HR0066 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0066 LRB096 09307 RLC 19461 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The public has the right to have access to an open and transparent court system; and

WHEREAS, Some court documents should be protected from disclosure, such as personal financial records and health records; and

WHEREAS, The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts has adopted an electronic access policy for circuit court records; and

WHEREAS, The policy excludes public access in electronic form to complaints, pleadings, and orders, unless the access is provided at the office of the clerk of the court; and

WHEREAS, A Task Force should be created to study such exclusion of public access and whether such exclusion is warranted; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that public access to court records, while protecting personal records of individuals, is in the public interest; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force on Electronic Access to Circuit Court Records (hereinafter referred to as the Task Force) is created; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of 12 members appointed as follows:

(1) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(3) two members appointed by the Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts;

(4) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from a Statewide bar association;

(5) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives from a Statewide bar association;

(6) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from a consumer protection group;

(7) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives from a consumer protection group;

(8) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from the Illinois Press Association;

(9) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives from the Illinois Press Association; and

(10) two members appointed by the Illinois Association of Court Clerks who represent different technologies currently in use by the individual counties throughout Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall choose its chairperson and such other officers as it deems necessary, and seek the assistance of legislative staff and such other experts as it deems necessary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation as members of the Task Force but may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred by the members in performance of their duties as members of the Task Force from appropriations made for such purpose; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall study laws and procedures relating to electronic access by the public to circuit court records and the exemptions from such disclosure; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall make its recommendations concerning electronic access to circuit court records and shall submit a report of its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 31, 2009; and be it further

RESOLVED, That upon submission of its report to the Governor and the General Assembly, the Task Force shall be dissolved.