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HB 2887

Relating to legalizing cannabis production, sales and adult consumption

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Shawn Fluharty and 6 co-sponsors

HB 2887 lowers recurrent requester thresholds and extends response time to 30 days, requiring disclosure of status and limiting notices to once every 30 days.

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Bill Summary · HB 2887

Summary — HB 2887 (FOIA — Recurrent Requesters)

Status: Rule 19(a) / Re‑referred to Rules Committee (Introduced Feb 2025)
Primary sponsor: Rep. Terra Costa Howard; Cosponsor: Rep. Martha Deuter
Related bills: SB 129, SB 386, HB 706

Purpose

HB 2887 amends the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to (1) change the numerical thresholds that cause a requester to be designated a “recurrent requester,” (2) change procedural timing for responses to recurrent requesters, (3) limit how often public bodies must notify a requester that they are being treated as recurrent, and (4) create a disclosure requirement for persons designated as recurrent requesters.

Key provisions and changes

  • Recurrent requester thresholds (Section 2, definition of “recurrent requester”):
    • Lowers the cumulative thresholds that trigger the designation. Under the bill, a person becomes a recurrent requester for a given public body if they submit any one of the following to that body:
    • At least 40 requests (replacing the previous 50), or
    • At least 10 requests within a 30‑day period (replacing 15), or
    • At least 5 requests within a 7‑day period (replacing 7).
    • News media and nonprofit/scientific/academic organizations remain excluded from the counts when their principal purpose is news dissemination, opinion/features, or academic/scientific/public research/education.
  • Response timing (Section 3.2):
    • Public bodies must respond to requests from persons already designated as recurrent requesters within 30 days after receipt of the request (changed from 21 days).
  • Notice frequency:
    • When a public body notifies a requester that their requests are being treated as recurrent, that notice need only be provided once every 30 days (reduces frequency of repeated notices).
  • Disclosure requirement / violation:
    • The bill makes it a violation for a person designated as a recurrent requester to knowingly obtain a public record without disclosing their status as a recurrent requester.
  • Definitions / mechanics:
    • The bill continues to define “request” broadly (written or — at the public body’s option — oral) and retains exemptions for news media and certain non‑profits. (The bill text also contains definitions for voluminous requests and other FOIA provisions that remain in force.)

Who is affected

  • Public bodies across Illinois: will apply the lowered thresholds and modified timelines when identifying and processing recurrent requesters; may rely on the longer 30‑day response window for such requesters.
  • Requesters: more individuals or organizations may be classified as recurrent requesters because thresholds are reduced; those so designated must disclose that status when obtaining records or face a violation.
  • News media, and nonprofit/scientific/academic requesters: generally exempt from being counted toward the recurrent‑requester thresholds when requests serve the exempted public‑interest purposes.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • More requesters will meet the recurrent‑requester definition, which can change how public bodies process their requests (including relying on the 30‑day response window).
  • Requiring disclosure of recurrent status could deter some frequent requesters or alter requester behavior; it also creates an added compliance requirement for those designated.
  • Extending the response period for recurrent requesters from 21 to 30 days could give public bodies more time to compile records but may delay public access for frequent requesters.
  • Existing FOIA exemptions and protections for the press and academic researchers remain preserved in the counting rules.

Procedural notes

  • Bill introduced in early February 2025. Sponsors and related companion bills are listed above. Current legislative status (per the materials provided) is Rule 19(a) / Re‑referred to Rules Committee. No effective date is specified in the provided text.

If you’d like, I can:
- Provide side‑by‑side comparison (current law vs. proposed text) for each changed provision, or
- Draft a one‑page explainer for public bodies on implementing the new recurrent‑requester rules.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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