SB0420 Engrossed

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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 
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Section 7 as follows:
 
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    (5 ILCS 120/7)

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    Sec. 7. Attendance by a means other than physical presence.
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    (a) If a
quorum of the members of the public body is 
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physically present as required by Section 2.01, a majority of 
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the physically present members of the public body may allow a 
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member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the 
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member is prevented from physically
attending because of: (i) 
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personal illness or disability; (ii) employment purposes or
the

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business of the public body; or (iii) a family or other 
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emergency; or (iv) the member's vacationing outside the 
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territorial limits of the jurisdiction of the public body.

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"Other means" is by video or audio conference.

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    (b) If a member wishes to attend a meeting by other means, 
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the
member must notify the
recording secretary or clerk of the

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public body before the meeting unless
advance notice is 
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impractical.

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    (c) A majority of the physically present members of the 
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public body may allow a member to attend a meeting by other 
 


 






SB0420 Engrossed
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LRB095 07901 JAM 28063 b




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means only in accordance with and to the extent allowed by 
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rules adopted by the public body. The rules must conform to the 
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requirements and restrictions of this Section, may further 
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limit the extent to which attendance by other means is allowed, 
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and may provide for the giving of additional notice to the 
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public or further facilitate public access to meetings.

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    (d) The limitations of this Section shall not apply to (i) 
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closed meetings of public bodies with statewide jurisdiction or 
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(ii) open or closed meetings of State advisory boards or bodies 
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that do not have authority to make binding recommendations or 
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determinations or to take any other substantive action. State 
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advisory boards or bodies and public bodies with statewide 
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jurisdiction, however, may permit members to attend meetings by 
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other means only in accordance with and to the extent allowed 
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by specific procedural rules adopted by the body.
No per diem 
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payments shall be made to members of public bodies with 
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statewide jurisdiction attending meetings by electronic or 
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other means.


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(Source: P.A. 94-1058, eff. 1-1-07.)