization or domain, e.g., @example.com]. I have deliberately limited this request by custodian, date range and keywords so it is manageable. If you still believe it would be unduly burdensome, please give me an opportunity to confer with you before denying it on that ground, as 5 ILCS 140/3(g) requires, and I will work with you to narrow it further. This request is not for a commercial purpose. Please produce the emails electronically (PDF, or .eml/.msg with metadata intact) under 5 ILCS 140/6(a). Private information, such as personal phone numbers or personal email addresses, may be redacted under 7(1)(b), but please release the rest of each record. The disclosure of information that bears on the public duties of public employees and officials "shall not be considered an invasion of personal privacy" (5 ILCS 140/7(1)(c)). [Name / contact info]
Settlement and severance agreements
Re: FOIA request – settlement and severance agreements (5 ILCS 140/2.20) Dear FOIA Officer: Settlement and severance agreements entered into by or on behalf of a public body are public records under 5 ILCS 140/2.20. Under 5 ILCS 140/3, I request: 1. All settlement agreements entered into by or on behalf of [Public Body] (including by its insurer or risk pool) from [start date] to [end date] [optional: concerning claims against the police department / concerning [topic]]. 2. All severance agreements between [Public Body] and any employee or official from [start date] to [end date]. 3. A list or log, if one already exists, of claims or lawsuits settled during that period with amounts paid. If no such list exists, I am not asking you to create one. Under 5 ILCS 140/2.20, "information exempt from disclosure under Section 7 of this Act may be redacted," and under 5 ILCS 140/7(1) the public body "shall make the remaining information available for inspection and copying." Please do not withhold an agreement only because it contains a confidentiality clause. This request is not for a commercial purpose. Electronic copies, please (5 ILCS 140/6(a)). Please respond within 5 business days after receipt (5 ILCS 140/3(d)), unless the time is properly extended under 5 ILCS 140/3(e). [Name / contact info]
Released closed-session minutes and recordings
Re: FOIA request – released closed-session minutes and verbatim recordings (5 ILCS 120/2.06; 5 ILCS 140) Dear FOIA Officer: Under 5 ILCS 140/3, I request: 1. All minutes of closed sessions of the [City Council / Board / Committee name] held from [start date] to [end date] that the body has determined, under its semi-annual review (5 ILCS 120/2.06(d)), no longer require confidential treatment. 2. The open-session minutes, agenda and any resolution or motion from each semi-annual closed-minutes review held from [start date] to [end date], showing which closed minutes were released and which were kept confidential. 3. Any verbatim audio or video recordings of closed sessions held from [start date] to [end date] that the body has determined no longer require confidential treatment or has otherwise consented to disclosure (5 ILCS 120/2.06(e)). 4. Records showing any approval to destroy verbatim recordings of closed sessions during that period (5 ILCS 120/2.06(c)). Closed minutes are exempt under 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(l) only until the body makes them available under OMA Section 2.06. If any closed minutes in item 1 have not yet been reviewed, please tell me the date of the most recent semi-annual review. This request is not for a commercial purpose. Electronic copies, please (5 ILCS 140/6(a)). [Name / contact info]
Police policies and aggregate use-of-force data
Re: FOIA request – police department policies and aggregate use-of-force records (5 ILCS 140) Dear FOIA Officer: Under 5 ILCS 140/3, I request the following records of the [Police Department]: 1. The current general orders, policy manual and directives on: use of force; body-worn cameras; vehicle pursuits; [other topics]. Please include effective dates and any versions in effect since [date]. 2. Any existing annual or periodic reports, statistical summaries, dashboards or data exports summarizing use-of-force incidents from [start date] to [end date] (e.g., counts by type of force, outcome, injury, or district). 3. Any existing use-of-force data the Department has submitted to State or federal data collections for that period. 4. Final outcomes of internal investigations in which discipline was imposed for use-of-force violations during that period. The exemption in 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(n) "shall not extend to the final outcome of cases in which discipline is imposed." I am not seeking the identities of private individuals or juveniles. Please redact private information under 7(1)(b) and juvenile information as required by law, and release the remainder. I am not asking you to create new records. If no aggregate report exists, please tell me which existing records or data fields would show this information. Section 7(1)(d) applies to records "created in the course of administrative enforcement proceedings, and any law enforcement or correctional agency for law enforcement purposes, but only to the extent that disclosure would" have one of the effects listed in items (i) through (vii) of that paragraph. If you withhold any record under Section 7(1)(d), please state which of those effects disclosure would have. This request is not for a commercial purpose. Electronic copies, please (5 ILCS 140/6(a)). [Name / contact info]
TIF and economic-development agreements
Re: FOIA request – TIF and economic development agreements and payments (5 ILCS 140) Dear FOIA Officer: Under 5 ILCS 140/3, and noting that records about the use of public funds are public under 5 ILCS 140/2.5, I request: 1. All redevelopment agreements, economic incentive agreements, sales-tax rebate or sharing agreements, and amendments involving [Developer/Company name] [or: within the [Name] TIF District] in effect at any time from [start date] to [end date]. 2. Records of all payments, reimbursements or rebates made under those agreements from [start date] to [end date] (date, amount, fund). 3. The most recent annual TIF report(s) filed for the [Name] TIF District, and any eligibility study or redevelopment plan for that district. 4. Developer reports, certifications or audits submitted to show compliance with job, investment or other performance requirements in the agreements. If you claim any commercial or financial information is exempt under 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(g), please identify the specific claim of confidentiality and competitive harm, and release the rest. The exemption in 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(h) for "Proposals and bids for any contract, grant, or agreement" applies "until an award or final selection is made." This request is not for a commercial purpose. Electronic copies, please (5 ILCS 140/6(a)). Please respond within 5 business days after receipt (5 ILCS 140/3(d)), unless the time is properly extended under 5 ILCS 140/3(e). [Name / contact info]
Travel and credit-card expenses of an official
Re: FOIA request – travel, reimbursement and credit card records for [Official Name, Title] (5 ILCS 140/2.5) Dear FOIA Officer: Under 5 ILCS 140/3 and 140/2.5 (records of the use of public funds), I request for the period [start date] through [end date]: 1. Monthly statements for any credit, purchasing or procurement card issued by [Public Body] to, or used by, [Official Name]. 2. Receipts, itemized invoices and approval forms supporting those card charges. 3. Travel, meal, lodging and mileage expense reimbursement requests submitted by [Official Name], with receipts and approvals. 4. [If applicable] Any written travel or expense policy and the approvals required for travel by [Official Name] during that period. Card account numbers, security codes and similar account information may be redacted under 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(kk), but please release the remainder of each record, including merchants, dates and amounts. This request is not for a commercial purpose. Electronic copies, please (5 ILCS 140/6(a)). [Name / contact info]
Fee-waiver and electronic-copy paragraph (insert into any Illinois FOIA request)
Format and fees: Please provide all responsive records electronically, by email or download link, in [searchable PDF / native format such as .xlsx, .csv, .msg]. Under 5 ILCS 140/6(a), when a person requests a copy of a record maintained in an electronic format, the public body "shall furnish it in the electronic format specified by the requester, if feasible," and it "may charge the requester for the actual cost of purchasing the recording medium." If a request is not a request for a commercial purpose or a voluminous request, a public body "may not charge the requester for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records" (5 ILCS 140/6(a)). Except to the extent that the General Assembly expressly provides, statutory fees for paper copies "shall not be applicable to those records when furnished in an electronic format" (5 ILCS 140/6(a)). If paper copies are necessary, the first 50 black-and-white letter or legal pages are free, and later pages may not exceed $0.15 each (5 ILCS 140/6(b)). Fee waiver: I also request a waiver or reduction of any fees under 5 ILCS 140/6(c). The specific purpose of this request is [e.g., to review and publish information about how [Public Body] spends public money on [topic] for residents of [community]]. A waiver or reduction of the fee is in the public interest because the principal purpose of this request is to access and disseminate information regarding the health, safety and welfare or the legal rights of the general public, and it is not for the principal purpose of personal or commercial benefit. I intend to share what I learn publicly through [website/newsletter/public meeting comment/etc.]. If you expect any fees above $[amount], please notify me before incurring them.
Federal FOIA request (5 U.S.C. 552)
[Date] Via [agency FOIA portal / email / mail] FOIA Officer [Agency and Component Name] [Address] Re: Freedom of Information Act Request, 5 U.S.C. 552 Dear FOIA Officer: Under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3), I request copies of the following agency records: [Describe records specifically: subject, program/grant number, office, correspondents, document types] Date range: [start date] to [end date]. [Optional search terms: "[term 1]", "[term 2]"] Fee category: This request is not for commercial use. It is a request described in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(III), for which fees "shall be limited to reasonable standard charges for document search and duplication" [or: I am a representative of the news media / an educational or noncommercial scientific institution whose purpose is scholarly or scientific research, under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(ii)(II), for which fees "shall be limited to reasonable standard charges for document duplication"]. Under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(iv)(II), no fee may be charged for such a request for the first two hours of search time or for the first one hundred pages of duplication. I agree to pay fees up to $[amount]; please notify me before exceeding that amount. Fee waiver: I request a fee waiver under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A)(iii). Disclosure of the information is in the public interest because it is "likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government," namely [explain], and it is not primarily in my commercial interest. I plan to share the information through [explain]. Format: Please provide records electronically in [PDF / native format], as the agency must provide records in any form or format requested if readily reproducible (5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3)(B)). If any material is withheld, please cite the specific exemption for each withholding and release all reasonably segregable non-exempt portions (5 U.S.C. 552(b)). Please also tell me of my right to appeal and of my right to seek assistance and dispute resolution services from the FOIA Public Liaison and the Office of Government Information Services (5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(A)(i)). I look forward to a determination within 20 days (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after receipt of this request (5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(A)(i)), unless the time is extended by written notice in unusual circumstances under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B). Sincerely, [Name] [Mailing address] [Phone / Email]
Source library
City of Aurora (9)
- APD Office of Professional Standards complaint data
- Aurora Legistar (InSite) calendar, legislation and committees
- City of Aurora GIS ArcGIS REST services
- City of Aurora Open Data Portal (ArcGIS Hub)
- Ethics in Aurora (HR page) and DuPage County Ethics Commission
- Legistar Calendar RSS feed
- Legistar Committees / Departments roster
- Legistar Web API, aurora-il client
- Municipal Officers Electoral Board, Case 26-MOEB-01 Findings and Decision (PDF)
Courts & elections (16)
- DuPage Circuit Clerk – public terminals
- DuPage County Clerk – Elections
- Illinois Secretary of State – Economic Interest search
- Illinois State Board of Elections
- Illinois Supreme and Appellate Court opinions
- Kane County Circuit Clerk – online court records (Odyssey)
- Kane County Clerk – Elections
- Kane County election results
- Kane County – Statements of Economic Interests search
- Will County Clerk – Election results
- Will County – Statements of Economic Interests
- CourtListener (Free Law Project) + API
- DuPage CRIS online case system
- re:SearchIL – statewide court records
- Kane County voter file
- PACER – federal court records
DuPage County (38)
- DuPage County Auditor – Checkbook (county expenditures)
- DuPage County Auditor – Internal Audit Reports
- DuPage County Auditor – Reports & Resources
- DuPage County Bid Opportunities
- DuPage County Board & Committee Meeting Videos
- DuPage County Board (Chair & members) home page
- DuPage County Board Legistar Web API (bodies)
- DuPage County Board of Review
- DuPage County Clerk – Economic Interests information page
- DuPage County Clerk – Statements of Economic Interests public search
- DuPage County Clerk – historical Collector's Books (tax history)
- DuPage County Ethics Ordinance, Investigator General & Ethics Commission
- DuPage County FY2027 Budget (OpenGov Stories)
- DuPage County Finance – Audited Financial Reports (ACFR)
- DuPage County Finance – Budget Reports
- DuPage County GIS Open Data (ArcGIS Hub)
- DuPage County GIS department
- DuPage County Procurement Division
- DuPage County Property Records Search
- DuPage County Recorder – Search Records Online
- DuPage County Sheriff's Office
- DuPage County State's Attorney
- DuPage County Supervisor of Assessments
- DuPage County Treasurer
- DuPage Recorder Online Docs (search portal)
- DuPage Regional Office of Education (ROE 19)
- DuPage Sheriff Police Transparency Hub (ArcGIS)
- Forest Preserve District of DuPage County – Board Meetings
- Forest Preserve District of DuPage – Budgets and Financial Reports
- Forest Preserve District of DuPage – Transparency Portal / contracts
- Naperville Township – Document Search (Clerk)
- Winfield Township – 2026 Board Meetings
- DuPage County Department FOIA Contacts and Record Types
- DuPage County FOIA (JustFOIA portal + rules)
- DuPage County JustFOIA public portal (new request)
- Forest Preserve District of DuPage – FOIA Center
- Naperville Township – FOIA
- Winfield Township – FOIA Information
Federal (as relates to Illinois) (42)
- Census Data API (dataset discovery)
- EPA ECHO (Enforcement and Compliance History Online)
- EPA ECHO: Facility Search
- FEC: 2026 U.S. House, Illinois District 11
- FEC: 2026 U.S. Senate, Illinois
- FEC: Campaign finance data
- Federal Register
- Federal Register API
- GovInfo
- Grants.gov: Search Grants
- HUD CPD Maps
- HUD: Community Development Block Grant program
- House Clerk: Financial Disclosure Reports and PTRs
- House Clerk: Legacy lobbying XML download (disclosurespreview)
- House Clerk: Lobbying Disclosure site
- House Clerk: Roll Call Votes
- House Committee on Ethics
- House.gov: Find Your Representative (ZIP lookup)
- LDA.gov REST API
- LDA.gov: Lobbying Disclosure search (LD-1, LD-2, LD-203)
- OSHA: Establishment Search (inspections and citations)
- Oversight.gov (Inspectors General reports)
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (web search)
- Regulations.gov
- Rep. Bill Foster (IL-11) official site
- Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) official site
- SAM.gov (contract opportunities, entity registrations, exclusions)
- Senate Ethics Committee: Financial disclosure guidance
- Senate eFD: Financial Disclosures and PTRs
- Senate: Illinois in the Senate
- Senate: Senators contact list (XML roster)
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois
- USAspending API
- USAspending.gov
- USAspending: Recipient profiles
- data.census.gov: Aurora city, Illinois profile
- Congress.gov API
- api.data.gov API key sign-up
- EOUSA Public Access Link (online FOIA portal)
- FOIA.gov (National FOIA portal)
- FOIA.gov: Identify an agency to request from
- U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA): Making a FOIA request
Kane County (35)
- Forest Preserve Commission agendas/minutes/livestream
- Forest Preserve District of Kane County: Governance & meetings
- Forest Preserve District: Bids & Proposals (incl. abstracts)
- Kane County ACFR document library
- Kane County Auditor home (links to Checkbook, Payroll, P-card, ARPA)
- Kane County Auditor reports
- Kane County Board Chair profile page
- Kane County Board: Legistar agenda-item / legislation search
- Kane County Budget summary page
- Kane County Checkbook (vendor payments, Socrata)
- Kane County Connects (official county news)
- Kane County DOT: Purchasing & Bids
- Kane County FY2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (PDF)
- Kane County Finance Department (budgets, ACFR, levy)
- Kane County GIS open data hub (KaneGISData)
- Kane County GIS-Technologies Department
- Kane County Open Finance dashboard (Socrata)
- Kane County Open Payroll (Socrata)
- Kane County P-Card spending (Socrata)
- Kane County Purchasing Department
- Kane County Recorder
- Kane County Recorder Land Records Search
- Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE 31)
- Kane County Sheriff's Office
- Kane County State's Attorney: Annual Report page
- Kane County Treasurer
- Kane County bids on BidNet Direct (Illinois Purchasing Group)
- Forest Preserve District: FOIA request form
- Kane County Government FOIA policy page
- Kane County NextRequest FOIA portal
- Kane County Recorder: FOIA
- Kane County Sheriff: FOIA
- Kane County State's Attorney: FOIA page
- Kane County Supervisor of Assessments / Board of Review: FOIA policy
- Kane ROE: FOIA
Money, ethics & contracts (11)
- Attorney General charitable organization search
- Comptroller Local Government Warehouse
- Comptroller public payments search
- ISBE Campaign Disclosure – Committee Search
- ISBE bulk campaign data files
- Illinois Dept. of Revenue – local tax disbursements
- Illinois Sunshine
- Kane County Supervisor of Assessments
- Kane County property tax inquiry
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer + API
- OpenFEC API (federal campaign money)
Neighboring cities (36)
- Bolingbrook: Agendas and Minutes
- Bolingbrook: BCTV online meeting video (Cablecast)
- Bolingbrook: Website Transparency Policy (index to budget, audits, checkbook, contracts)
- Elgin: Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)
- Elgin: Archive Center (council & COW agendas, minutes, released exec-session minutes)
- Elgin: Budget and Financial Information
- Elgin: Transparency page (budget, awarded bids, compensation, ethics)
- Elgin: Video Center – City Council meetings
- Geneva: Accounts Payable Invoice Reports (city bill payments)
- Geneva: Agenda Center (agendas, minutes, video)
- Geneva: Budget / Financial Reports / Strategic Plan
- Geneva: Government Transparency (budgets, audits, bill payments, comp)
- Joliet: City Council agendas, packets & minutes (Legistar)
- Montgomery: Agenda Center (agendas, minutes, media)
- Montgomery: Budget
- Naperville: Budget & Financial Reports
- Naperville: City Council agendas, minutes & video (Legistar)
- Naperville: Open Checkbook (Open Data portal)
- North Aurora: Budgets (Finance)
- North Aurora: Meetings (agendas, packets, minutes, videos)
- Oswego: Open Finance portal (Socrata)
- Sugar Grove: Finance Department
- Sugar Grove: Minutes and Agendas (eGovLink)
- Yorkville: Agendas, Minutes & Packets
- Yorkville: Annual Fiscal Year Audit & Budget
- Yorkville: Laserfiche portal (prior years' agendas/minutes/packets)
- Bolingbrook: FOIA request portal (GovQA)
- Elgin: FOIA (NextRequest portal)
- Geneva: Freedom of Information Requests
- Montgomery: Clerk's Office – FOIA
- Naperville: FOIA Request
- North Aurora: FOIA
- Oswego: FOIA public portal (JustFOIA)
- Plainfield: FOIA requests (NextRequest)
- Sugar Grove: Freedom of Information Request (non-police)
- Yorkville: Freedom of Information Act
News, alerts & civic groups (21)
- ABC7 Chicago - Aurora tag
- Ballotpedia - Aurora, Illinois
- Better Government Association (BGA OpenGov)
- CBS News Chicago - Aurora tag
- Capitol News Illinois
- Citizen Advocacy Center (Elmhurst)
- City Bureau Documenters Network
- Illinois Answers Project (BGA)
- NBC 5 Chicago - Aurora tag
- Patch Aurora
- Periódico La Prensa - Aurora section
- Reflejos
- The Voice (Aurora)
- VOTE411 (League of Women Voters)
- WBEZ / Chicago Sun-Times
- WSPY News
- City of Aurora on X (@CityofAuroraIL)
- Google Civic Information API
- Open States API v3 (Plural)
- Aurora Beacon-News (Chicago Tribune)
- Shaw Local
Schools, parks, township & counties (20)
- Attorney General – Public Access Counselor opinions
- Aurora Civic Center Authority (Paramount) – Public info
- Aurora Public Library District – Board of Trustees
- Aurora Public Library District – Transparency
- Aurora Township Assessor
- Aurora Township – Agendas & Minutes
- DuPage County Board – Legistar
- East Aurora SD 131 – Board meetings page and YouTube
- East Aurora SD 131 – BoardBook (agendas, packets, minutes)
- Fox Metro Water Reclamation District – Board
- Fox Valley Park District – Board of Commissioners
- Indian Prairie SD 204 – Board of Education site
- Indian Prairie SD 204 – Diligent Community documents portal
- Kane County Board – Legistar
- Naperville Township
- Oswego CUSD 308 – BoardDocs
- Waubonsee Community College – Board of Trustees
- West Aurora SD 129 – Diligent Community board portal
- Will County Board – OneMeeting agenda portal
- Will County Clerk – County Board minutes
State of Illinois (55)
- ACLU of Illinois: Illinois Witness Slip FAQ
- Attorney General: Public Access Counselor (Request for Review, binding opinions)
- Auditor General: site search
- Chief Procurement Office (General Services)
- Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability (COGFA)
- Comptroller: Data Sets & Portals hub (expenditures, revenues, bond debt, fund search)
- Comptroller: OpenBook (state contracts × campaign contributions)
- Comptroller: State Contracts database / Contract Lookup
- Comptroller: State Employee Salary Database
- Dept. of Revenue: General Property Tax Information (PTELL, equalization, Tax Code)
- Dept. of Revenue: Property Tax Statistics
- Executive Ethics Commission: Ethics Act decisions
- Governor's Office of Management & Budget: State budget portal
- Governor: Executive & Administrative Orders
- ICC: Commission meetings & webcast
- ILGA: Bill Status page (Actions, Votes/roll calls, Witness Slips tabs)
- ILGA: Find My Legislator (address lookup)
- ILGA: House Committees & hearing schedules
- ILGA: House Live Audio & Video
- ILGA: House Members directory
- ILGA: House remote committee hearing / testimony process (PDF)
- ILGA: Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) by chapter
- ILGA: Senate Committees & hearing schedules
- ILGA: Senate Live Audio & Video
- ILGA: Senate Members directory
- ILGA: Senate remote legislative hearing process, 104th GA (PDF)
- IPCB: Board meeting recordings & minutes
- ISBE: Illinois Report Card information page
- Illinois Answers Project (BGA): Database archive
- Illinois Answers: Pensions Database (archived)
- Illinois Auditor General: Audit reports
- Illinois BidBuy (state eProcurement)
- Illinois Commerce Commission: e-Docket search
- Illinois General Assembly: Bills & Resolutions search (104th GA)
- Illinois Pollution Control Board: Clerk's Office On-Line (COOL) case search
- Illinois State Treasurer
- JCAR: Illinois Administrative Code (unofficial, weekly-updated)
- Legislative Ethics Commission: LIG Founded Reports
- Legislative Inspector General (LIG)
- Office of Executive Inspector General: Founded investigative reports
- Reform for Illinois: Illinois Sunshine committee pages
- Treasurer: I-Cash unclaimed property search
- data.illinois.gov: Illinois Open Data portal
- my.ilga.gov: ILGA Dashboard (witness slip accounts)
- Attorney General: FOIA for OAG records (Public Records Center)
- Comptroller: Record Requests & FOIA
- Dept. of Revenue: FOIA
- Executive Ethics Commission: FOIA
- Governor's Office: FOIA
- ICC: FOIA
- IPCB: FOIA
- Illinois State Police: FOIA
- OEIG: FOIA
- State of Illinois: FOIA Contacts for all executive agencies
- Treasurer: FOIA
Will & Kendall counties (37)
- Kendall County: Forest Preserve District
- Kendall County: GIS Viewer
- Kendall County: Grundy/Kendall Regional Office of Education #24
- Kendall County: Open GeoData
- Kendall County: Property tax inquiry (DEVNET wEdge)
- Will County: 2026 awarded bids
- Will County: Adopted budgets FY2024–FY2026 (County Board)
- Will County: Auditor
- Will County: Auditor Open Gov Center (revenue, budget, spending, payroll dashboards)
- Will County: Auditor annual audit plan and reports
- Will County: Auditor financial & statistical reports (CAFR, XBRL)
- Will County: Budget & Finance Department (budgets, ACFRs, single audits)
- Will County: Budget & Finance reports archive
- Will County: County Board and committee meetings (watch live)
- Will County: County Board website
- Will County: County Executive office (willcounty.gov)
- Will County: County Executive press releases
- Will County: Fidlar AVA public land-records search
- Will County: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners
- Will County: Forest Preserve meeting schedule with recordings
- Will County: GIS Data Viewer
- Will County: GIS open data (vector downloads)
- Will County: Purchasing (bids via DemandStar, vendor ownership list)
- Will County: Real estate tax inquiry by PIN
- Will County: Recorder of Deeds
- Will County: Regional Office of Education #56
- Will County: Sheriff's Office
- Will County: Supervisor of Assessments
- Will County: Treasurer
- Will County: Vendor payments checkbook
- Kendall County: Public Records Center (GovQA FOIA portal)
- Will County: County Board FOIA
- Will County: FOIA page, officers by department and e-FOIA form
- Will County: Forest Preserve District FOIA (online form)
- Will County: Sheriff FOIA
- Will County: State's Attorney FOIA
- Will County: Recorder ways to search (AVA, Laredo, Tapestry)