Illinois Open Records 
Illinois laws and court cases
The Illinois Open Records State Statute
There is also useful information on the Attorney General's website.
Open Government Guide to Illinois Open Records legislation by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Letter Generator
Create open records request that conforms to Illinois requirements
State Salary Database
The Chicago Sun Times offers this database of Cook County, Chicago and Illinois state employee salaries.
The Better Government Association offers this searchable database of selected public payrolls. It mostly covers Illinois, but there is also some salary information on Missouri and Indiana.
This one is not actually from a newspaper, but it's a fascinating look at the Top 100 Paid Teachers in 2007. From Champion News.net.
A list of the salaries of employees of the University of Illinois is posted here.
Exemptions
Document types exempted from public access.
Contact addresses (where to send your request)
Lots of spreadsheets listing various Illinois school district personnel and FOIA compliance officers can be found here.
A FOIA form specific to School District 300 can be found here. Remember, it is NOT required that a requestor provide their personal information or reasons behind making a request in order to receive documents.
Blogs, websites and resources that use open records
Better Government Association
Carpentersville Action Network
Citizen Advocacy Center
Education Matters
Extreme Wisdom
Illinois Energy Consortium watchdog
Illinois First Amendment Center
McCormick Media Matters
McHenry County Blog
Peoria Chronicle
Sam Adams Alliance
Sunshine Troublemaker of the Week
Illinois is lucky enough to have a Sunshine Troublemaker of it's very own, David Schmidt. Click here to read his story, and see who's been stirring up trouble in other states.
Sunshine Activist Interview
Illinois citizens Cal Skinner, Jeff Ferguson, Gus Philpott and Chris Jenner have been interviewed for their work with open records. Read their interviews, and those from other Sunshine Activists, here.
Press
Head to Sunshine Review for the most recent open record updates in Illinois.
Read the entire FOIA series at the Springfield Journal-Register
Illinois Press Association
List of news outlets in Illinois
2008
October 23, 2008: Residents use public info law with mixed success
October 23, 2008: Gov. defies taxpayers on health program
October 20, 2008: Aldermen slam city's publicity spending
October 9, 2008: Village in violation of public notice laws
October 8, 2008: Rockford Police Union Wins Lawsuit Against City
October 7, 2008: Cook Co. health 'billion-dollar budget' remains a mystery
September 30, 2008: Dist. 181 has paid ex-superintendent $198,570
September 23, 2008: OVC Board rescinds information request policy
August 28, 2008: Road fund questions still unanswered
August 26, 2008: Aussem encourages board to comply with FOIA
August 26, 2008: Candidate: Boone not releasing records
August 18, 2008: Group seeks openness in Champaign County government
August 18, 2008: Attorney General reviews La Grange response
August 13, 2008: Records back in public office
August 3, 2008: Putting public salaries online is a good idea
July 21, 2008: Watchdog group sues governor and Senate president
July 29, 2008: Public bodies should be posting expenditures online
July 19, 2008: Suspect grant went to dissolved corporation
July 17, 2008: Tinley cops rethink access to police reports involving Howe
July 10, 2008: Governor appears to change policy on privacy
June 21, 2008: Appellate court sides with DesPain City wrong to deny access to tapes, court rules
June 17, 2008: Ex-school chief's contract is public record, court says
June 10, 2008: State's attorney to teach officials about laws that govern them
June 9, 2008: Cahokia mayor's workmen's comp claims total $145,000
June 3, 2008: Proviso says $100K paid in severance
May 26, 2008: Wal-Mart hearing plan draws criticism
May 1, 2008: Freedom of Information on the landfill
April 30, 2008: Oak Park fails to answer information requests
April 20, 2008: FOIA - Our tax dollars, their secrets
April 16, 2008: Privacy claim is bogus
April 14, 2008: Legal breakdown of request for NIU shooter's gun card
April 14, 2008: Gov refuses access to records on pardons he granted
April 4, 2008: Judge sides with Rood in FOI case
April 3, 2008: Judge rules against newspaper in D-18 information case
March 26, 2008: Our Opinion: Abuse of FOIA becomes grave matter
March 26, 2008: Supervisor blasts meetings act lawsuit
March 22, 2008: Madigan’s office doesn’t back down from student’s FOIA request
March 20, 2008: Village officials all talk, no transparency
March 20, 2008: Public should insist on open government, information
March 18, 2008: Time for AG to push for FOIA reform in Illinois
March 16, 2008: Dabash attorney barred from using FOIA
March 16, 2008: Who complied and who didn't with Freedom of Information Act requests
March 16, 2008: Let the Sunshine (Week) in
March 15, 2008: City denies, county complies with request for cell-phone records
March 15, 2008: Attorney General's office not enforcing Freedom of Information Act
March 14, 2008: Walking on shaky sunshine Check out the links at the bottom of the article too - lots of good press about the status of FOIA in Illinois.
March 14, 2008: More people seeking public information from government
March 7, 2008: UI accused of withholding public records
March 6, 2008: Savoy board establishes policy on requests for information
March 5, 2008: Judge grants former District 18 superintendent a restraining order
March 4, 2008: Former Marengo school official wants FOIA response blocked
February 25, 2008: District won't release phone bill records
February 25, 2008: MCC tries to be more open
February 22, 2008: Rockford police union sues over denied FOIA requests
February 22, 2008: City 'made a mistake'
February 21, 2008: Oops! Peoria gives out personal data in FOIA
January 20, 2008: Public records, possible scams
January 10, 2008: Governor must release subpoenas
January 9, 2008: State FOIA expert here to train local officials on law
2007
December 28, 2007: Madigan: Search warrants are public
November 19, 2007: Parent frustrated with communications
November 12, 2007: CIty looks to clarify public records procedure
November 7, 2007: Sunshine is the best disinfectant
November 3, 2007: Exorbitant fee for seeking information
November 1, 2007: Boards’ war of words over; ZBA chairman to stay
November 1, 2007: News 25 Investigation Finds Identity Theft Risk in Peoria County Clerk's Office
October 18, 2007: School officials say FOIA requests create financial burden
October 18, 2007: Suit seeks materials on police shooting
October 17, 2007: Star, UP need to work together (Editorial)
October 8, 2007: Illinois Papers Try To Shame FOIA Violators With 'Worsty' Awards
October 8, 2007: Changes in laws, attitude needed to improve public access
September 28, 2007: Board takes public access laws 101
September 26, 2007: EDITORIAL: Mayor, city attorney continue to blur lines
September 24, 3007: District: Records request needs time
September 20, 2007: Attorney general plans push for stronger open government laws
September 19, 2007: McHenry's County auditor calls Bianchi expenses excessive
September 18, 2007: SIU won't appeal ruling on Poshard's contract
September 16, 2007: You paid for all the food, and state's attorney office ate it
September 16, 2007: School’s fees stir questions
September 14, 2007: FOIA appeal option nixed by SIU
September 8, 2007: Poshard has to go, Tribune says
September 5, 2007: District 300 launches online program for Freedom of Information
August 26, 2007: Official’s travel in question
August 21, 2007: Release of secret report far from 'voluntary'
August 20, 2007: Out with the contract
August 19, 2007: governor ‘housekeeping’ or trying to hide dirty laundry (Editorial)
August 18, 2007: State employment contracts are public record, court says
August 15, 2007: Revamped Freedom of Information Policy Approved
August 14, 2007: County worker accused of stealing $170,000
August 12, 2007: Southtown wins top reporting award
August 8, 2007: FOI move seen as stonewalling
August 7, 2007: Critics say plan could hurt access to IDOT records
July 20, 2007: National Journo Group Blasts Ill. Guv For Refusing 'State Journal-Register' FOIA
July 19, 2007: Caledonia backtracks on increase on FOIA fees
July 18, 2007: $10 FOIA fee won’t last long
July 17, 2007: SJ-R, IPA push for release of police report
July 1, 2007: Union could sue over ISP report
June 19, 2007: FOIA under fire, Critics say open records law is flawed
June 14, 2007: Appeals court hears arguments in contract case
June 12, 2007: Publisher continues pursuit of university records
June 10, 2007: SD 230 officials deny report request
June 8, 2007: Lake Land board reveals Thallemer salary details
May 22, 2007 Measures advance to protect access to public information (Editorial)
May 22, 2007: D-300 might expand 'media'
May 17, 2007: School District 230 won't cough up report on mistakes
How to add to or edit this page
Comments (2)
Bruno said
at 10:12 am on Aug 12, 2007
Please add my Wesite to the Blogs page.
www.extremewisdom.com
Maverick said
at 8:08 am on Aug 13, 2007
If you are having trouble adding a link to your blog, try taking a look at this page: http://wikifoia.pbwiki.com/Adding-to-WikiFoia
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