4 hr. (pm) FOIA Review-Dekalb

COURSE CONTENT:

The Freedom of Information Presentation will contain a complete analysis of the current Freedom of Information Statute. This will include a detailed discussion of the terms and definitions listed in the Act. The Illinois Attorney General’s guide to the application of the Freedom of Information Act will be analyzed. This will include the Attorney General’s Opinions on this subject and their determinations of the various problems that arise in dealing with this subject. Relevant case law will be analyzed. Additionally, the Illinois Police Blotter Act and numerous other provisions that have been created to deal with this Act will be discussed and analyzed. Specific topics to be discussed include:

1. The limitations of the Act

2. Various definitions that must be considered

3. The time deadlines provided by the Act

4. Various exclusions from the coverage of the Act

Various techniques in dealing with FOI requests will be discussed and the alternative methods of responding to these requests will be listed and analyzed. In addition, the Local Records Act will be discussed. “Local Records” will be defined. Guidelines for compliance with these provisions concerning both paper and electronic records will be discussed. The required methods of identifying, inventorying and destroying local records will be analyzed.