Illinois

November 20, 2008: A state appeals court has agreed with a ruling that Gov. Rod Blagojevich must make public federal subpoenas received by his administration.

The legal decision, which was handed down Wednesday, upheld a trial court ruling that called on Blagojevich to release the subpoenas sought under a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Better Government Association. Read the full article here.

Crime trends, data a public discussion
November 19, 2008: By speaking in closed session about crime trends and trying to prevent documents from being made public, Oak Park may have broken the Illinois Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

Discussions about crime trends and data cannot take place in closed session and documentation should be obtainable through the Freedom of Information Act, according to experts who deal with sunshine laws.

However, Oak Park officials have remained quiet about information suggesting street gangs are moving into the village's borders. Read the full article here.

Illinois Press Association Spotlights FOI Violators With 'Worsty' Awards
November 17, 2008: The Illinois Press Association (IPA) is dead serious about its annual "Worsty" awards that seek to embarrass government officials who ignore the state's Sunshine Law -- but a couple of incidents on this year's roster reads like proposals for comedy sketches.

Take Jackson County’s supervisor of assessments -- please. She told the Murphysboro American the reason she has never posted the required notices of annual meetings is because she didn’t want a political rival showing up. Read the full article here.

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