Illinois open meeting act

Public Act 0311 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 Public Act 103-0311  
HB2447 EnrolledLRB103 30299 DTM 56727 b
AN ACT concerning State government. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: Section 5. The Open Meetings Act is amended by changing Section 2 and 7 as follows: (5 ILCS 120/2) (from Ch. 102, par. 42) Sec. 2. Open meetings. (a) Openness required. All meetings of public bodies shall be open to the public unless excepted in subsection (c) and closed in accordance with Section 2a. (b) Construction of exceptions. The exceptions contained in subsection (c) are in derogation of the requirement that public bodies meet in the open, and therefore, the exceptions are to be strictly construed, extending only to subjects clearly within their scope. The exceptions authorize but do not require the holding of a closed meeting to discuss a subject included within an enumerated exception. (c) Exceptions. A public body may hold closed meetings to consider the following subjects: (1) The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees, specific individuals who serve as independent contractors in a park, recreational, or educational
setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or
legal counsel for the public body, including hearing
testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a
specific individual who serves as an independent
contractor in a park, recreational, or educational
setting, or a volunteer of the public body or against
legal counsel for the public body to determine its
validity. However, 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 and posted and held in accordance with this Act.
(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.
(3) The selection of a person to fill a public office,
as defined in this Act, including a vacancy in a public
office, 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.
(4) Evidence or testimony presented in open hearing,
or in closed hearing where specifically authorized by law,
to a quasi-adjudicative body, as defined in this Act,
provided that the body prepares and makes available for
public inspection a written decision setting forth its
determinative reasoning.
(4.5) Evidence or testimony presented to a school
board regarding denial of admission to school events or
property pursuant to Section 24-24 of the School Code,
provided that the school board prepares and makes
available for public inspection a written decision setting
forth its determinative reasoning.
(5) The purchase or lease of real property for the use
of the public body, including meetings held for the
purpose of discussing whether a particular parcel should
be acquired.
(6) The setting of a price for sale or lease of
property owned by the public body.
(7) The sale or purchase of securities, investments,
or investment contracts. This exception shall not apply to
the investment of assets or income of funds deposited into
the Illinois Prepaid Tuition Trust Fund.
(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.
(9) Student disciplinary cases.
(10) The placement of individual students in special
education programs and other matters relating to
individual students.
(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.
(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.
(13) Conciliation of complaints of discrimination in
the sale or rental of housing, when closed meetings are
authorized by the law or ordinance prescribing fair
housing practices and creating a commission or
administrative agency for their enforcement.
(14) Informant sources, the hiring or assignment of
undercover personnel or equipment, or ongoing, prior or
future criminal investigations, when discussed by a public
body with criminal investigatory responsibilities.
(15) Professional ethics or performance when
considered by an advisory body appointed to advise a
licensing or regulatory agency on matters germane to the
advisory body's field of competence.
(16) Self evaluation, practices and procedures or
professional ethics, when meeting with a representative of
a statewide association of which the public body is a
member.
(17) The recruitment, credentialing, discipline or
formal peer review of physicians or other health care
professionals, or for the discussion of matters protected
under the federal Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
Act of 2005, and the regulations promulgated thereunder,
including 42 C.F.R. Part 3 (73 FR 70732), or the federal
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
1996, and the regulations promulgated thereunder,
including 45 C.F.R. Parts 160, 162, and 164, by a
hospital, or other institution providing medical care,
that is operated by the public body.
(18) Deliberations for decisions of the Prisoner
Review Board.
(19) Review or discussion of applications received
under the Experimental Organ Transplantation Procedures
Act.
(20) The classification and discussion of matters
classified as confidential or continued confidential by
the State Government Suggestion Award Board.
(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.
(22) Deliberations for decisions of the State
Emergency Medical Services Disciplinary Review Board.
(23) The operation by a municipality of a municipal
utility or the operation of a municipal power agency or
municipal natural gas agency when the discussion involves
(i) contracts relating to the purchase, sale, or delivery
of electricity or natural gas or (ii) the results or
conclusions of load forecast studies.
(24) Meetings of a residential health care facility
resident sexual assault and death review team or the
Executive Council under the Abuse Prevention Review Team
Act.
(25) Meetings of an independent team of experts under
Brian's Law.
(26) Meetings of a mortality review team appointed
under the Department of Juvenile Justice Mortality Review
Team Act.
(27) (Blank).
(28) Correspondence and records (i) that may not be
disclosed under Section 11-9 of the Illinois Public Aid
Code or (ii) that pertain to appeals under Section 11-8 of
the Illinois Public Aid Code.
(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.
(30) Those meetings or portions of meetings of a
fatality review team or the Illinois Fatality Review Team
Advisory Council during which a review of the death of an
eligible adult in which abuse or neglect is suspected,
alleged, or substantiated is conducted pursuant to Section
15 of the Adult Protective Services Act.
(31) Meetings and deliberations for decisions of the
Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board under the Firearm
Concealed Carry Act.
(32) Meetings between the Regional Transportation
Authority Board and its Service Boards when the discussion
involves review by the Regional Transportation Authority
Board of employment contracts under Section 28d of the
Metropolitan Transit Authority Act and Sections 3A.18 and
3B.26 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act.
(33) Those meetings or portions of meetings of the
advisory committee and peer review subcommittee created
under Section 320 of the Illinois Controlled Substances
Act during which specific controlled substance prescriber,
dispenser, or patient information is discussed.
(34) Meetings of the Tax Increment Financing Reform
Task Force under Section 2505-800 of the Department of
Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
(35) Meetings of the group established to discuss
Medicaid capitation rates under Section 5-30.8 of the
Illinois Public Aid Code.
(36) Those deliberations or portions of deliberations
for decisions of the Illinois Gaming Board in which there
is discussed any of the following: (i) personal,
commercial, financial, or other information obtained from
any source that is privileged, proprietary, confidential,
or a trade secret; or (ii) information specifically
exempted from the disclosure by federal or State law.
(37) Deliberations for decisions of the Illinois Law
Enforcement Training Standards Board, the Certification
Review Panel, and the Illinois State Police Merit Board
regarding certification and decertification.
(38) Meetings of the Ad Hoc Statewide Domestic
Violence Fatality Review Committee of the Illinois
Criminal Justice Information Authority Board that occur in
closed executive session under subsection (d) of Section
35 of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act.
(39) Meetings of the regional review teams under
subsection (a) of Section 75 of the Domestic Violence
Fatality Review Act.
(40) Meetings of the Firearm Owner's Identification
Card Review Board under Section 10 of the Firearm Owners
Identification Card Act.
(d) Definitions. For purposes of this Section:
"Employee" means a person employed by a public body whose
relationship with the public body constitutes an
employer-employee relationship under the usual common law
rules, and who is not an independent contractor.
"Public office" means a position created by or under the
Constitution or laws of this State, the occupant of which is
charged with the exercise of some portion of the sovereign
power of this State. The term "public office" shall include
members of the public body, but it shall not include
organizational positions filled by members thereof, whether
established by law or by a public body itself, that exist to
assist the body in the conduct of its business.
"Quasi-adjudicative body" means an administrative body
charged by law or ordinance with the responsibility to conduct
hearings, receive evidence or testimony and make
determinations based thereon, but does not include local
electoral boards when such bodies are considering petition
challenges.
(e) Final action. No final action may be taken at a closed
meeting. 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.
(Source: P.A. 101-31, eff. 6-28-19; 101-459, eff. 8-23-19;
101-652, eff. 1-1-22; 102-237, eff. 1-1-22; 102-520, eff.
8-20-21; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)
(5 ILCS 120/7)
Sec. 7. Attendance by a means other than physical
presence.
(a) If a quorum of the members of the public body is
physically present as required by Section 2.01, a majority of
the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the
meeting by other means if the member is prevented from
physically attending because of: (i) personal illness or
disability; (ii) employment purposes or the business of the
public body; or (iii) a family or other emergency; or (iv)
unexpected childcare obligations. "Other means" is by video or
audio conference.
(b) If a member wishes to attend a meeting by other means,
the member must notify the recording secretary or clerk of the
public body before the meeting unless advance notice is
impractical.
(c) A majority of the public body may allow a member to
attend a meeting by other means only in accordance with and to
the extent allowed by rules adopted by the public body. The
rules must conform to the requirements and restrictions of
this Section, may further limit the extent to which attendance
by other means is allowed, and may provide for the giving of
additional notice to the public or further facilitate public
access to meetings.
(d) The limitations of this Section shall not apply to (i)
closed meetings of (A) public bodies with statewide
jurisdiction, (B) Illinois library systems with jurisdiction
over a specific geographic area of more than 4,500 square
miles, (C) municipal transit districts with jurisdiction over
a specific geographic area of more than 4,500 square miles, or
(D) local workforce innovation areas with jurisdiction over a
specific geographic area of more than 4,500 square miles or
(ii) open or closed meetings of State advisory boards or
bodies that do not have authority to make binding
recommendations or determinations or to take any other
substantive action. State advisory boards or bodies, public
bodies with statewide jurisdiction, Illinois library systems
with jurisdiction over a specific geographic area of more than
4,500 square miles, municipal transit districts with
jurisdiction over a specific geographic area of more than
4,500 square miles, and local workforce investment areas with
jurisdiction over a specific geographic area of more than
4,500 square miles, however, may permit members to attend
meetings by other means only in accordance with and to the
extent allowed by specific procedural rules adopted by the
body. For the purposes of this Section, "local workforce
innovation area" means any local workforce innovation area or
areas designated by the Governor pursuant to the federal
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act or its reauthorizing
legislation.
(e) Subject to the requirements of Section 2.06 but
notwithstanding any other provision of law, an open or closed
meeting subject to this Act may be conducted by audio or video
conference, without the physical presence of a quorum of the
members, so long as the following conditions are met:
(1) the Governor or the Director of the Illinois
Department of Public Health has issued a disaster
declaration related to public health concerns because of a
disaster as defined in Section 4 of the Illinois Emergency
Management Agency Act, and all or part of the jurisdiction
of the public body is covered by the disaster area;
(2) the head of the public body as defined in
subsection (e) of Section 2 of the Freedom of Information
Act determines that an in-person meeting or a meeting
conducted under this Act is not practical or prudent
because of a disaster;
(3) all members of the body participating in the
meeting, wherever their physical location, shall be
verified and can hear one another and can hear all
discussion and testimony;
(4) for open meetings, members of the public present
at the regular meeting location of the body can hear all
discussion and testimony and all votes of the members of
the body, unless attendance at the regular meeting
location is not feasible due to the disaster, including
the issued disaster declaration, in which case the public
body must make alternative arrangements and provide notice
pursuant to this Section of such alternative arrangements
in a manner to allow any interested member of the public
access to contemporaneously hear all discussion,
testimony, and roll call votes, such as by offering a
telephone number or a web-based link;
(5) at least one member of the body, chief legal
counsel, or chief administrative officer is physically
present at the regular meeting location, unless unfeasible
due to the disaster, including the issued disaster
declaration; and
(6) all votes are conducted by roll call, so each
member's vote on each issue can be identified and
recorded.
(7) Except in the event of a bona fide emergency, 48
hours' notice shall be given of a meeting to be held
pursuant to this Section. Notice shall be given to all
members of the public body, shall be posted on the website
of the public body, and shall also be provided to any news
media who has requested notice of meetings pursuant to
subsection (a) of Section 2.02 of this Act. If the public
body declares a bona fide emergency:
(A) Notice shall be given pursuant to subsection
(a) of Section 2.02 of this Act, and the presiding
officer shall state the nature of the emergency at the
beginning of the meeting.
(B) The public body must comply with the verbatim
recording requirements set forth in Section 2.06 of
this Act.
(8) Each member of the body participating in a meeting
by audio or video conference for a meeting held pursuant
to this Section is considered present at the meeting for
purposes of determining a quorum and participating in all
proceedings.
(9) In addition to the requirements for open meetings
under Section 2.06, public bodies holding open meetings
under this subsection (e) must also keep a verbatim record
of all their meetings in the form of an audio or video
recording. Verbatim records made under this paragraph (9)
shall be made available to the public under, and are
otherwise subject to, the provisions of Section 2.06.
(10) The public body shall bear all costs associated
with compliance with this subsection (e).
(Source: P.A. 100-477, eff. 9-8-17; 101-640, eff. 6-12-20.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.