Bill > SB2173

This bill amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to expand liability protection for public bodies and their employees when disclosing records. Specifically, the bill modifies Section 9.5 of the existing law to clarify that not only public bodies, but also individual officers and employees of public bodies, will be immune from legal liabilities when they disclose records in accordance with an opinion issued by the Attorney General. This means that if a public body or its employees release documents based on guidance from the Attorney General through the Public Access Counselor's review process, they cannot be sued or penalized for that disclosure. The bill provides additional legal protection for government officials who are working to comply with transparency requirements, ensuring they can fulfill FOIA requests without fear of personal or institutional legal consequences when they follow official guidance. The change aims to encourage more open and confident handling of public records requests by removing potential personal liability for government workers.

Government Affairs

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2173&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104