By John Gregory/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Keeping track of state government meetings will be easier under a new law taking effect in the new year.
The law will allow you to sign up for email alerts when meetings are scheduled for any of the state’s more than 350 boards and commissions.
State Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) said under current law, meeting notices and agendas are posted only on each individual board’s website.
“Even though there was technically a public notice about when the boards were meeting and what the agenda would be, there was no central place where all those public notices were housed,” Biss said.
The e-mail alert will be that central place, with the ability to subscribe to information for the boards and commissions you’re interested in following.
Agendas and notices will have to be sent out 48 hours prior to meetings.
Biss said he hopes all local governments create a system similar to the one created in this new law. Both Bloomington and Normal have email alerts already set up for the councils and various boards and commissions. Bloomington’s can be found here and Normal’s can be found here. McLean County government alerts can be found here.
