Illinois · House Bill 5557 · 103rd General Assembly

PUBLIC ACCESS COUNSELOR DUTIES

HB 5557 Sponsored by Tracy Katz Muhl Died in committee

  1. Introduced Feb 9, 2024
  2. In committee Feb 9, 2024
  3. Died  
  4. Passed the Senate  
  5. To the governor  
  6. Became law  

What it does

The legislature's own summary of the bill, or its official long title.

Amends the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that the Public Access Counselor may investigate, gather data, and report on a public body for frequent violations of the Acts or for frequent violations of court orders for failure to comply with the Acts. Additionally allows the Public Access Counselor to, under the Freedom of Information Act, investigate, gather data, and report on a public…

Read the full title (204 words)

Amends the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that the Public Access Counselor may investigate, gather data, and report on a public body for frequent violations of the Acts or for frequent violations of court orders for failure to comply with the Acts. Additionally allows the Public Access Counselor to, under the Freedom of Information Act, investigate, gather data, and report on a public body for failure to comply with that Act, for unreasonably denying a request under that Act, and for failure to adequately inform a requester why a request is denied under that Act. Provides that the Public Access Counselor may start an investigation after receiving a complaint from a person or sua sponte. Allows the Public Access Counselor to impose civil penalties if the Public Access Counselor's investigation finds that a public body has violated the provisions after a hearing with notice to the public body with an opportunity for the public body's representative to be heard. Provides that the Attorney General may enforce a penalty imposed by filing an action in circuit court. Requires the Attorney General to adopt rules to implement the provisions, including the procedures of the investigation and hearings and defining "frequent violation".

Every action

10 steps, oldest first, as the legislature records them.

  1. HouseFiled with the Clerk by Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl
  2. HouseFirst Reading
  3. CommitteeReferred to Rules Committee · House Rules
  4. CommitteeAssigned to Executive Committee · House Executive
  5. HouseHouse Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl
  6. CommitteeHouse Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee · House Rules
  7. CommitteeHouse Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Executive Committee · House Executive
  8. CommitteeRule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee · House Rules
  9. CommitteeHouse Committee Amendment No. 1 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee · House Rules
  10. HouseSession Sine Die

Roll calls

No recorded votes on this bill yet.

Sponsors

The member who introduced it.

From Illinois's official records (www.ilga.gov), checked Nov 13, 2026. Text links go to the official versions; LegiList does not copy bill text.