Sen. Duffy Files Institute Inspired Transparency Legislation

After hearing of the Local Transparency Project and the 10-Point Transparency Checklist, Sen. Dan Duffy contacted the Illinois Policy Institute to address the issue with legislation at state level.

by Brian Costin

The Illinois Policy Institute’s Local Transparency Project has audited the online transparency many local government agencies including municipalities, park districts, libraries, school districts, and townships.

While some of the agencies, like District 54 in Schaumburg Township, have performed well the vast majority of local government agencies in Illinois have performed poorly in living up to the Institute’s 10-Point Transparency Checklist. Only 15 out of the 87 entities graded by the Institute received a passing grade, 60% or better, and the average score is a dismal 39.2%.

Sen. Dan Duffy also saw most local government agencies all over the state were sorely lacking when it comes to online transparency.  After hearing of the Local Transparency Project and the 10-Point Transparency Checklist, Sen. Dan Duffy contacted the Illinois Policy Institute to address the issue with legislation at state level.

The result of this collaboration is Senate Bill 37, recently introduced by Sen. Duffy. In addition to the items in the 10-Point Transparency Checklist. Sen. Duffy made additional improvements to the checklist recommendations by adding the idea of including; operating ordinances, permits and zoning requirements, rules governing the awarding of contracts, and campaign contributions made by a vendor.

Here’s a summary of the bill.

Amends the Local Records Act. Requires that a unit of local government or school district that has an Internet website that the full-time staff of the unit of local government or school district maintains must post on its website for the current calendar or fiscal year, as the case may be, and the 4 years immediately before that calendar or fiscal year the following information: (i) contact information for elected and appointed officials, (ii) notice of regular and special meetings, (iii) procedures for requesting information from the unit of local government or school district, (iv) annual budget, (v) ordinances under which the unit of local government or school district operates, (vi) procedures to apply for building permits and zoning variances, (vii) financial reports and audits, (viii) information concerning employee compensation, (ix) contracts with lobbying firms, (x) taxes and fees imposed by the unit of local government or school district, (xi) expenditures, (xii) rules governing the award of contracts, (xiii) bids and contracts worth $25,000 or more, and (xiv) campaign contributions made by a vendor.

If you would like to conduct a Local Transparency Project audit of local government agencies in your area please contact me at bcostin@illinoispolicy.org, or 312-346-5700 x205.