Get ready now for more transparency

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The Illinois attorney general’s office is in the midst of conducting free seminars on key changes to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act.

We encourage local elected officials and public employees to get acquainted with the revised law sooner, not later.

To that end, a trip to one of the remaining seminars might be in order, so government officials fully understand their rights and responsibilities under the act. That way, they will be ready to comply on the first working day after Jan. 1, when the revisions take effect.

The revised law calls for each unit of government to designate someone as its FOIA officer, who will be trained on how to comply with requests by citizens and news organizations for public records.

Seminars already were held in DeKalb, Moline and Peoria. Remaining seminars in northern Illinois are Friday in Des Plaines, Monday in Crystal Lake, and Dec. 11 in Chicago. To make reservations, call 866-376-7215.

For more information, visit illinoisattorneygeneral.gov on the Web and click the “Ensuring Open and Honest Government” link.

Extensive public access to government documents always was the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act. Soon, it will be the letter of the law, too.

As we approach Thanksgiving, we’re adding this new law to our list of things for which to be thankful.

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