We have previously reported on the lawsuit filed against President Trump to challenge his blocking of users from his Twitter account, which the users argued violated their First Amendment rights. The federal district court ruled in their favor, finding (1) that President Trump’s @realDonaldTrump account was a public forum subject to the First Amendment and (2) that his actions in blocking users from that account violated the First Amendment rights of those blocked users.  The…

Restoration Construction Company filed a lawsuit against a school district claiming the district refused to pay for construction and restoration services provided by Restoration after a school building was damaged by fire. The work had been performed under a contract signed by the school district’s superintendent. The value of the work under the initial agreement was over $331,000. The contract was not presented to the school district board for approval. Subsequently, the school district board…

After an historic legislative session, Ancel Glink Partner and State Rep. Chris Welch joins Kurt Asprooth for a special meeting of Ancel Glink’s podcast, Quorum Forum, to discuss a capital bill bringing new casinos, sports betting, and more video gaming terminals to Illinois communities. We also discuss “Tobacco 21,” a new Open Meetings Act exception, and more important legislation affecting local governments. …

The Illinois legislature slipped a little-known provision into House Amendment 3 of Senate Bill 690 (part of the “Leveling the Playing Field for Illinois Retail Act) that would establish a parking excise tax. Beginning January 1, 2020, the Parking Excise Tax Act would impose a state excise tax on the privilege of using a parking space in a parking garage or area at the rate of 6% for hourly, daily, or weekly parking and 9%…

The Illinois appellate courts don’t often decide FOIA cases, so it’s always an interesting read when they do (most of our FOIA posts deal with PAC opinions).  In Kelly v. Village of Kenilworth, et al., 2019 IL App (1st) 170780, an appellate court considered the appeal of a denial of a FOIA request for records relating to a 50 year old investigation into the murder of a 21 year old in her Kenilworth home.…