FOIA and OMA Certification

FOIA and OMA are the two sunshine laws in the state of Illinois. These laws prescribe the minimum standard by which information must be collected, stored and shared as requested by the public. Further, they determine what is classified as a public document, meeting and other information pertaining to the transparent running of government.

While some throughout government see sunshine laws as a chore and waste of staff time, this is largely undo. There are definite protections against nuisance filers and while there will continue to be challenges, such as automation through bots, these issues do not negate the fact that democratic governance requires and informed electorate.

While I have notes from my training for each, you would be better served by visiting the Illinois Attorney General's Office where you can sign up for an account, even as a member of the general public, and get full FOIA and OMA certified.