Possible FOIA amendments
From Sunshine Review
August 5, 2009 Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has a piece of legislation on his desk on 5 August 2009 that amends a previously lackadaisical state Freedom of Information Act that is stirring up a little opposition. [1]
[edit] Opposition
The Illinois Municipal League wrote a letter in opposition of the amendment bill, saying the state will have to fire police officers and fire fighters in order to higher clerks to do the Freedom of Information Act processing and lawyers to fight the nuisance requests.
The state's attorneys association also wrote a letter to Quinn saying the bill would threaten the state having confidential informants and undercover officers and violate the privacy of crime victims, but the letter did not support the claims.
The Municipal League's letter tells Quinn that citizens will exploit the first-50-pages-are-free rule by sending in requests for 50 pages or less to receive the information they seek. It stated that "FOIA is often used as a political tool not to gather information but to harass and harangue public officials."
"There are questions as to whether the FOIA officer is a de jure or de facto officer, which may trigger issues with appointment procedures and with restrictions on holding multiple offices," the letter says. "There are also potential collective bargaining issues at play."[1]
[edit] Passed in Illinois
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's staff drafted a bill with input from news media, law enforcement, local governments and taxpayer watchdog groups, as well as Quinn's Illinois Reform Commission.
It passed the House and Senate by a combined vote of 174-1.[1] Governor Quinn signed SB 189 into law on August 18, 2009 and it will take effect January 1, 2010.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
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