The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Waiting For The Governor's Signature

by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher

4 June 2003

You may think our freedoms are all fought by the military with guns and such, or that the problem is on foreign soil, but many of our freedoms are continually being challenged here at home, everyday.

It happens behind closed doors during public meetings in what is known as "Executive Session." It is a place that is necessary for "executive session" matters, but not the regular business and other issues that must be discussed in open session.

Illinois Press Association and newspapers across the state have continually battled public officials who take advantage of every opportunity to keep the public's business away from the public.

Too many times an elected or appointed official takes over an office as if it were solely their own and fail to report regularly to the constituents it represents.

The newspaper, though many times criticized for its constant watching of public affairs, is the appointed watch dog in a free society for the public.

When we turn our heads and let things happen that shouldn't, we are helping rob the public of their freedom to be informed and aware of what is going on in the governing bodies that affect them.

The Illinois Press Association has been working long and hard for Senate Bill 1586 to pass, an initiative requiring public bodies to keep a verbatim record of closed meeting sessions.

The bill, approved May 28 on a 72-20 vote with 24 state representatives voting Present, follows the Illinois Senate 45-9 approval on April 8. The legislation now awaits Gov. Rod Blagojevich's signature to become law.

"I am ecstatic," said IPA Executive Director David Bennett. "This is a great day for anybody who believes the governmental process ought to be open and above board, and that people have a right to know how public officials are conducting their business."

Bennett said, "The legislation changes the Illinois Open Meetings law by requiring that public officials keep an audio or video record of closed meetings. It also keeps the record from being available for public inspection or copying, or being subject to discovery in any administrative proceeding other than one brought to enforce the Open Meetings act.

"Judges may examine the record only in their chambers when a civil or criminal action is filed. If they determine that the complaint is valid, a judge may also redact from the record information that may be protected by attorney client privilege.

"Public bodies may destroy the audio or video recording without notification after 18 months," Bennett explained.

"We are obviously happy about the prospects of having this bill signed into law by the governor. Governor Blagojevich has demonstrated that he is a proponent of government reform, and the IPA believes that this bill is a major step toward achieving that reform.

Illinois newspapers drove the passage of the bill, according to Bennett who said editors and publishers throughout Illinois made SB 1586 their cause.

"We had tons of ink, lots of editorials written, phone calls by Publishers and editors to legislators," Bennett said. "It shows you what can happen when people make up their minds to band together for a good cause, Bennett said. I am very proud of them."

Bennett said, "Whether we deserve it or not, the Illinois Press Association is often in the role of representing the people's interests when it comes to free speech, free expression, open government types of issues.

"The people don't have an organization that protects their interests from public officials going behind closed doors in deliberations that are not in their best interest. It falls to us to carry their banner as well as our own," Bennett added. "People care deeply about these issues"

Bennett also noted that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's support of the verbatim record concept, even as a state senator before being elected to statewide official last fall greatly enhanced the bill's success. In the last few minutes before passage, she issued a press release that took a strong stand on why this issue was an important piece of legislation, Bennett said.

"Here is a politician that made good on her promises. She told us she believed in the issue when she ran for office, he added. She made good on her commitment by asking her legislative team to help lobby for this bill."

Bennett expects opponents to continue their badgering as it awaits Blagojevich's signature. It reminds me of my first Editorial in 1995 - "Freedom Of The Press, We Take It For Granted."

Write the Governor and encourage a "yes" vote.