AG proposes rewrite of Ill. FOIA

Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office released a revision of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, The Register-Mail reported. The rewrite calls for five days rather than the current seven for agencies to respond to a FOIA request. Agencies that don't respond in that time will not be able to claim that releasing the requested documents would be "unduly burdensome." Agencies would be required to respond to FOIA requests for commercial gain in 21 days. Each public bodies would have to have a "Freedom of Information officer" to manage FOIA request.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office has released a revised version of state's Freedom of Information Act in another effort at strengthening the law that gives the public access to government records but is criticized as weak and full of loopholes.

Advocates say Madigan's proposed FOIA rewrite, released Tuesday, adds some much needed teeth to the law, while critics say it's too complicated and may create more problems than it solves.

Both sides, though, still have some concerns they want addressed.

More here.