Many papers over the weekend wrote about the new efforts to revise and strengthen Illinois' Freedom of Information Act. The Chicago Tribune called it "a microcosm of a broader quest for more open government at every level in Illinois."
Among the changes would be a deadline of five business days for government to respond to FOIA requests (it's now seven); bigger penalties for violators; and a push for records to be provided electronically when available. Here's the bill. And working on behalf of the good guys is Don Craven, legal counsel for many Illinois newspapers.
My cynical side says this is Lisa Madigan making friends in the media as a prelude to her run for governor, and that the changes being touted might get scaled back before anything is finalized. But, what's right is right. Now that this effort is very public, it's time for Illinois editorial pages to push these changes as a huge step toward reform. We all want a better-informed public and an increased atmosphere of openness at all levels of government in Illinois. This seems like a path in that direction.
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