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| Public Act 096-1043 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Open Meetings Act is amended by changing | ||||
Sections 2.01 and 7 as follows:
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(5 ILCS 120/2.01) (from Ch. 102, par. 42.01)
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Sec. 2.01. All meetings required by this Act to be public | ||||
shall be held at
specified times and places which are | ||||
convenient and open
to the public. No meeting
required by this | ||||
Act to be public shall be held on a legal holiday unless
the | ||||
regular meeting day falls on that holiday.
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A quorum of members of a public body must be physically | ||||
present at the location of an open meeting. If, however, an | ||||
open meeting of a public body (i) with statewide jurisdiction, | ||||
or (ii) that is an Illinois library system with jurisdiction | ||||
over a specific geographic area of more than 4,500 square | ||||
miles, or (iii) that is a municipal transit district with | ||||
jurisdiction over a specific geographic area of more than 4,500 | ||||
square miles is held simultaneously at one of its offices and | ||||
one or more other locations in a public building, which may | ||||
include other of its offices, through an interactive video | ||||
conference and the public body provides public notice and | ||||
public access as required under this Act for all locations, | ||||
then members physically present in those locations all count | ||
towards determining a quorum. "Public building", as used in | ||
this Section, means any building or portion thereof owned or | ||
leased by any public body. The requirement that a quorum be | ||
physically present at the location of an open meeting shall not | ||
apply, however, to State advisory boards or bodies that do not | ||
have authority to make binding recommendations or | ||
determinations or to take any other substantive action.
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A quorum of members of a public body that is not (i) a | ||
public body with statewide jurisdiction, or (ii) a public body | ||
that is an Illinois library system with jurisdiction over a | ||
specific geographic area of more than 4,500 square miles, or | ||
(iii) a municipal transit district with jurisdiction over a | ||
specific geographic area of more than 4,500 square miles must | ||
be physically present at the location of a closed meeting. | ||
Other members who are not physically present at a closed | ||
meeting of such a public body may participate in the meeting by | ||
means of a video or audio conference.
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(Source: P.A. 96-664, eff. 8-25-09.)
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(5 ILCS 120/7)
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Sec. 7. Attendance by a means other than physical presence. | ||
(a) If a
quorum of the members of the public body is | ||
physically present as required by Section 2.01, a majority of | ||
the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the | ||
meeting by other means if the member is prevented from | ||
physically
attending because of: (i) personal illness or | ||
disability; (ii) employment purposes or
the
business of the | ||
public body; or (iii) a family or other emergency.
"Other | ||
means" is by video or audio conference.
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(b) If a member wishes to attend a meeting by other means, | ||
the
member must notify the
recording secretary or clerk of the
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public body before the meeting unless
advance notice is | ||
impractical.
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(c) A majority of the public body may allow a member to | ||
attend a meeting by other means only in accordance with and to | ||
the extent allowed by rules adopted by the public body. The | ||
rules must conform to the requirements and restrictions of this | ||
Section, may further limit the extent to which attendance by | ||
other means is allowed, and may provide for the giving of | ||
additional notice to the public or further facilitate public | ||
access to meetings.
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(d) The limitations of this Section shall not apply to (i) | ||
closed meetings of (A) public bodies with statewide | ||
jurisdiction, (B) or that are Illinois library systems with | ||
jurisdiction over a specific geographic area of more than 4,500 | ||
square miles, or (C) municipal transit districts with | ||
jurisdiction over a specific geographic area of more than 4,500 | ||
square miles or (ii) open or closed meetings of State advisory | ||
boards or bodies that do not have authority to make binding | ||
recommendations or determinations or to take any other | ||
substantive action. State advisory boards or bodies, and public | ||
bodies with statewide jurisdiction, or that are Illinois | ||
library systems with jurisdiction over a specific geographic | ||
area of more than 4,500 square miles, and municipal transit | ||
districts with jurisdiction over a specific geographic area of | ||
more than 4,500 square miles, however, may permit members to | ||
attend meetings by other means only in accordance with and to | ||
the extent allowed by specific procedural rules adopted by the | ||
body.
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(Source: P.A. 96-664, eff. 8-25-09.)
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