Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB0031 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB0031 Introduced , by Rep. Daniel Didech SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 2025 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 2035 ILCS 140/3.7 new5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 2065 ILCS 140/9.5 Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Defines "automated request" as a request that a public body has a reasonable belief was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence or submitted without any specific, affirmative action taken by a human. Provides that a public body shall respond to an automated request within 5 business days after receipt and provide certain types of notice to the requester. Provides procedures for the requester to dispute having the request treated as an automated request. Adds automated requests to certain provisions regarding requests for a commercial purpose and voluminous requests. Allows a public body to charge requesters for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records associated with an automated request. Provides that a person whose request to inspect or copy a public record is treated as an automated request may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor, with certain exceptions. LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB0031 Introduced , by Rep. Daniel Didech SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 2025 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 2035 ILCS 140/3.7 new5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 2065 ILCS 140/9.5 5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 202 5 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 203 5 ILCS 140/3.7 new 5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 206 5 ILCS 140/9.5 Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Defines "automated request" as a request that a public body has a reasonable belief was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence or submitted without any specific, affirmative action taken by a human. Provides that a public body shall respond to an automated request within 5 business days after receipt and provide certain types of notice to the requester. Provides procedures for the requester to dispute having the request treated as an automated request. Adds automated requests to certain provisions regarding requests for a commercial purpose and voluminous requests. Allows a public body to charge requesters for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records associated with an automated request. Provides that a person whose request to inspect or copy a public record is treated as an automated request may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor, with certain exceptions. LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB0031 Introduced , by Rep. Daniel Didech SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 2025 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 2035 ILCS 140/3.7 new5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 2065 ILCS 140/9.5 5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 202 5 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 203 5 ILCS 140/3.7 new 5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 206 5 ILCS 140/9.5
4	4	5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 202
5	5	5 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 203
6	6	5 ILCS 140/3.7 new
7	7	5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 206
8	8	5 ILCS 140/9.5
9	9	Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Defines "automated request" as a request that a public body has a reasonable belief was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence or submitted without any specific, affirmative action taken by a human. Provides that a public body shall respond to an automated request within 5 business days after receipt and provide certain types of notice to the requester. Provides procedures for the requester to dispute having the request treated as an automated request. Adds automated requests to certain provisions regarding requests for a commercial purpose and voluminous requests. Allows a public body to charge requesters for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records associated with an automated request. Provides that a person whose request to inspect or copy a public record is treated as an automated request may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor, with certain exceptions.
10	10	LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
11	11	LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
12	12	A BILL FOR
13	13	HB0031LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b HB0031 LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
14	14	HB0031 LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
15	15	1 AN ACT concerning government.
16	16	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
17	17	3 represented in the General Assembly:
18	18	4 Section 5. The Freedom of Information Act is amended by
19	19	5 changing Sections 2, 3, 6, and 9.5 and by adding Section 3.7 as
20	20	6 follows:
21	21	7 (5 ILCS 140/2) (from Ch. 116, par. 202)
22	22	8 Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act:
23	23	9 (a) "Public body" means all legislative, executive,
24	24	10 administrative, or advisory bodies of the State, state
25	25	11 universities and colleges, counties, townships, cities,
26	26	12 villages, incorporated towns, school districts and all other
27	27	13 municipal corporations, boards, bureaus, committees, or
28	28	14 commissions of this State, any subsidiary bodies of any of the
29	29	15 foregoing including but not limited to committees and
30	30	16 subcommittees thereof, and a School Finance Authority created
31	31	17 under Article 1E of the School Code. "Public body" does not
32	32	18 include a child death review team or the Illinois Child Death
33	33	19 Review Teams Executive Council established under the Child
34	34	20 Death Review Team Act, or a regional youth advisory board or
35	35	21 the Statewide Youth Advisory Board established under the
36	36	22 Department of Children and Family Services Statewide Youth
37	37	23 Advisory Board Act.
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41	41	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB0031 Introduced , by Rep. Daniel Didech SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
42	42	5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 2025 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 2035 ILCS 140/3.7 new5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 2065 ILCS 140/9.5 5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 202 5 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 203 5 ILCS 140/3.7 new 5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 206 5 ILCS 140/9.5
43	43	5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 202
44	44	5 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 203
45	45	5 ILCS 140/3.7 new
46	46	5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 206
47	47	5 ILCS 140/9.5
48	48	Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Defines "automated request" as a request that a public body has a reasonable belief was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence or submitted without any specific, affirmative action taken by a human. Provides that a public body shall respond to an automated request within 5 business days after receipt and provide certain types of notice to the requester. Provides procedures for the requester to dispute having the request treated as an automated request. Adds automated requests to certain provisions regarding requests for a commercial purpose and voluminous requests. Allows a public body to charge requesters for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records associated with an automated request. Provides that a person whose request to inspect or copy a public record is treated as an automated request may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor, with certain exceptions.
49	49	LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
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51	51	A BILL FOR
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57	57	5 ILCS 140/2 from Ch. 116, par. 202
58	58	5 ILCS 140/3 from Ch. 116, par. 203
59	59	5 ILCS 140/3.7 new
60	60	5 ILCS 140/6 from Ch. 116, par. 206
61	61	5 ILCS 140/9.5
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80	80	1 (b) "Person" means any individual, corporation,
81	81	2 partnership, firm, organization or association, acting
82	82	3 individually or as a group.
83	83	4 (c) "Public records" means all records, reports, forms,
84	84	5 writings, letters, memoranda, books, papers, maps,
85	85	6 photographs, microfilms, cards, tapes, recordings, electronic
86	86	7 data processing records, electronic communications, recorded
87	87	8 information and all other documentary materials pertaining to
88	88	9 the transaction of public business, regardless of physical
89	89	10 form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or
90	90	11 having been or being used by, received by, in the possession
91	91	12 of, or under the control of any public body.
92	92	13 (c-5) "Private information" means unique identifiers,
93	93	14 including a person's social security number, driver's license
94	94	15 number, employee identification number, biometric identifiers,
95	95	16 personal financial information, passwords or other access
96	96	17 codes, medical records, home or personal telephone numbers,
97	97	18 and personal email addresses. Private information also
98	98	19 includes home address and personal license plates, except as
99	99	20 otherwise provided by law or when compiled without possibility
100	100	21 of attribution to any person. For a public body that is a
101	101	22 HIPAA-covered entity, "private information" includes
102	102	23 electronic medical records and all information, including
103	103	24 demographic information, contained within or extracted from an
104	104	25 electronic medical records system operated or maintained by
105	105	26 the public body in compliance with State and federal medical
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116	116	1 privacy laws and regulations, including, but not limited to,
117	117	2 the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and
118	118	3 its regulations, 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164. As used in this
119	119	4 subsection, "HIPAA-covered entity" has the meaning given to
120	120	5 the term "covered entity" in 45 CFR 160.103.
121	121	6 (c-10) "Commercial purpose" means the use of any part of a
122	122	7 public record or records, or information derived from public
123	123	8 records, in any form for sale, resale, or solicitation or
124	124	9 advertisement for sales or services. For purposes of this
125	125	10 definition, requests made by news media and non-profit,
126	126	11 scientific, or academic organizations shall not be considered
127	127	12 to be made for a "commercial purpose" when the principal
128	128	13 purpose of the request is (i) to access and disseminate
129	129	14 information concerning news and current or passing events,
130	130	15 (ii) for articles of opinion or features of interest to the
131	131	16 public, or (iii) for the purpose of academic, scientific, or
132	132	17 public research or education.
133	133	18 (d) "Copying" means the reproduction of any public record
134	134	19 by means of any photographic, electronic, mechanical or other
135	135	20 process, device or means now known or hereafter developed and
136	136	21 available to the public body.
137	137	22 (e) "Head of the public body" means the president, mayor,
138	138	23 chairman, presiding officer, director, superintendent,
139	139	24 manager, supervisor or individual otherwise holding primary
140	140	25 executive and administrative authority for the public body, or
141	141	26 such person's duly authorized designee.
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152	152	1 (f) "News media" means a newspaper or other periodical
153	153	2 issued at regular intervals whether in print or electronic
154	154	3 format, a news service whether in print or electronic format,
155	155	4 a radio station, a television station, a television network, a
156	156	5 community antenna television service, or a person or
157	157	6 corporation engaged in making news reels or other motion
158	158	7 picture news for public showing.
159	159	8 (g) "Recurrent requester", as used in Section 3.2 of this
160	160	9 Act, means a person that, in the 12 months immediately
161	161	10 preceding the request, has submitted to the same public body
162	162	11 (i) a minimum of 50 requests for records, (ii) a minimum of 15
163	163	12 requests for records within a 30-day period, or (iii) a
164	164	13 minimum of 7 requests for records within a 7-day period. For
165	165	14 purposes of this definition, requests made by news media and
166	166	15 non-profit, scientific, or academic organizations shall not be
167	167	16 considered in calculating the number of requests made in the
168	168	17 time periods in this definition when the principal purpose of
169	169	18 the requests is (i) to access and disseminate information
170	170	19 concerning news and current or passing events, (ii) for
171	171	20 articles of opinion or features of interest to the public, or
172	172	21 (iii) for the purpose of academic, scientific, or public
173	173	22 research or education.
174	174	23 For the purposes of this subsection (g), "request" means a
175	175	24 written document (or oral request, if the public body chooses
176	176	25 to honor oral requests) that is submitted to a public body via
177	177	26 personal delivery, mail, telefax, electronic mail, or other
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188	188	1 means available to the public body and that identifies the
189	189	2 particular public record the requester seeks. One request may
190	190	3 identify multiple records to be inspected or copied.
191	191	4 (h) "Voluminous request" means a request that: (i)
192	192	5 includes more than 5 individual requests for more than 5
193	193	6 different categories of records or a combination of individual
194	194	7 requests that total requests for more than 5 different
195	195	8 categories of records in a period of 20 business days; or (ii)
196	196	9 requires the compilation of more than 500 letter or
197	197	10 legal-sized pages of public records unless a single requested
198	198	11 record exceeds 500 pages. "Single requested record" may
199	199	12 include, but is not limited to, one report, form, e-mail,
200	200	13 letter, memorandum, book, map, microfilm, tape, or recording.
201	201	14 "Voluminous request" does not include a request made by
202	202	15 news media and non-profit, scientific, or academic
203	203	16 organizations if the principal purpose of the request is: (1)
204	204	17 to access and disseminate information concerning news and
205	205	18 current or passing events; (2) for articles of opinion or
206	206	19 features of interest to the public; or (3) for the purpose of
207	207	20 academic, scientific, or public research or education.
208	208	21 For the purposes of this subsection (h), "request" means a
209	209	22 written document, or oral request, if the public body chooses
210	210	23 to honor oral requests, that is submitted to a public body via
211	211	24 personal delivery, mail, telefax, electronic mail, or other
212	212	25 means available to the public body and that identifies the
213	213	26 particular public record or records the requester seeks. One
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224	224	1 request may identify multiple individual records to be
225	225	2 inspected or copied.
226	226	3 (i) "Severance agreement" means a mutual agreement between
227	227	4 any public body and its employee for the employee's
228	228	5 resignation in exchange for payment by the public body.
229	229	6 (j) "Automated request" means a request that a public body
230	230	7 has a reasonable belief was (i) drafted in whole or part with
231	231	8 the assistance of artificial intelligence or other automating
232	232	9 software or (ii) submitted without any specific, affirmative
233	233	10 action taken by a human.
234	234	11 (Source: P.A. 103-554, eff. 1-1-24.)
235	235	12 (5 ILCS 140/3) (from Ch. 116, par. 203)
236	236	13 Sec. 3. (a) Each public body shall make available to any
237	237	14 person for inspection or copying all public records, except as
238	238	15 otherwise provided in Sections 7 and 8.5 of this Act.
239	239	16 Notwithstanding any other law, a public body may not grant to
240	240	17 any person or entity, whether by contract, license, or
241	241	18 otherwise, the exclusive right to access and disseminate any
242	242	19 public record as defined in this Act.
243	243	20 (b) Subject to the fee provisions of Section 6 of this Act,
244	244	21 each public body shall promptly provide, to any person who
245	245	22 submits a request, a copy of any public record required to be
246	246	23 disclosed by subsection (a) of this Section and shall certify
247	247	24 such copy if so requested.
248	248	25 (c) Requests for inspection or copies shall be made in
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259	259	1 writing and directed to the public body. Written requests may
260	260	2 be submitted to a public body via personal delivery, mail,
261	261	3 telefax, or other means available to the public body. A public
262	262	4 body may honor oral requests for inspection or copying. A
263	263	5 public body may not require that a request be submitted on a
264	264	6 standard form or require the requester to specify the purpose
265	265	7 for a request, except to determine whether the records are
266	266	8 requested for a commercial purpose or whether to grant a
267	267	9 request for a fee waiver. All requests for inspection and
268	268	10 copying received by a public body shall immediately be
269	269	11 forwarded to its Freedom of Information officer or designee.
270	270	12 (d) Each public body shall, promptly, either comply with
271	271	13 or deny a request for public records within 5 business days
272	272	14 after its receipt of the request, unless the time for response
273	273	15 is properly extended under subsection (e) of this Section.
274	274	16 Denial shall be in writing as provided in Section 9 of this
275	275	17 Act. Failure to comply with a written request, extend the time
276	276	18 for response, or deny a request within 5 business days after
277	277	19 its receipt shall be considered a denial of the request. A
278	278	20 public body that fails to respond to a request within the
279	279	21 requisite periods in this Section but thereafter provides the
280	280	22 requester with copies of the requested public records may not
281	281	23 impose a fee for such copies. A public body that fails to
282	282	24 respond to a request received may not treat the request as
283	283	25 unduly burdensome under subsection (g).
284	284	26 (e) The time for response under this Section may be
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295	295	1 extended by the public body for not more than 5 business days
296	296	2 from the original due date for any of the following reasons:
297	297	3 (i) the requested records are stored in whole or in
298	298	4 part at other locations than the office having charge of
299	299	5 the requested records;
300	300	6 (ii) the request requires the collection of a
301	301	7 substantial number of specified records;
302	302	8 (iii) the request is couched in categorical terms and
303	303	9 requires an extensive search for the records responsive to
304	304	10 it;
305	305	11 (iv) the requested records have not been located in
306	306	12 the course of routine search and additional efforts are
307	307	13 being made to locate them;
308	308	14 (v) the requested records require examination and
309	309	15 evaluation by personnel having the necessary competence
310	310	16 and discretion to determine if they are exempt from
311	311	17 disclosure under Section 7 of this Act or should be
312	312	18 revealed only with appropriate deletions;
313	313	19 (vi) the request for records cannot be complied with
314	314	20 by the public body within the time limits prescribed by
315	315	21 subsection (d) of this Section without unduly burdening or
316	316	22 interfering with the operations of the public body;
317	317	23 (vii) there is a need for consultation, which shall be
318	318	24 conducted with all practicable speed, with another public
319	319	25 body or among 2 or more components of a public body having
320	320	26 a substantial interest in the determination or in the
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331	331	1 subject matter of the request.
332	332	2 The person making a request and the public body may agree
333	333	3 in writing to extend the time for compliance for a period to be
334	334	4 determined by the parties. If the requester and the public
335	335	5 body agree to extend the period for compliance, a failure by
336	336	6 the public body to comply with any previous deadlines shall
337	337	7 not be treated as a denial of the request for the records.
338	338	8 (f) When additional time is required for any of the above
339	339	9 reasons, the public body shall, within 5 business days after
340	340	10 receipt of the request, notify the person making the request
341	341	11 of the reasons for the extension and the date by which the
342	342	12 response will be forthcoming. Failure to respond within the
343	343	13 time permitted for extension shall be considered a denial of
344	344	14 the request. A public body that fails to respond to a request
345	345	15 within the time permitted for extension but thereafter
346	346	16 provides the requester with copies of the requested public
347	347	17 records may not impose a fee for those copies. A public body
348	348	18 that requests an extension and subsequently fails to respond
349	349	19 to the request may not treat the request as unduly burdensome
350	350	20 under subsection (g).
351	351	21 (g) Requests calling for all records falling within a
352	352	22 category shall be complied with unless compliance with the
353	353	23 request would be unduly burdensome for the complying public
354	354	24 body and there is no way to narrow the request and the burden
355	355	25 on the public body outweighs the public interest in the
356	356	26 information. Before invoking this exemption, the public body
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367	367	1 shall extend to the person making the request an opportunity
368	368	2 to confer with it in an attempt to reduce the request to
369	369	3 manageable proportions. If any public body responds to a
370	370	4 categorical request by stating that compliance would unduly
371	371	5 burden its operation and the conditions described above are
372	372	6 met, it shall do so in writing, specifying the reasons why it
373	373	7 would be unduly burdensome and the extent to which compliance
374	374	8 will so burden the operations of the public body. Such a
375	375	9 response shall be treated as a denial of the request for
376	376	10 information.
377	377	11 Repeated requests from the same person for the same
378	378	12 records that are unchanged or identical to records previously
379	379	13 provided or properly denied under this Act shall be deemed
380	380	14 unduly burdensome under this provision.
381	381	15 (h) Each public body may promulgate rules and regulations
382	382	16 in conformity with the provisions of this Section pertaining
383	383	17 to the availability of records and procedures to be followed,
384	384	18 including:
385	385	19 (i) the times and places where such records will be
386	386	20 made available, and
387	387	21 (ii) the persons from whom such records may be
388	388	22 obtained.
389	389	23 (i) The time periods for compliance or denial of a request
390	390	24 to inspect or copy records set out in this Section shall not
391	391	25 apply to automated requests, requests for records made for a
392	392	26 commercial purpose, requests by a recurrent requester, or
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403	403	1 voluminous requests. Such requests shall be subject to the
404	404	2 provisions of Sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.6, and 3.7 of this Act,
405	405	3 as applicable.
406	406	4 (Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)
407	407	5 (5 ILCS 140/3.7 new)
408	408	6 Sec. 3.7. Automated requests.
409	409	7 (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act to the
410	410	8 contrary, a public body shall respond to an automated request
411	411	9 within 5 business days after receipt. The response shall
412	412	10 provide the requester: (i) notice that the public body is
413	413	11 treating the request as an automated request; (ii) notice of
414	414	12 the reasons why the public body is treating the request as an
415	415	13 automated request; (iii) notice that the requester must
416	416	14 respond to the public body within 10 business days after the
417	417	15 public body's response was sent and provide specific,
418	418	16 articulable reasons why the public body should not treat the
419	419	17 request as an automated request; (iv) notice that if the
420	420	18 requester does not respond within 10 business days, the public
421	421	19 body will respond to the request and assess any fees the public
422	422	20 body charges pursuant to Section 6 of this Act; (v) notice that
423	423	21 the public body has 5 business days after receipt of the
424	424	22 requester's response or 5 business days from the last day for
425	425	23 the requester to respond, whichever is sooner, to respond to
426	426	24 the request; (vi) notice that the public body may request an
427	427	25 additional 30 business days to comply with the request; (vii)
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434	434
435	435
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437	437	HB0031 - 12 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
438	438	1 notice of the requester's right to review of the public body's
439	439	2 determination by the Public Access Counselor and provide the
440	440	3 address and phone number for the Public Access Counselor; and
441	441	4 (viii) notice that if the requester fails to accept or collect
442	442	5 the responsive records, the public body may still charge the
443	443	6 requester for its response pursuant to Section 6 of this Act
444	444	7 and the requester's failure to pay will be considered a debt
445	445	8 due and owing to the public body and may be collected in
446	446	9 accordance with applicable law.
447	447	10 (b) A public body shall provide a person making an
448	448	11 automated request 10 business days from the date the public
449	449	12 body's response pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section is
450	450	13 sent to provide specific, articulable reasons why the public
451	451	14 body should not treat the request as an automated response.
452	452	15 (c) If a requester does not provide specific, articulable
453	453	16 reasons why the request should not be considered an automated
454	454	17 request under subsection (b) of this Section or the requester
455	455	18 fails to respond, the public body shall respond within the
456	456	19 earlier of 5 business days after it receives the response from
457	457	20 the requester or 5 business days after the final day for the
458	458	21 requester to respond to the public body's notification under
459	459	22 this subsection. The response shall: (i) provide an estimate
460	460	23 of the fees to be charged, which the public body may require
461	461	24 the person to pay in full before copying the requested
462	462	25 documents; (ii) deny the request pursuant to one or more of the
463	463	26 exemptions set out in this Act; (iii) notify the requester
464	464
465	465
466	466
467	467
468	468
469	469	HB0031 - 12 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
470	470
471	471
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473	473	HB0031 - 13 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
474	474	1 that the request is unduly burdensome and extend an
475	475	2 opportunity to the requester to attempt to reduce the request
476	476	3 to manageable proportions; or (iv) provide the records
477	477	4 requested.
478	478	5 (d) The time for response by the public body under
479	479	6 subsection (c) of this Section may be extended by the public
480	480	7 body for not more than 30 business days from the final day for
481	481	8 the requester to respond to the public body's notification
482	482	9 under subsection (c) of this Section for any of the reasons
483	483	10 provided in subsection (e) of Section 3 of this Act. The person
484	484	11 making a request and the public body may agree in writing to
485	485	12 extend the time for compliance for a period to be determined by
486	486	13 the parties. If the requester and the public body agree to
487	487	14 extend the period for compliance, a failure by the public body
488	488	15 to comply with any previous deadlines shall not be treated as a
489	489	16 denial of the request for the records.
490	490	17 (e) If a requester does not pay a fee charged pursuant to
491	491	18 Section 6 of this Act for an automated request, the debt shall
492	492	19 be considered a debt due and owing to the public body and may
493	493	20 be collected in accordance with applicable law. This fee may
494	494	21 be charged by the public body even if the requester fails to
495	495	22 accept or collect records the public body has prepared in
496	496	23 response to an automated request.
497	497	24 (5 ILCS 140/6) (from Ch. 116, par. 206)
498	498	25 Sec. 6. Authority to charge fees.
499	499
500	500
501	501
502	502
503	503
504	504	HB0031 - 13 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
505	505
506	506
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508	508	HB0031 - 14 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
509	509	1 (a) When a person requests a copy of a record maintained in
510	510	2 an electronic format, the public body shall furnish it in the
511	511	3 electronic format specified by the requester, if feasible. If
512	512	4 it is not feasible to furnish the public records in the
513	513	5 specified electronic format, then the public body shall
514	514	6 furnish it in the format in which it is maintained by the
515	515	7 public body, or in paper format at the option of the requester.
516	516	8 A public body may charge the requester for the actual cost of
517	517	9 purchasing the recording medium, whether disc, diskette, tape,
518	518	10 or other medium. If a request is not an automated request, a
519	519	11 request for a commercial purpose, or a voluminous request, a
520	520	12 public body may not charge the requester for the costs of any
521	521	13 search for and review of the records or other personnel costs
522	522	14 associated with reproducing the records. Except to the extent
523	523	15 that the General Assembly expressly provides, statutory fees
524	524	16 applicable to copies of public records when furnished in a
525	525	17 paper format shall not be applicable to those records when
526	526	18 furnished in an electronic format.
527	527	19 (a-5) If a voluminous request is for electronic records
528	528	20 and those records are not in a portable document format (PDF),
529	529	21 the public body may charge up to $20 for not more than 2
530	530	22 megabytes of data, up to $40 for more than 2 but not more than
531	531	23 4 megabytes of data, and up to $100 for more than 4 megabytes
532	532	24 of data. If a voluminous request is for electronic records and
533	533	25 those records are in a portable document format, the public
534	534	26 body may charge up to $20 for not more than 80 megabytes of
535	535
536	536
537	537
538	538
539	539
540	540	HB0031 - 14 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
541	541
542	542
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544	544	HB0031 - 15 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
545	545	1 data, up to $40 for more than 80 megabytes but not more than
546	546	2 160 megabytes of data, and up to $100 for more than 160
547	547	3 megabytes of data. If the responsive electronic records are in
548	548	4 both a portable document format and not in a portable document
549	549	5 format, the public body may separate the fees and charge the
550	550	6 requester under both fee scales.
551	551	7 If a public body imposes a fee pursuant to this subsection
552	552	8 (a-5), it must provide the requester with an accounting of all
553	553	9 fees, costs, and personnel hours in connection with the
554	554	10 request for public records.
555	555	11 (b) Except when a fee is otherwise fixed by statute, each
556	556	12 public body may charge fees reasonably calculated to reimburse
557	557	13 its actual cost for reproducing and certifying public records
558	558	14 and for the use, by any person, of the equipment of the public
559	559	15 body to copy records. No fees shall be charged for the first 50
560	560	16 pages of black and white, letter or legal sized copies
561	561	17 requested by a requester. The fee for black and white, letter
562	562	18 or legal sized copies shall not exceed 15 cents per page. If a
563	563	19 public body provides copies in color or in a size other than
564	564	20 letter or legal, the public body may not charge more than its
565	565	21 actual cost for reproducing the records. In calculating its
566	566	22 actual cost for reproducing records or for the use of the
567	567	23 equipment of the public body to reproduce records, a public
568	568	24 body shall not include the costs of any search for and review
569	569	25 of the records or other personnel costs associated with
570	570	26 reproducing the records, except for commercial requests as
571	571
572	572
573	573
574	574
575	575
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577	577
578	578
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581	581	1 provided in subsection (f) of this Section. Such fees shall be
582	582	2 imposed according to a standard scale of fees, established and
583	583	3 made public by the body imposing them. The cost for certifying
584	584	4 a record shall not exceed $1.
585	585	5 (c) Documents shall be furnished without charge or at a
586	586	6 reduced charge, as determined by the public body, if the
587	587	7 person requesting the documents states the specific purpose
588	588	8 for the request and indicates that a waiver or reduction of the
589	589	9 fee is in the public interest. Waiver or reduction of the fee
590	590	10 is in the public interest if the principal purpose of the
591	591	11 request is to access and disseminate information regarding the
592	592	12 health, safety and welfare or the legal rights of the general
593	593	13 public and is not for the principal purpose of personal or
594	594	14 commercial benefit. For purposes of this subsection,
595	595	15 "commercial benefit" shall not apply to requests made by news
596	596	16 media when the principal purpose of the request is to access
597	597	17 and disseminate information regarding the health, safety, and
598	598	18 welfare or the legal rights of the general public. In setting
599	599	19 the amount of the waiver or reduction, the public body may take
600	600	20 into consideration the amount of materials requested and the
601	601	21 cost of copying them.
602	602	22 (d) The imposition of a fee not consistent with
603	603	23 subsections (6)(a) and (b) of this Act constitutes a denial of
604	604	24 access to public records for the purposes of judicial review.
605	605	25 (e) The fee for each abstract of a driver's record shall be
606	606	26 as provided in Section 6-118 of "The Illinois Vehicle Code",
607	607
608	608
609	609
610	610
611	611
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613	613
614	614
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616	616	HB0031 - 17 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
617	617	1 approved September 29, 1969, as amended, whether furnished as
618	618	2 a paper copy or as an electronic copy.
619	619	3 (f) A public body may charge up to $10 for each hour spent
620	620	4 by personnel in searching for and retrieving a requested
621	621	5 record or examining the record for necessary redactions. No
622	622	6 fees shall be charged for the first 8 hours spent by personnel
623	623	7 in searching for or retrieving a requested record. A public
624	624	8 body may charge the actual cost of retrieving and transporting
625	625	9 public records from an off-site storage facility when the
626	626	10 public records are maintained by a third-party storage company
627	627	11 under contract with the public body. If a public body imposes a
628	628	12 fee pursuant to this subsection (f), it must provide the
629	629	13 requester with an accounting of all fees, costs, and personnel
630	630	14 hours in connection with the request for public records. The
631	631	15 provisions of this subsection (f) apply only to commercial
632	632	16 requests.
633	633	17 (Source: P.A. 97-579, eff. 8-26-11; 98-1129, eff. 12-3-14.)
634	634	18 (5 ILCS 140/9.5)
635	635	19 Sec. 9.5. Public Access Counselor; opinions.
636	636	20 (a) A person whose request to inspect or copy a public
637	637	21 record is denied by a public body, except the General Assembly
638	638	22 and committees, commissions, and agencies thereof, may file a
639	639	23 request for review with the Public Access Counselor
640	640	24 established in the Office of the Attorney General not later
641	641	25 than 60 days after the date of the final denial. The request
642	642
643	643
644	644
645	645
646	646
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648	648
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651	651	HB0031 - 18 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
652	652	1 for review must be in writing, signed by the requester, and
653	653	2 include (i) a copy of the request for access to records and
654	654	3 (ii) any responses from the public body.
655	655	4 (b) A person whose request to inspect or copy a public
656	656	5 record is made for a commercial purpose as defined in
657	657	6 subsection (c-10) of Section 2 of this Act may not file a
658	658	7 request for review with the Public Access Counselor. A person
659	659	8 whose request to inspect or copy a public record was treated by
660	660	9 the public body as a request for a commercial purpose under
661	661	10 Section 3.1 of this Act may file a request for review with the
662	662	11 Public Access Counselor for the limited purpose of reviewing
663	663	12 whether the public body properly determined that the request
664	664	13 was made for a commercial purpose.
665	665	14 (b-5) A person whose request to inspect or copy a public
666	666	15 record was treated by a public body, except the General
667	667	16 Assembly and committees, commissions, and agencies thereof, as
668	668	17 a voluminous request under Section 3.6 of this Act may file a
669	669	18 request for review with the Public Access Counselor for the
670	670	19 purpose of reviewing whether the public body properly
671	671	20 determined that the request was a voluminous request.
672	672	21 (b-10) A person whose request to inspect or copy a public
673	673	22 record is treated as an automated request may not file a
674	674	23 request for review with the Public Access Counselor. A person
675	675	24 whose request to inspect or copy a public record was treated by
676	676	25 a public body, except the General Assembly and committees,
677	677	26 commissions, and agencies thereof, as an automated request
678	678
679	679
680	680
681	681
682	682
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684	684
685	685
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687	687	HB0031 - 19 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
688	688	1 under Section 3.7 of this Act may file a request for review
689	689	2 with the Public Access Counselor for the limited purpose of
690	690	3 reviewing whether the public body properly determined that the
691	691	4 request was an automated request.
692	692	5 (c) Upon receipt of a request for review, the Public
693	693	6 Access Counselor shall determine whether further action is
694	694	7 warranted. If the Public Access Counselor determines that the
695	695	8 alleged violation is unfounded, he or she shall so advise the
696	696	9 requester and the public body and no further action shall be
697	697	10 undertaken. In all other cases, the Public Access Counselor
698	698	11 shall forward a copy of the request for review to the public
699	699	12 body within 7 business days after receipt and shall specify
700	700	13 the records or other documents that the public body shall
701	701	14 furnish to facilitate the review. Within 7 business days after
702	702	15 receipt of the request for review, the public body shall
703	703	16 provide copies of records requested and shall otherwise fully
704	704	17 cooperate with the Public Access Counselor. If a public body
705	705	18 fails to furnish specified records pursuant to this Section,
706	706	19 or if otherwise necessary, the Attorney General may issue a
707	707	20 subpoena to any person or public body having knowledge of or
708	708	21 records pertaining to a request for review of a denial of
709	709	22 access to records under the Act. Records or documents obtained
710	710	23 by the Public Access Counselor from a public body for the
711	711	24 purpose of addressing a request for review under this Section
712	712	25 may not be disclosed to the public, including the requester,
713	713	26 by the Public Access Counselor. These records, while in the
714	714
715	715
716	716
717	717
718	718
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720	720
721	721
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723	723	HB0031 - 20 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
724	724	1 possession of the Public Access Counselor, are exempt under
725	725	2 this Act from disclosure by the Public Access Counselor.
726	726	3 (d) Within 7 business days after it receives a copy of a
727	727	4 request for review and request for production of records from
728	728	5 the Public Access Counselor, the public body may, but is not
729	729	6 required to, answer the allegations of the request for review.
730	730	7 The answer may take the form of a letter, brief, or memorandum.
731	731	8 The Public Access Counselor shall forward a copy of the answer
732	732	9 to the person submitting the request for review, with any
733	733	10 alleged confidential information to which the request pertains
734	734	11 redacted from the copy. The requester may, but is not required
735	735	12 to, respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days and
736	736	13 shall provide a copy of the response to the public body.
737	737	14 (e) In addition to the request for review, and the answer
738	738	15 and the response thereto, if any, a requester or a public body
739	739	16 may furnish affidavits or records concerning any matter
740	740	17 germane to the review.
741	741	18 (f) Unless the Public Access Counselor extends the time by
742	742	19 no more than 30 business days by sending written notice to the
743	743	20 requester and the public body that includes a statement of the
744	744	21 reasons for the extension in the notice, or decides to address
745	745	22 the matter without the issuance of a binding opinion, the
746	746	23 Attorney General shall examine the issues and the records,
747	747	24 shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law, and shall
748	748	25 issue to the requester and the public body an opinion in
749	749	26 response to the request for review within 60 days after its
750	750
751	751
752	752
753	753
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756	756
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759	759	HB0031 - 21 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
760	760	1 receipt. The opinion shall be binding upon both the requester
761	761	2 and the public body, subject to administrative review under
762	762	3 Section 11.5.
763	763	4 In responding to any request under this Section 9.5, the
764	764	5 Attorney General may exercise his or her discretion and choose
765	765	6 to resolve a request for review by mediation or by a means
766	766	7 other than the issuance of a binding opinion. The decision not
767	767	8 to issue a binding opinion shall not be reviewable.
768	768	9 Upon receipt of a binding opinion concluding that a
769	769	10 violation of this Act has occurred, the public body shall
770	770	11 either take necessary action immediately to comply with the
771	771	12 directive of the opinion or shall initiate administrative
772	772	13 review under Section 11.5. If the opinion concludes that no
773	773	14 violation of the Act has occurred, the requester may initiate
774	774	15 administrative review under Section 11.5.
775	775	16 A public body that discloses records in accordance with an
776	776	17 opinion of the Attorney General is immune from all liabilities
777	777	18 by reason thereof and shall not be liable for penalties under
778	778	19 this Act.
779	779	20 (g) If the requester files suit under Section 11 with
780	780	21 respect to the same denial that is the subject of a pending
781	781	22 request for review, the requester shall notify the Public
782	782	23 Access Counselor, and the Public Access Counselor shall take
783	783	24 no further action with respect to the request for review and
784	784	25 shall so notify the public body.
785	785	26 (h) The Attorney General may also issue advisory opinions
786	786
787	787
788	788
789	789
790	790
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795	795	HB0031 - 22 - LRB104 03194 BDA 13215 b
796	796
797	797
798	798
799	799
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