Freedom of Information Act

What is the Freedom of Information Act?
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a state statute that provides the public the right to access government documents and records (5 ILCS 140/6).

Have there been any revisions to the law?

On August 17, 2009 Governor Quinn signed Public Act 96-0542 into law, making changes to public access laws, including FOIA. The effective date of this law is January 1, 2010.

How do I make a FOIA request?

Requests for information must be in writing and may be made by mail, personal delivery, fax, or email and should be directed to the District 215 Freedom of Information Officer Antonia Salters - 300 West 154th Street South Holland, IL 60473 or email [email protected]. Once a FOIA request is received, the public body is allowed 5 business days (21 days for commercial requests) to provide a response to the request. In some cases, an extension of time will be allowed. Optional Freedom of Information Request Form can be accessed below.

If a request is denied, a Public Access Counselor with the office of the Attorney General may be requested to review the request.

Are there any fees to process my request?

Information may be reviewed or a request for copies may be made. If copies are requested, the first 50 pages of black and white copies which are letter-sized or legal sized are free of charge. The charge for color copies or copies of documents which are not letter-sized or legal sized shall be based upon the actual cost of reproduction.