Weakening FOIA

HB5154 would threaten transparency in Illinois government by prohibiting the release of any public employee's performance evaluation.

by Kate Piercy

HB5154 would threaten transparency in Illinois government by prohibiting the release of any public employee’s performance evaluation.

As the State Journal Register explains, this idea started with exempting school teachers’ performance evaluations, and now Senate Democrats Kimberly Lightford, David Koehler and Emil Jones III want to exempt all public employees across the board.

Taxpayers footing the bill for government should have the ability to find out whether public employees are meeting job performance standards. Illinois has made good strides in making government more transparent over the last year, including the launch of a transparency spending website, http://accountability.illinois.gov/, but HB5154 would take the state a large step back. It goes entirely against open government and the reform and accountability Illinois government needs.

House Bill 5154 is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday at 12:30PM. Check the SJR’s editorial for a list of committee members scheduled for a hearing on the bill.