SB1965 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 09791 BDA 19857 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1965

Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Cristina Castro

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

5 ILCS 120/1.05

Amends the Open Meetings Act. In provisions regarding training, requires the Public Access Counselor to complete an accessibility review for electronic training under the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act and rules adopted under that Act. Provides for procedures to bring the training into compliance with the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act. Requires the establishment of an accessibility helpline, with certain requirements.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Open Meetings Act is amended by changing Section 1.05 as follows:

(5 ILCS 120/1.05)

Sec. 1.05. Training.

(a) Every public body shall designate employees, officers, or members to receive training on compliance with this Act. Each public body shall submit a list of designated employees, officers, or members to the Public Access Counselor. Within 6 months after January 1, 2010 (the effective date of Public Act 96-542), the designated employees, officers, and members must successfully complete an electronic training curriculum, developed and administered by the Public Access Counselor, and thereafter must successfully complete an annual training program. Thereafter, whenever a public body designates an additional employee, officer, or member to receive this training, that person must successfully complete the electronic training curriculum within 30 days after that designation.

(a-2) Within 30 days of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, the Public Access Counselor must complete an accessibility review to determine that every step of the electronic training is accessible under the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act and its associated rules. If the Public Access Counselor determines that any portion of the electronic training, including the registration page for such training, is not in compliance with the Act, then, within 30 days of completion of this review, the Public Access Counselor must take steps, including entering into contracts or agreements with third party vendors, to bring the electronic training into compliance. In addition to completing an accessibility review, within 180 days of this amendatory Act, the Public Access Counselor must bring into operation an accessibility helpline. This helpline must be available for live calls or, if 24/7 live calls are not possible, must have the capacity to return calls within 3 calendar days. This helpline must be available for the purposes of aiding individuals who, by reason of disability or otherwise, are unable to independently register for and complete the electronic training without an undue burden. The helpline operator must assist the individual taking the training to complete that training. Means of assistance must include the use of remote desktop access with the express permission of the individual taking the training.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, each elected or appointed member of a public body subject to this Act who is such a member on January 1, 2012 (the effective date of Public Act 97-504) must successfully complete the electronic training curriculum developed and administered by the Public Access Counselor. For these members, the training must be completed within one year after January 1, 2012 (the effective date of Public Act 97-504).

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, each elected or appointed member of a public body subject to this Act who becomes such a member after January 1, 2012 (the effective date of Public Act 97-504) shall successfully complete the electronic training curriculum developed and administered by the Public Access Counselor. For these members, the training must be completed not later than the 90th day after the date the member:

(1) takes the oath of office, if the member is required to take an oath of office to assume the person's duties as a member of the public body; or

(2) otherwise assumes responsibilities as a member of the public body, if the member is not required to take an oath of office to assume the person's duties as a member of the governmental body.

Each member successfully completing the electronic training curriculum shall file a copy of the certificate of completion with the public body.

Completing the required training as a member of the public body satisfies the requirements of this Section with regard to the member's service on a committee or subcommittee of the public body and the member's ex officio service on any other public body.

The failure of one or more members of a public body to complete the training required by this Section does not affect the validity of an action taken by the public body.

An elected or appointed member of a public body subject to this Act who has successfully completed the training required under this subsection (b) and filed a copy of the certificate of completion with the public body is not required to subsequently complete the training required under this subsection (b).

(c) An elected school board member may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization created under Article 23 of the School Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization created under Article 23 of the School Code provides a course of training under this subsection (c), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each school board member who successfully completes that course of training.

(d) A commissioner of a drainage district may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents the drainage districts created under the Illinois Drainage Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents the drainage districts created under the Illinois Drainage Code provides a course of training under this subsection (d), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each commissioner who successfully completes that course of training.

(e) A director of a soil and water conservation district may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents soil and water conservation districts created under the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents the soil and water conservation districts created under the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act provides a course of training under this subsection (e), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each director who successfully completes that course of training.

(f) An elected or appointed member of a public body of a park district, forest preserve district, or conservation district may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents the park districts created in the Park District Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents the park districts created in the Park District Code provides a course of training under this subsection (f), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each elected or appointed member of a public body who successfully completes that course of training.

(g) An elected or appointed member of the board of trustees of a fire protection district may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents fire protection districts created under the Fire Protection District Act. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents fire protection districts organized under the Fire Protection District Act provides a course of training under this subsection (g), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each elected or appointed member of a board of trustees who successfully completes that course of training.

(h) An elected or appointed member of a public body of a municipality may satisfy the training requirements of this Section by participating in a course of training sponsored or conducted by an organization that represents municipalities as designated in Section 1-8-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code. The course of training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in:

(1) the general background of the legal requirements for open meetings;

(2) the applicability of this Act to public bodies;

(3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, notice, and record-keeping under this Act;

(4) procedures and requirements for holding an open meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this Act; and

(5) penalties and other consequences for failing to comply with this Act.

If an organization that represents municipalities as designated in Section 1-8-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code provides a course of training under this subsection (h), it must provide a certificate of course completion to each elected or appointed member of a public body who successfully completes that course of training.

(Source: P.A. 101-233, eff. 1-1-20; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)