====== Request public records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act ====== **Illinois · How do I request public records?** · state model checked by Claude · quality 0.99 //Generated by [[https://github.com/alibama/lexflow|lexflow]] from the state statutes (open-us-law, government publisher text) and checked by Claude: every quoted phrase was matched word for word against the statute text, and the process passed the BPMN/DMN schemas, bpmnlint and a Petri-net soundness check. Information, not legal advice.// **Governing law:** [[https://www.ilga.gov/ftp/ILCS/Ch%200005/Act%200140/000501400K3.html|5 ILCS 140/3]] — Section 3 ===== Process map ===== A person asks an Illinois public body in writing to inspect or copy public records Deemed denial (3(d), 3(f)): failure to comply, extend or deny within 5 business days, or to respond within the extension, "shall be considered a denial of the request." Both response timers (consequence 'deemed-denial') lead to the end state deemed_denied, kept apart from a written denial (denial_notice). That end state does not end the requester's remedies: under 9(c) the requester has exhausted administrative remedies and may sue under Section 11 (not printed; cited), and because a deemed denial is a denial, the requester may also seek Public Access Counselor review under 9.5(a), which gives review to any person whose request "is denied". The model does not draw that review path from deemed_denied: 9.5(a) counts its 60 days from "the date of the final denial" without saying what that date is for a deemed denial, and the compiler cannot route the timers into the review's event-based wait without making one gateway both join and fork. This is a gap in the model, not in the statute. A body that answers late may not charge for the copies and may not treat the request as unduly burdensome (3(d), 3(f)); these are not modelled as steps. Judicial review under Section 11 is an alternative to Public Access Counselor review after any denial; it is cited, not modelled. If the requester sues on the same denial while a review is pending, the requester must notify the Public Access Counselor, which takes no further action (9.5(g)). Commercial-purpose requests, requests by a recurrent requester and voluminous requests are outside these time periods (3(i)) and follow Sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.6, not printed here. A commercial-purpose requester may not seek Public Access Counselor review except on whether the request was properly treated as commercial (9.5(b)); voluminous-request treatment may be reviewed (9.5(b-5)). Requests denied by the General Assembly and its committees, commissions and agencies cannot go to the Public Access Counselor (9.5(a)). None of these is a branch in the model. Request form (3(c)): written requests may be delivered in person, by mail, by fax or by other means the body makes available; a body may honour oral requests; it may not require a standard form or the purpose of the request except to decide whether the request is commercial or whether to waive fees. Bodies may adopt rules on when, where and from whom records are available (3(h)). Fees are in Section 6, which is cited but not printed so the case stays within its word budget. Extensions (3(e), 3(f)): the public body may extend for one of the seven listed reasons by notifying the requester, within the first 5 business days, of the reasons and the date the response will come (notify_extension); the respond timer covers that 5-day limit, so the notice has no timer of its own. 3(f) says 'notify' and does not require writing; only a denial must be in writing (3(d)). The 5 extra business days run 'from the original due date'; the timer is a boundary event on respond_extended, so it runs from when that task starts, which is at or before the original due date. The requester and the body may also agree in writing to a longer period, after which earlier missed deadlines are not denials; that agreement is not modelled. Partial denial: the response tables set both records_provided and denied. The authority to withhold exempt records or portions is in Sections 7 and 8.5 (cited in 3(a), not printed), so the partial-disclosure rules cite 3(a); 3(e)(v) mentions records 'revealed only with appropriate deletions' only as a reason for an extension. respond and respond_extended branch to supply and denial_notice through an exclusive gateway, so the model relies on supply being listed (and evaluated) first; supply then routes to denial_notice when denied is true, otherwise to records_supplied. An engine that took the denial branch first would skip the copies of the non-exempt records. Unduly burdensome categorical requests (3(g)): offer_to_confer is a notice before the response, under the condition categorical_request_unduly_burdensome, and rejoins respond; the response tables then carry the burden test as an input. What happens if the requester narrows the request is not stated. Repeated requests for unchanged or identical records already provided or properly denied are deemed unduly burdensome; not modelled separately. Denial notice contents (9(a), 9(b)): reasons with a detailed factual basis for any exemption, the names and titles or positions of everyone responsible, notice of the right to Public Access Counselor review with its address and phone number, and of the right to judicial review under Section 11; for an exemption under Section 7, the exemption claimed and a citation to supporting legal authority. Copies of all denial notices must be kept in a central public file indexed by exemption (9(b)); this record-keeping duty is not a step. Public Access Counselor review (9.5): the counselor's 7 business days to forward the request for review, the public body's 7 business days to furnish records and the opinion's 60 days all have no consequence stated in the text (consequence 'unstated'). The forwarding timer ends in a 'deadline missed' end of its own, a modelling convention, not a statutory result. The public body's 7 business days to furnish records run 'after receipt of the request for review' without saying whose receipt; the timer runs from the start of furnish_records and leads to the subpoena, which is the response the text names for a failure to furnish ("the Attorney General may issue a subpoena"), though the schema has no consequence value for an enforcement option; the subpoena may go to 'any person or public body', modelled as the public body. The body's optional answer runs 7 business days from its receipt of the counselor's copy and production request (9.5(d)), alongside the furnishing period; the model reaches it after the records are furnished or subpoenaed, so the answer and reply stay open on both paths, and its timer starts when answer_allegations starts. The answer timer and the requester's reply timer lead on to issue_opinion; the reply window's start ('respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days') is not stated, and the anchor says so. Affidavits and records either side may furnish (9.5(e)) are not steps. Records the counselor obtains from the body are not disclosed to the requester (9.5(c)). Opinion deadline (9.5(f)): the Attorney General must issue the opinion within 60 days after receipt of the request for review unless the Public Access Counselor extends the time by up to 30 business days by written notice stating reasons, or decides to proceed without a binding opinion. The timer shows only the 60 days; the text states no consequence for missing it, so, as for the forwarding deadline, the timer ends in a 'deadline missed' end of its own (consequence 'unstated'), which is a modelling convention, not a statutory result. The 30-business-day extension is not modelled. After a binding opinion finding a violation, the body complies or initiates administrative review under Section 11.5; after one finding no violation, the requester may initiate administrative review. Both rejoin at opinion_binding. A body that discloses records under an opinion is immune from liability and penalties (9.5(f)); advisory opinions to public bodies (9.5(h)) are a separate procedure and not modelled. Section 3 puts the duties on 'each public body'; the Freedom of Information officer or designee receives the forwarded request (3(c)) and is named in the public-body actor, not given a lane of its own. This is the Illinois state statute and governs Illinois public bodies, including units of local government; it does not cover other states' records laws. start submit_request forward_to_officer offer_to_confer respond respond_deadline notify_extension respond_extended respond_extended_deadline supply denial_notice furnish_records furnish_records_deadline answer_allegations answer_allegations_deadline comply_or_review seek_admin_review records_supplied deemed_denied review_unfounded resolved_without_opinion opinion_binding respond_join supply_join denial_notice_join answer_allegations_join opinion_binding_join forward_to_officer_gw respond_gw respond_extended_gw supply_gw furnish_records_gw deemed_denied_merge request_review_wait request_review request_review_timeout request_review_lapsed pac_screen forward_review forward_review_deadline forward_review_deadline_end issue_subpoena forward_answer requester_reply_wait requester_reply requester_reply_timeout issue_opinion issue_opinion_deadline issue_opinion_deadline_end issue_opinion_join pac_screen_gw issue_subpoena_gw issue_opinion_gw 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(a): “Each public body shall make available to any person for inspection or copying all public records, except as otherwise provided in Sections 7 and 8.5 of this Act.” Each public body shall make available to any person for inspection or copying all public records, except as otherwise provided in Sections 7 and 8.5 of this Act. sf14 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(c): “Requests for inspection or copies shall be made in writing and directed to the public body.” Requests for inspection or copies shall be made in writing and directed to the public body. sf14 sf15 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(c): “All requests for inspection and copying received by a public body shall immediately be forwarded to its Freedom of Information officer or designee.” All requests for inspection and copying received by a public body shall immediately be forwarded to its Freedom of Information officer or designee. sf15 sf16 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(g): “Before invoking this exemption, the public body shall extend to the person making the request an opportunity to confer with it in an attempt to reduce the request to manageable proportions.” Before invoking this exemption, the public body shall extend to the person making the request an opportunity to confer with it in an attempt to reduce the request to manageable proportions. sf17 sf19 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(d): “Each public body shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 5 business days after its receipt of the request” Each public body shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 5 business days after its receipt of the request response_type sf8 sf20 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(d): “Failure to comply with a written request, extend the time for response, or deny a request within 5 business days after its receipt shall be considered a denial of the request.” Failure to comply with a written request, extend the time for response, or deny a request within 5 business days after its receipt shall be considered a denial of the request. sf52 P5D 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(f): “When additional time is required for any of the above reasons, the public body shall, within 5 business days after receipt of the request, notify the person making the request of the reasons for the extension and the date by which the response will be forthcoming.” When additional time is required for any of the above reasons, the public body shall, within 5 business days after receipt of the request, notify the person making the request of the reasons for the extension and the date by which the response will be forthcoming. sf21 sf24 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(e): “The time for response under this Section may be extended by the public body for not more than 5 business days from the original due date” The time for response under this Section may be extended by the public body for not more than 5 business days from the original due date final_response_type sf24 sf25 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(f): “Failure to respond within the time permitted for extension shall be considered a denial of the request.” Failure to respond within the time permitted for extension shall be considered a denial of the request. sf53 P5D 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(b): “each public body shall promptly provide, to any person who submits a request, a copy of any public record required to be disclosed by subsection (a) of this Section and shall certify such copy if so requested” each public body shall promptly provide, to any person who submits a request, a copy of any public record required to be disclosed by subsection (a) of this Section and shall certify such copy if so requested sf9 sf28 5 ILCS 140/9 § 9(a): “Each public body denying a request for public records shall notify the requester in writing of the decision to deny the request, the reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis for the application of any exemption claimed, and the names and titles or positions of each person responsible for the denial.” Each public body denying a request for public records shall notify the requester in writing of the decision to deny the request, the reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis for the application of any exemption claimed, and the names and titles or positions of each person responsible for the denial. sf10 sf31 sf31 sf1 sf2 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(a): “The request for review must be in writing, signed by the requester, and include (i) a copy of the request for access to records and (ii) any responses from the public body.” The request for review must be in writing, signed by the requester, and include (i) a copy of the request for access to records and (ii) any responses from the public body. sf1 sf32 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(a): “may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor established in the Office of the Attorney General not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial” may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor established in the Office of the Attorney General not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial sf2 sf3 P60D 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(a) [implied]: “may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor established in the Office of the Attorney General not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial” may file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor established in the Office of the Attorney General not later than 60 days after the date of the final denial Consequence of missing the deadline inferred sf3 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(c): “Upon receipt of a request for review, the Public Access Counselor shall determine whether further action is warranted.” Upon receipt of a request for review, the Public Access Counselor shall determine whether further action is warranted. sf32 sf33 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(c): “the Public Access Counselor shall forward a copy of the request for review to the public body within 7 business days after receipt and shall specify the records or other documents that the public body shall furnish to facilitate the review” the Public Access Counselor shall forward a copy of the request for review to the public body within 7 business days after receipt and shall specify the records or other documents that the public body shall furnish to facilitate the review sf34 sf36 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(c): “forward a copy of the request for review to the public body within 7 business days after receipt” forward a copy of the request for review to the public body within 7 business days after receipt sf4 P7D 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(c) [implied]: “forward a copy of the request for review to the public body within 7 business days after receipt” forward a copy of the request for review to the public body within 7 business days after receipt sf4 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(c): “the public body shall provide copies of records requested and shall otherwise fully cooperate with the Public Access Counselor” the public body shall provide copies of records requested and shall otherwise fully cooperate with the Public Access Counselor sf36 sf37 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(c): “Within 7 business days after receipt of the request for review, the public body shall provide copies of records requested” Within 7 business days after receipt of the request for review, the public body shall provide copies of records requested sf54 P7D 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(c): “If a public body fails to furnish specified records pursuant to this Section, or if otherwise necessary, the Attorney General may issue a subpoena to any person or public body having knowledge of or records pertaining to a request for review of a denial of access to records under the Act.” If a public body fails to furnish specified records pursuant to this Section, or if otherwise necessary, the Attorney General may issue a subpoena to any person or public body having knowledge of or records pertaining to a request for review of a denial of access to records under the Act. sf54 sf40 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(d): “the public body may, but is not required to, answer the allegations of the request for review” the public body may, but is not required to, answer the allegations of the request for review sf11 sf43 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(d): “Within 7 business days after it receives a copy of a request for review and request for production of records from the Public Access Counselor, the public body may” Within 7 business days after it receives a copy of a request for review and request for production of records from the Public Access Counselor, the public body may sf55 P7D 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(d): “The Public Access Counselor shall forward a copy of the answer to the person submitting the request for review, with any alleged confidential information to which the request pertains redacted from the copy.” The Public Access Counselor shall forward a copy of the answer to the person submitting the request for review, with any alleged confidential information to which the request pertains redacted from the copy. sf43 sf44 sf44 sf5 sf6 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(d): “The requester may, but is not required to, respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days and shall provide a copy of the response to the public body.” The requester may, but is not required to, respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days and shall provide a copy of the response to the public body. sf5 sf45 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(d): “respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days” respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days sf6 sf56 P7D 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(f): “the Attorney General shall examine the issues and the records, shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law” the Attorney General shall examine the issues and the records, shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law opinion_type sf12 sf46 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(f): “shall issue to the requester and the public body an opinion in response to the request for review within 60 days after its receipt” shall issue to the requester and the public body an opinion in response to the request for review within 60 days after its receipt sf7 P60D 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(f) [implied]: “shall issue to the requester and the public body an opinion in response to the request for review within 60 days after its receipt” shall issue to the requester and the public body an opinion in response to the request for review within 60 days after its receipt sf7 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(f): “the public body shall either take necessary action immediately to comply with the directive of the opinion or shall initiate administrative review under Section 11.5” the public body shall either take necessary action immediately to comply with the directive of the opinion or shall initiate administrative review under Section 11.5 sf47 sf50 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(f): “If the opinion concludes that no violation of the Act has occurred, the requester may initiate administrative review under Section 11.5.” If the opinion concludes that no violation of the Act has occurred, the requester may initiate administrative review under Section 11.5. sf48 sf51 5 ILCS 140/3 § 3(a): “Each public body shall make available to any person for inspection or copying all public records” Each public body shall make available to any person for inspection or copying all public records sf30 5 ILCS 140/9 § 9(c): “Any person making a request for public records shall be deemed to have exhausted his or her administrative remedies with respect to that request if the public body fails to act within the time periods provided in Section 3 of this Act.” Any person making a request for public records shall be deemed to have exhausted his or her administrative remedies with respect to that request if the public body fails to act within the time periods provided in Section 3 of this Act. sf57 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(c): “If the Public Access Counselor determines that the alleged violation is unfounded, he or she shall so advise the requester and the public body and no further action shall be undertaken.” If the Public Access Counselor determines that the alleged violation is unfounded, he or she shall so advise the requester and the public body and no further action shall be undertaken. sf35 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(f): “The decision not to issue a binding opinion shall not be reviewable.” The decision not to issue a binding opinion shall not be reviewable. sf49 5 ILCS 140/9.5 § 9.5(f): “The opinion shall be binding upon both the requester and the public body, subject to administrative review under Section 11.5.” The opinion shall be binding upon both the requester and the public body, subject to administrative review under Section 11.5. sf13 sf18 sf19 sf8 sf22 sf26 sf9 sf23 sf27 sf29 sf10 sf38 sf41 sf11 sf39 sf42 sf45 sf55 sf56 sf12 sf50 sf51 sf13 sf16 sf17 sf18 sf20 sf21 sf22 sf23 sf25 sf26 sf27 sf28 sf29 sf30 sf33 sf34 sf35 sf37 sf38 sf39 sf40 sf41 sf42 sf46 sf47 sf48 sf49 sf52 sf53 sf57 categorical_request_unduly_burdensome extended records_provided denied records_provided denied denied further_action_warranted body_answers body_answers violation_found no_violation resolved_otherwise ===== Steps and the words they come from ===== - **Submit written request to the public body** — Requester (any person) · //obligation// (§ 3%%(c)%%) \\ “//Requests for inspection or copies shall be made in writing and directed to the public body.//” - **Forward request to FOIA officer immediately** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · //obligation// (§ 3%%(c)%%) \\ “//All requests for inspection and copying received by a public body shall immediately be forwarded to its Freedom of Information officer or designee.//” - **Offer requester a chance to narrow request** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · //obligation// (§ 3(g)) \\ “//Before invoking this exemption, the public body shall extend to the person making the request an opportunity to confer with it in an attempt to reduce the request to manageable proportions.//” - **Comply, deny, or extend response time** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · within 5 business days · //obligation// (§ 3(d)) \\ “//Each public body shall, promptly, either comply with or deny a request for public records within 5 business days after its receipt of the request//” - **Notify requester of extension reasons and date** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · //obligation// (§ 3(f)) \\ “//When additional time is required for any of the above reasons, the public body shall, within 5 business days after receipt of the request, notify the person making the request of the reasons for the extension and the date by which the response will be forthcoming.//” - **Comply or deny by the extended date** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · within 5 business days · //obligation// (§ 3(e)) \\ “//The time for response under this Section may be extended by the public body for not more than 5 business days from the original due date//” - **Provide copies, certified if requested** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · //obligation// (§ 3(b)) \\ “//each public body shall promptly provide, to any person who submits a request, a copy of any public record required to be disclosed by subsection (a) of this Section and shall certify such copy if so requested//” - **Send written denial with reasons and rights** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · //obligation// (§ 9(a)) \\ “//Each public body denying a request for public records shall notify the requester in writing of the decision to deny the request, the reasons for the denial, including a detailed factual basis for the application of any exemption claimed, and the names and titles or positions of each person responsible for the denial.//” - **File signed written request for PAC review** — Requester (any person) · within 60 days · //right// (§ 9.5(a)) \\ “//The request for review must be in writing, signed by the requester, and include (i) a copy of the request for access to records and (ii) any responses from the public body.//” - **Decide whether further action is warranted** — Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General · //obligation// (§ 9.5%%(c)%%) \\ “//Upon receipt of a request for review, the Public Access Counselor shall determine whether further action is warranted.//” - **Forward review request; specify records needed** — Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General · within 7 business days · //obligation// (§ 9.5%%(c)%%) \\ “//the Public Access Counselor shall forward a copy of the request for review to the public body within 7 business days after receipt and shall specify the records or other documents that the public body shall furnish to facilitate the review//” - **Furnish specified records; cooperate with PAC** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · within 7 business days · //obligation// (§ 9.5%%(c)%%) \\ “//the public body shall provide copies of records requested and shall otherwise fully cooperate with the Public Access Counselor//” - **Subpoena records for the review** — Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General · //permission// (§ 9.5%%(c)%%) \\ “//If a public body fails to furnish specified records pursuant to this Section, or if otherwise necessary, the Attorney General may issue a subpoena to any person or public body having knowledge of or records pertaining to a request for review of a denial of access to records under the Act.//” - **Answer allegations by letter, brief, or memorandum** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · within 7 business days · //permission// (§ 9.5(d)) \\ “//the public body may, but is not required to, answer the allegations of the request for review//” - **Forward redacted answer to requester** — Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General · //obligation// (§ 9.5(d)) \\ “//The Public Access Counselor shall forward a copy of the answer to the person submitting the request for review, with any alleged confidential information to which the request pertains redacted from the copy.//” - **Reply in writing; copy the public body** — Requester (any person) · within 7 business days · //permission// (§ 9.5(d)) \\ “//The requester may, but is not required to, respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days and shall provide a copy of the response to the public body.//” - **Resolve review by opinion or mediation** — Public Access Counselor, Office of the Attorney General · within 60 days · //obligation// (§ 9.5(f)) \\ “//the Attorney General shall examine the issues and the records, shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law//” - **Comply immediately or seek administrative review** — Public body (through its Freedom of Information officer or designee) · //obligation// (§ 9.5(f)) \\ “//the public body shall either take necessary action immediately to comply with the directive of the opinion or shall initiate administrative review under Section 11.5//” - **Seek administrative review under Section 11.5** — Requester (any person) · //permission// (§ 9.5(f)) \\ “//If the opinion concludes that no violation of the Act has occurred, the requester may initiate administrative review under Section 11.5.//” ===== How does the public body answer within 5 business days? ===== Decision table (DMN), hit policy FIRST. ^ A reason in subsection (e)(i)-(vii) applies and more time is needed ^ Categorical request unduly burdensome, cannot be narrowed, burden outweighs public interest ^ All requested records are exempt ^ Some requested records or portions are exempt ^ → Response ^ → Time for response extended ^ → Some records are provided ^ → Request denied in whole or in part ^ Source ^ | true | - | - | - | Extend by up to 5 business days; notify the requester of the reasons and the date the response will come | true | false | false | § 3(f) | | false | true | - | - | Deny in writing as unduly burdensome, stating why and the extent of the burden | false | false | true | § 3(g) | | false | false | true | - | Deny in writing under Section 9: exemption claimed, detailed factual basis, legal authority, persons responsible, review rights | false | false | true | § 3(d) | | false | false | false | true | Provide the records with exempt portions deleted; deny the rest in writing under Section 9 | false | true | true | § 3(a) | | false | false | false | false | Comply: provide the requested records | false | true | false | § 3(d) | ===== How does the public body answer within the extension? ===== Decision table (DMN), hit policy FIRST. ^ Categorical request unduly burdensome, cannot be narrowed, burden outweighs public interest ^ All requested records are exempt ^ Some requested records or portions are exempt ^ → Response ^ → Some records are provided ^ → Request denied in whole or in part ^ Source ^ | true | - | - | Deny in writing as unduly burdensome, stating why and the extent of the burden | false | true | § 3(g) | | false | true | - | Deny in writing under Section 9: exemption claimed, detailed factual basis, legal authority, persons responsible, review rights | false | true | § 9(b) | | false | false | true | Provide the records with exempt portions deleted; deny the rest in writing under Section 9 | true | true | § 3(a) | | false | false | false | Comply: provide the requested records | true | false | § 3(b) | ===== How does the Attorney General resolve the request for review? ===== Decision table (DMN), hit policy FIRST. ^ Attorney General resolves the review by binding opinion ^ The public body violated the Act ^ → Result ^ → Binding opinion finds a violation ^ → Binding opinion finds no violation ^ → Resolved by mediation or other means ^ Source ^ | false | - | Resolved by mediation or other means without a binding opinion; that choice is not reviewable | false | false | true | § 9.5(f) | | true | true | Binding opinion: violation found | true | false | false | § 9.5(f) | | true | false | Binding opinion: no violation | false | true | false | § 9.5(f) | ===== What the text leaves open ===== * Deemed denial (3(d), 3(f)): failure to comply, extend or deny within 5 business days, or to respond within the extension, "shall be considered a denial of the request." Both response timers (consequence 'deemed-denial') lead to the end state deemed_denied, kept apart from a written denial (denial_notice). That end state does not end the requester's remedies: under 9%%(c)%% the requester has exhausted administrative remedies and may sue under Section 11 (not printed; cited), and because a deemed denial is a denial, the requester may also seek Public Access Counselor review under 9.5(a), which gives review to any person whose request "is denied". The model does not draw that review path from deemed_denied: 9.5(a) counts its 60 days from "the date of the final denial" without saying what that date is for a deemed denial, and the compiler cannot route the timers into the review's event-based wait without making one gateway both join and fork. This is a gap in the model, not in the statute. A body that answers late may not charge for the copies and may not treat the request as unduly burdensome (3(d), 3(f)); these are not modelled as steps. * Judicial review under Section 11 is an alternative to Public Access Counselor review after any denial; it is cited, not modelled. If the requester sues on the same denial while a review is pending, the requester must notify the Public Access Counselor, which takes no further action (9.5(g)). * Commercial-purpose requests, requests by a recurrent requester and voluminous requests are outside these time periods (3(i)) and follow Sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.6, not printed here. A commercial-purpose requester may not seek Public Access Counselor review except on whether the request was properly treated as commercial (9.5(b)); voluminous-request treatment may be reviewed (9.5(b-5)). Requests denied by the General Assembly and its committees, commissions and agencies cannot go to the Public Access Counselor (9.5(a)). None of these is a branch in the model. * Request form (3%%(c)%%): written requests may be delivered in person, by mail, by fax or by other means the body makes available; a body may honour oral requests; it may not require a standard form or the purpose of the request except to decide whether the request is commercial or whether to waive fees. Bodies may adopt rules on when, where and from whom records are available (3(h)). Fees are in Section 6, which is cited but not printed so the case stays within its word budget. * Extensions (3(e), 3(f)): the public body may extend for one of the seven listed reasons by notifying the requester, within the first 5 business days, of the reasons and the date the response will come (notify_extension); the respond timer covers that 5-day limit, so the notice has no timer of its own. 3(f) says 'notify' and does not require writing; only a denial must be in writing (3(d)). The 5 extra business days run 'from the original due date'; the timer is a boundary event on respond_extended, so it runs from when that task starts, which is at or before the original due date. The requester and the body may also agree in writing to a longer period, after which earlier missed deadlines are not denials; that agreement is not modelled. * Partial denial: the response tables set both records_provided and denied. The authority to withhold exempt records or portions is in Sections 7 and 8.5 (cited in 3(a), not printed), so the partial-disclosure rules cite 3(a); 3(e)(v) mentions records 'revealed only with appropriate deletions' only as a reason for an extension. respond and respond_extended branch to supply and denial_notice through an exclusive gateway, so the model relies on supply being listed (and evaluated) first; supply then routes to denial_notice when denied is true, otherwise to records_supplied. An engine that took the denial branch first would skip the copies of the non-exempt records. * Unduly burdensome categorical requests (3(g)): offer_to_confer is a notice before the response, under the condition categorical_request_unduly_burdensome, and rejoins respond; the response tables then carry the burden test as an input. What happens if the requester narrows the request is not stated. Repeated requests for unchanged or identical records already provided or properly denied are deemed unduly burdensome; not modelled separately. * Denial notice contents (9(a), 9(b)): reasons with a detailed factual basis for any exemption, the names and titles or positions of everyone responsible, notice of the right to Public Access Counselor review with its address and phone number, and of the right to judicial review under Section 11; for an exemption under Section 7, the exemption claimed and a citation to supporting legal authority. Copies of all denial notices must be kept in a central public file indexed by exemption (9(b)); this record-keeping duty is not a step. * Public Access Counselor review (9.5): the counselor's 7 business days to forward the request for review, the public body's 7 business days to furnish records and the opinion's 60 days all have no consequence stated in the text (consequence 'unstated'). The forwarding timer ends in a 'deadline missed' end of its own, a modelling convention, not a statutory result. The public body's 7 business days to furnish records run 'after receipt of the request for review' without saying whose receipt; the timer runs from the start of furnish_records and leads to the subpoena, which is the response the text names for a failure to furnish ("the Attorney General may issue a subpoena"), though the schema has no consequence value for an enforcement option; the subpoena may go to 'any person or public body', modelled as the public body. The body's optional answer runs 7 business days from its receipt of the counselor's copy and production request (9.5(d)), alongside the furnishing period; the model reaches it after the records are furnished or subpoenaed, so the answer and reply stay open on both paths, and its timer starts when answer_allegations starts. The answer timer and the requester's reply timer lead on to issue_opinion; the reply window's start ('respond in writing to the answer within 7 business days') is not stated, and the anchor says so. Affidavits and records either side may furnish (9.5(e)) are not steps. Records the counselor obtains from the body are not disclosed to the requester (9.5%%(c)%%). * Opinion deadline (9.5(f)): the Attorney General must issue the opinion within 60 days after receipt of the request for review unless the Public Access Counselor extends the time by up to 30 business days by written notice stating reasons, or decides to proceed without a binding opinion. The timer shows only the 60 days; the text states no consequence for missing it, so, as for the forwarding deadline, the timer ends in a 'deadline missed' end of its own (consequence 'unstated'), which is a modelling convention, not a statutory result. The 30-business-day extension is not modelled. * After a binding opinion finding a violation, the body complies or initiates administrative review under Section 11.5; after one finding no violation, the requester may initiate administrative review. Both rejoin at opinion_binding. A body that discloses records under an opinion is immune from liability and penalties (9.5(f)); advisory opinions to public bodies (9.5(h)) are a separate procedure and not modelled. * Section 3 puts the duties on 'each public body'; the Freedom of Information officer or designee receives the forwarded request (3%%(c)%%) and is named in the public-body actor, not given a lane of its own. This is the Illinois state statute and governs Illinois public bodies, including units of local government; it does not cover other states' records laws. ===== Checks ===== * Quotes checked word for word: 48 (0 not exact) * BPMN / DMN schema errors: 0 / 0; bpmnlint errors: 0 * Petri nets sound: 1 of 1 * Sections used: 5 ILCS 140/3, 5 ILCS 140/9, 5 ILCS 140/9.5 ← [[lexflow:il|Illinois]] · [[lexflow:start|lexflow models]]