Press Release - Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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Governor Pat Quinn Orders Greater Government Disclosure
CHICAGO - February 25, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn took action today to make state government more open, transparent and accountable to the people of Illinois. In a memorandum to directors and general counsels, Governor Quinn ordered state agencies to fully and quickly respond to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
"The people of Illinois demand an open, honest and transparent government," Governor Quinn said. "State government must take all steps necessary to make information as accessible as possible."
Governor Quinn's memorandum to agency directors includes three key initiatives:
*Stress the importance of FOIA. The memorandum states that FOIA requests are "one of the primary tools" for providing openness and transparency in state government and that agencies must presume "in favor of disclosure" when meeting FOIA requests.
* Limit FOIA exemptions. Because the public has the right to know what state government is doing, FOIA exemptions will be applied narrowly, according to the memorandum. The goal is to strike a balance between public disclosure about government affairs and "protecting legitimate interests and policies" embodied in the FOIA exemptions, the memorandum states.
*Make more information available online. Agencies must submit a report within 45 days to the Governor's General Counsel detailing what information can be posted online. These reports will be made public.
Governor Quinn is dedicated to making state government more open and responsive to the public.
In addition to this signing this memorandum, Governor Quinn recently issued an executive order formally creating and empowering the Illinois Reform Commission, headed by former assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins, which is charged with examining government's ethics rules and practices. Upon completion, the Commission will make recommendations for needed changes.
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