Village Clerk Vanessa Moritz, and others in her department, will participate in a training program meant to help accommodate requests for municipal records under the state’s new Sunshine Laws, according to the village council. As of Jan. 1, new rules in Illinois regulating the release of government records require that municipalities also designate Freedom of Information Officers. Those employees must receive and respond to requests from the public in accordance with the state’s new law.
Legislation intended to strengthen the state’s Freedom of Information Act was passed this year, and makes it easier for the public to see how it is that governing bodies operate, according to Attorney General Lisa Madigan. There are also civil penalties that can now be imposed against legislative bodies for failing to comply with the law.
For additional information on the state’s right-to-know laws, visit www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov.
