Updated Aug. 26, 2011:  Here's more on the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and access to government records.

• The text of the act is always updated at the Illinois attorney general's FOIA Web site.
• (Added March 18, 2010) Here is the text of the legislation with changes from the previous version highlighted.
• Here is the bill signed in August 2011 that made further changes to the act.
• Here is FOIA information for the city of Champaign.
• Here is FOIA information for the Champaign school district.
• (Added March 30.) Here is FOIA information for the Urbana school district. (This will open a pdf file in a browser window.)
• Here is FOIA information for the city of Danville.
• (Added March 29.) Here is FOIA information for the Danville school district.
• Here is FOIA information for the village of Rantoul.
• Here is the Illinois Municipal League's wish list of changes for the law.
• Here is the University of Illinois FOIA page.
• Here is a current log of FOIA requests at the University of Illinois.
• Here is how the suburb of Hoffman Estates handles some FOIA matters. (Click the "download Compensation and Benefits" link near the bottom of the page, which will open a pdf file.)
• Here is the city of Champaign's in-house training manual for responding to requests under the Illinois Freedom of information Act.
• Here is Champaign's city council memo about changes to the act.
• Here is the revised Champaign ordinance reflecting state open records law changes.
   

If you represent a government agency and would like your page listed here, send a note with the link.

STATE INFORMATION

• (Added March 17) Here is the state's Illinois Accountability Project.
• (Added March 19) Here is a pdf of frequently asked questions for citizens.

FEDERAL INFO

At the federal level, here is a list of sources of records from the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting:

• Fedstats– A to Z list of statistical data from the government.
• Data.gov – searchable catalogs of government data.
• USAspending.gov – includes databases on federal contracts and financial assistance such as grants, loans, insurance, and direct subsidies.
• OSHA– information on workplace safety.
• Fatality Analysis Reporting System -  statistics on vehicle safety, drivers, traffic situations, and roadways.
• Federal Railroad Administration– data on railroad safety.
• Environmental Protection Agency - a vast inventory of environmental statistics.\

NON-GOVERNMENT LINKS

• BRB Publications– links to thousands of free public records sites. You can click on any state and it will list all the searchable databases online. It’s quick, it’s easy.
• Sunshine Review -A national effort, which lets you search by state and city too, at encouraging openness in government.
• Sunlight Foundation offers more resources on openness at the national level.
• Here are the winners of the American Society of News Editors' local heroes awards for Sunshine Week, including a woman who sued her county government when it wouldn't provide records, leading to a court decree; a citizens' group that gathers public records and shares information about their area; and a couple whose curiosity was aroused when their property tax check didn't get deposited properly.
• (Added March 18) A records clearinghouse at Syracuse just got a bill for more than $110,000 for the description of a database from a federal agency.

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