SB0420 Engrossed LRB095 07901 JAM 28063 b

1     AN ACT concerning government.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Open Meetings Act is amended by changing
5 Section 7 as follows:
 
6     (5 ILCS 120/7)
7     Sec. 7. Attendance by a means other than physical presence.
8     (a) If a quorum of the members of the public body is
9 physically present as required by Section 2.01, a majority of
10 the physically present members of the public body may allow a
11 member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the
12 member is prevented from physically attending because of: (i)
13 personal illness or disability; (ii) employment purposes or the
14 business of the public body; or (iii) a family or other
15 emergency; or (iv) the member's vacationing outside the
16 territorial limits of the jurisdiction of the public body.
17 "Other means" is by video or audio conference.
18     (b) If a member wishes to attend a meeting by other means,
19 the member must notify the recording secretary or clerk of the
20 public body before the meeting unless advance notice is
21 impractical.
22     (c) A majority of the physically present members of the
23 public body may allow a member to attend a meeting by other

 

 

SB0420 Engrossed - 2 - LRB095 07901 JAM 28063 b

1 means only in accordance with and to the extent allowed by
2 rules adopted by the public body. The rules must conform to the
3 requirements and restrictions of this Section, may further
4 limit the extent to which attendance by other means is allowed,
5 and may provide for the giving of additional notice to the
6 public or further facilitate public access to meetings.
7     (d) The limitations of this Section shall not apply to (i)
8 closed meetings of public bodies with statewide jurisdiction or
9 (ii) open or closed meetings of State advisory boards or bodies
10 that do not have authority to make binding recommendations or
11 determinations or to take any other substantive action. State
12 advisory boards or bodies and public bodies with statewide
13 jurisdiction, however, may permit members to attend meetings by
14 other means only in accordance with and to the extent allowed
15 by specific procedural rules adopted by the body. No per diem
16 payments shall be made to members of public bodies with
17 statewide jurisdiction attending meetings by electronic or
18 other means.
19 (Source: P.A. 94-1058, eff. 1-1-07.)