On Friday, Governor Pritzker signed a new disaster declaration and Executive Order No. 2020-44 that local governments should be aware of since they specifically mention physical attendance at public meetings. Background As we previously reported, recent Open Meetings Act amendments allow local governments to hold meetings without a physical quorum under certain conditions. One condition requires that members of the public present at the regular meeting location must be able to hear all discussion, testimony…

Late this afternoon, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued its long-awaited Phase 4 guidance for swimming in Illinois. According to the IDPH’s website, the following guidelines apply to swimming pools, wave pools, water parks, beaches, spas, whirlpools, and splash pads: This document is intended to provide guidance to businesses operating swimming facilities licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) during Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan. This includes swimming…

Late this afternoon, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued its long-awaited Phase 4 guidance for swimming in Illinois. According to the IDPH’s website, the following guidelines apply to swimming pools, wave pools, water parks, beaches, spas, whirlpools, and splash pads: This document is intended to provide guidance to businesses operating swimming facilities licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) during Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan. This includes swimming…

We are sending out this corrected blog post to fix the link.  Join us for a live recording of Ancel Glink’s Quorum Forum Podcast Episode 41, on June 29, 2020 at 5:00 pm (Central), to covering timely issues affecting public and private employers. We will discuss whether employees risk discipline at work for participating in recent protests, and will review the Supreme Court’s recent decision on gay and transgender rights, and what it means for local governments and other employers.  Click here to …

We are sending out this corrected blog post to fix the link.  Join us for a live recording of Ancel Glink’s Quorum Forum Podcast Episode 41, on June 29, 2020 at 5:00 pm (Central), to covering timely issues affecting public and private employers. We will discuss whether employees risk discipline at work for participating in recent protests, and will review the Supreme Court’s recent decision on gay and transgender rights, and what it means for local governments and other employers.  Click here to …

In a recent FOIA case, King v. Cook County Health & Hospitals System, 2020 IL App (1st) 190925, an Illinois appellate court concluded that a public body properly refused to disclose the zip codes of former mental health patients because zip codes are confidential and protected from disclosure under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act (Act).  In 2017, a requester submitted a FOIA request to the Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS)…

In a recent FOIA case, King v. Cook County Health & Hospitals System, 2020 IL App (1st) 190925, an Illinois appellate court concluded that a public body properly refused to disclose the zip codes of former mental health patients because zip codes are confidential and protected from disclosure under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act (Act).  In 2017, a requester submitted a FOIA request to the Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS)…