Ill. governor finally signs FOI bill

After a bill to overhaul the state's FOI law sat on his desk for months, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed it into law, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press reported. The law gives the public access counselor the power to issue binding opinions as well as allows fines of up to $5,000 for FOI violations.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill today overhauling the state’s freedom of information law.

The legislation has been sitting on Quinn’s desk for several months since squeaking out of the last legislative session at its very end.

The Chicago Sun Times reported that the new law plugs several loop holes in the current law, including giving the state's public access counselor the power to issue binding opinions in disputes over public records. Fines of up to $5,000 for violations of the law are also now possible, the newspaper said.

More here.