FOIA section 8.5(a)

FOIA

Directing requesters to online records

5 ILCS 140/8.5(a). Directing requesters to online records

3 issues across 2 determination letters:1 violation found · 2 no violation.

Counts are per issue, not per letter, and come from automated extraction checked against sampled letters. Determination letters are not binding precedent.

Drafting brief for an AI assistant

Copy this into your assistant to help draft a request, appeal, or challenge to a denial that turns on this issue. It carries the rules and decisions, not your facts: add those yourself. Machine-readable version: foia-8-5-a.json.

TOPIC: 5 ILCS 140/8.5(a) - Directing requesters to online records
SOURCE: Illinois Attorney General Public Access Bureau decisions compiled at https://illinoisfoia.org/provisions/foia-8-5-a/
NOTE: Determination letters are not binding precedent; they show how the Bureau applies the law. Verify every decision against the source PDF before citing it.

VIOLATION FOUND (1):
- City's failure to properly direct requester to website
  Rule: Section 8.5(a) requires a public body to notify the requester that the record is available online and direct the requester to the website where the record can be reasonably accessed.
  Decision: A city's income sources and amounts for three years (non-binding determination letter, January 17, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-84510/

NO VIOLATION (2):
- City's response directing requester to website
  Rule: A public body need not email records posted online if it notifies the requester and directs them to the website where the records can be reasonably accessed.
  Decision: A city's income sources and amounts for three years (non-binding determination letter, January 17, 2025) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-84510/
- Online posting under section 8.5(a)
  Rule: A public body may direct a requester to a website link to a video hosting service like YouTube to satisfy the online availability requirement.
  Decision: Audio and video recordings of a special board meeting (non-binding determination letter, December 23, 2021) https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-55627/



TASK FOR THE ASSISTANT: Using only the decisions above, help draft a letter. Argue from the rule and cite the decision by name and date. Do not invent decisions.

Violation found (1)

City's failure to properly direct requester to website
Rule: Section 8.5(a) requires a public body to notify the requester that the record is available online and direct the requester to the website where the record can be reasonably accessed.
Violation found A city's income sources and amounts for three years · January 17, 2025

No violation (2)

City's response directing requester to website
Rule: A public body need not email records posted online if it notifies the requester and directs them to the website where the records can be reasonably accessed.
No violation A city's income sources and amounts for three years · January 17, 2025
Online posting under section 8.5(a)
Rule: A public body may direct a requester to a website link to a video hosting service like YouTube to satisfy the online availability requirement.
No violation Audio and video recordings of a special board meeting · December 23, 2021