Lawmakers return to Springfield to take up measure for remote government
meetings
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[October 18, 2021]
By Kevin Bessler
(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers
plan to take up a measure allowing municipalities to hold remote
meetings at any time – pandemic or not – during the fall veto session
this week.
Currently, the governor or the state health department must issue an
emergency proclamation before a city can conduct any business remotely.
The Illinois Municipal League (IML) wants to change that through Senate
Bill 482 and allow cities and towns to conduct business remotely
whenever they choose.
“We would like to have the elected officials locally to be able to have
that authority going forward if the disaster proclamations end at some
point which I’m sure they will,” said IML Executive Director Brad Cole.
Cole said the remote meetings allow more people to become involved with
local government.
“A lot of communities are seeing more public engagement,” Cole said.
“More people are on the Zoom calls than were attending in person.”
The bill includes a provision that a city’s presiding officer must state
why an in-person meeting is not practical.
There are opponents to the measure. Don Craven, president and CEO of the
Illinois Press Association, wrote an editorial in the Galesburg
Register-Mail calling for lawmakers to reject the measure.
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“The public has a right to interact with their
elected officials, face-to-face and not on a screen. Let’s not
create an environment that further removes governing from the
public’s eye. Let’s find ways to create more opportunities for
personal interactions with our elected officials. As society returns
to normal, so, too, should public meetings. The rule must be for
in-person proceedings. Virtual meetings should be an exception, only
when participants’ health and safety are at risk. Senate Bill 482
must be rejected.”
Lawmakers will also take up a proposal that amends the Tax Increment
Allocation Redevelopment Act to allow cities to provide grants,
subsidies or loans to local businesses with Tax Increment Financing
districts that have experienced business interruption due to the
pandemic.
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Another bill would codify an exemption to the state’s parking excise
tax for all parking facilities or garages owned and operated by
municipalities, counties or townships. |