Section Newsletters

Articles on Open Meetings Act

Illinois Supreme Court finds PAC’s “incorrect reading” of OMA “clear error” and other recent Open Meetings Act cases By Roland R. Cross Education Law, May 2017 In late 2016, the Illinois Supreme Court, the Illinois Appellate Court and the PAC of the Illinois Attorney General’s office issued important decisions clarifying the requirements and exceptions for public bodies to operate under the Open Meetings Act.
The Illinois Supreme Court provides guidance on the Open Meetings Act By Barbara Goeben Government Lawyers, May 2017 This year, the Illinois Supreme Court issued an opinion in Bd. of Educ. of Springfield Sch. Dist. No. 186 v. Attorney Gen. of Illinois, affirming the lower court’s reversal of the Attorney General’s conclusion that the Springfield School Board violated the Open Meetings Act.
What constitutes a “sufficient public recital” of a final action to be taken by a public body? By Michael Weinstein Administrative Law, May 2017 In a rare defeat for the Illinois Attorney General, the Illinois Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the Attorney General erred with respect to the issuance of a binding opinion finding violations of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Board members should talk more! Open Meetings Act violation for failure to provide a sufficient public recital of the key facts of an agenda item before voting By John M. O’Driscoll Local Government Law, February 2017 What does 'public recital' mean in light of Allen v. The Clark County Park District Board of Commissioners?
Open Meetings Act – A companion resource list By Peter J. Orlowicz Government Lawyers, December 2016 Informative links to online resources regarding the Open Meetings Act.
Recent PAC opinion and materials By Michael T. Jurusik Local Government Law, June 2016 Proposed and enacted legislation of interest.
Recent Public Access Counselor opinions and materials By Michael T. Jurusik Local Government Law, January 2016 Illinois' Attorney General has recently issued the following Public Access Counselor opinions.
Public recital under the Illinois Open Meetings Act By Walter J. Zukowski & Jacob D. Caudill Education Law, October 2014 The Illinois Attorney General recently issued an important opinion affecting school districts and other governmental bodies regarding interpretation of a provision of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Public Access Counselor Rulings By Ruth A. Schlossberg Local Government Law, June 2014 Summaries of two recently released Public Access Opinions, one regarding the Open Meetings Act and one pertaining to the Freedom of Information Act.
Case summaries Local Government Law, May 2014 Recent cases of interest to local government law practitioners.
Investigation exemption under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act By Walter J. Zukowski & Morgan Johnson Education Law, February 2014 The Illinois Attorney General's Office of the Public Access Counselor recently issued an important opinion for schools and other governmental bodies regarding interpretation of a provision of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Recent litigation Local Government Law, January 2014 Recent decisions of interest to local government law practitioners.
PAC Opinion report By Ruth A. Schlossberg Local Government Law, December 2013 Recent opinions from the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor.
Open Meetings Act: A primer By Phillip B. Lenzini Local Government Law, March 2013 This article outlines the Act in a practical manner instead of following its codified order.
You can close the door, but… By Thomas L. Ciecko Government Lawyers, March 2013 Public bodies can close the door to discuss litigation, but the guidelines of the Open Meetings Act must be followed, as the exceptions to having a meeting open to the public are strictly construed against closed meetings.
The PAC muddies the waters: Some thoughts on a recent PAC opinion about closed session discussions, litigation, and final actions By Ruth A. Schlossberg Local Government Law, February 2013 The Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor issued a new binding opinion on November 5, 2012 involving (among other things) the probable or imminent litigation exception to the Open Meetings Act.
All members of public bodies required to complete Attorney General’s Open Meetings Act training curriculum Government Lawyers, January 2012 Public body members serving in office on January 1, 2012, must complete the training by December 31, 2012. Persons who become members of public bodies after January 1, 2012, must complete the training curriculum within 90 days of assuming office.
Governor signs Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act changes Administrative Law, January 2012 A summary of the new Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act amendments.
Governor signs Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act changes Government Lawyers, October 2011 A summary of the new Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act amendments.
News you can use… The Illinois Open Meetings Act adds a “right to speak” provision Administrative Law, April 2011 The revised language of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
Right to speak comes to Illinois By Thomas L. Ciecko Government Lawyers, March 2011 A new law amends the Open Meetings Act to allow any person the opportunity to address a public body at a public meeting.
The Appellate Court, Second District, sheds some light on the Open Meetings Act By Phillip B. Lenzini Local Government Law, February 2010 Petitioners were seeking to disconnect their territory within a year of forming this Village and in order to do so had to void in some way an intervening (and apparently “11th hour”) annexation of a parcel that would be rendered dis-contiguous if petitioners’ property was disconnected.
New Illinois Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act amendments By Walter J. Zukowski & Anthony R. Phelps Education Law, February 2010 The Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act have received substantial press as a result of SB 189, recently signed by Governor Quinn.
Does the Illinois Open Meetings Act violate the First Amendment? By Peter Friedman & Stewart Weiss Local Government Law, December 2009 A federal appellate court has recently held that the enforcement of one of the cornerstone provisions of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (“Illinois OMA”)—that a majority of the quorum is the trigger for a meeting under the Act—is subject to a legal standard that may make it very difficult for this and similar provisions in other states to withstand constitutional scrutiny.
Transparency and the Open Meetings Act By Maryann Bullion Local Government Law, April 2009 Despite the fact that the Supreme Court recognized the need for transparent government in 1860, this policy was not codified as the Open Meetings Act until 1957, and the Freedom of Information Act was not enacted by the legislature until 1984.
The Open Meetings Act – Informality can be harmful to your legal health By John H. Brechin Local Government Law, December 2008 Wyman v. Schweighart involved a complaint alleging the Defendants violated the Open Meetings Act in five different ways.
Statutory Changes, 94th and 95th General Assemblies By William A. Price Administrative Law, August 2008 This review notes revisions to the Administrative Procedure Act, Administrative Review Law, Freedom of Information Act, and Open Meetings Act in the 94th and 95th General Assemblies, based on keyword searches using the words of each of the above act’s titles in the Illinois General Assembly public acts database.
Are employment contracts a matter of record and available under FOIA? By Marc Christopher Loro Administrative Law, June 2008 This article examines the applicable FOIA provisions, and the appellate court’s reasoning and holding that the contracts must be disclosed.
The Illinois Open Meetings Act: Client communications to counsel while the door is closed By Patrick M. Kinnally General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm, May 2008 The purpose of the Illinois Open Meetings Act is to ensure the work of public bodies be patent and candid.
What became of Rice? By Maryann Bullion Administrative Law, January 2008 In 2002, the Fourth District Appellate Court heard an issue of first impression and narrowed the scope of local government law, Rice v. Board of Trustees of Adams County.

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