OMA section 2.02(b)
OMAWhere notice must be posted
5 ILCS 120/2.02(b). Where notice must be posted
6 issues across 4 determination letters:2 violation found · 4 no violation.
Counts are per issue, not per letter, and come from automated extraction checked against sampled letters. Determination letters are not binding precedent.
Authorities the Bureau cites most on this issue
- A school district's website postings for meeting agendas and schedules (PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 39850) cited 2 times
How to challenge a denial on this issue
AI-generated summary of the decisions listed on this page, with each point linked to the letters it comes from. Determination letters are not binding precedent and this is not legal advice. Open the letter and check the PDF before relying on any point.
When a challenge is strong
- A public body with a website maintained by full-time staff held a special meeting and did not post the agenda on that website at least 48 hours before the meeting. The Bureau found this violates section 2.02(b) because the online posting requirement applies without exception for staff leave.Based on: 2019 · Agenda descriptions for personnel actions · 2018 · A school board's special-meeting notice and age…
- The public body claims a staff vacation or similar absence as the reason for missing the 48-hour online posting deadline for a special meeting agenda. The Bureau explicitly rejected that excuse, finding no provision in the Act that excuses late posting due to staff unavailability.Based on: 2019 · Agenda descriptions for personnel actions
When the public body usually wins
- The meeting is a committee meeting and the body physically posted a copy of the notice at its principal office at least 48 hours beforehand. The online posting requirement in section 2.02(b) applies only to governing body meetings, not committee meetings, and physical posting is sufficient.Based on: 2023 · Posting of meeting agendas on a school district… · 2023 · Posting of meeting agendas on a school district…
- The body provided an internet link on its website that gives the public direct access to the meeting agenda (even if the agenda is hosted on a different domain). The Bureau ruled that such a direct link satisfies the posting requirement.Based on: 2018 · A school board's special-meeting notice and age…
- The body's records show it gave 48 hours' notice of a committee meeting and the requester cannot rebut that evidence. The Bureau relies on the record, and a factual finding that notice was timely will result in no violation.Based on: 2017 · A village's committee meeting schedule
Points to put in your letter
- If the meeting was a special meeting of the governing body and the public body has a website maintained by full-time staff, demand proof that the agenda was posted online at least 48 hours before the meeting; cite D1263.3 and D1258.2 where the Bureau found violations for this failure, with no exception for staff unavailability.Based on: 2019 · Agenda descriptions for personnel actions · 2018 · A school board's special-meeting notice and age…
- If the body argues that a staff vacation justified missing the deadline, point out that the Bureau has explicitly rejected that excuse (D1263.3).Based on: 2019 · Agenda descriptions for personnel actions
- If the body posted a link instead of the agenda itself, request details on whether the link gave direct access; note that D1258.3 only approved a link that provided direct access without extra steps.Based on: 2018 · A school board's special-meeting notice and age…
Common mistakes
- Requesters assume committee meetings require online posting, but the Bureau has held that rule applies only to governing body meetings.Based on: 2023 · Posting of meeting agendas on a school district…
- Requesters challenge a link-based posting as invalid per se, but a direct link that gives access to the agenda is permitted.Based on: 2018 · A school board's special-meeting notice and age…
- Records coordinators believe a staff vacation excuses online posting for a special meeting, an argument the Bureau rejected.Based on: 2019 · Agenda descriptions for personnel actions
- Requesters fail to confirm whether the body's website is maintained by full-time staff, which is a prerequisite for the online posting obligation.Based on: 2019 · Agenda descriptions for personnel actions · 2018 · A school board's special-meeting notice and age…
Facts to gather first
- Type of meeting (governing body vs committee, regular vs special) and date/time
- Whether the public body has a website and whether it is maintained by full-time staff
- Date and time the agenda was posted (if at all) on the website or physically at the principal office
- Screenshots or records of the website on the day before the meeting showing absence of the agenda or a broken/indirect link
- Any public statements by the body about staff availability or reasons for late posting
These summaries are based on a limited set of non-binding determination letters; each case depends on its specific facts, and you should review the full PDF before relying on them.
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: oma-2-02-b.json.
Violation found (2)
Meeting notice for June 25, 2018 special meeting
Rule: A public body with a website maintained by full-time staff must post special meeting agendas on its website 48 hours before the meeting; no exception for staff vacation.
Violation found Agenda descriptions for personnel actions · January 3, 2019
Agenda not posted on website 48 hours before special meeting
Rule: A public body with a full-time staff-maintained website must post the agenda for a special meeting on its website at least 48 hours before the meeting.
Violation found A school board's special-meeting notice and agenda posting · July 23, 2018
No violation (4)
November 9, 2022 committee meeting agendas physical posting
Rule: Public notice is satisfied by posting a copy of the notice at the principal office at least 48 hours before the meeting.
No violation Posting of meeting agendas on a school district website · March 23, 2023
November 9, 2022 committee meeting agendas online posting
Rule: The online posting requirement applies only to meetings of the governing body, not to committee meetings.
No violation Posting of meeting agendas on a school district website · March 23, 2023
Use of linked website for posting agenda
Rule: A public body satisfies section 2.02(b) by providing an internet link on its website that gives the public direct access to the meeting agenda.
No violation A school board's special-meeting notice and agenda posting · July 23, 2018
Failure to provide 48 hours' notice of committee meetings
Rule: The record shows the Village provided 48 hours' notice of committee meetings as required by sections 2.02(a) and 2.02(b).
No violation A village's committee meeting schedule · August 8, 2017