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The Attorney General has the duty and responsibility to ensure that Illinois has an open and honest government that is accountable to the people it serves. The office has oversight of several important laws that ensure the free and open exchange of information between government and the public. Two pillars that uphold a functioning democracy are the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Open Meetings Act (OMA).
The office also investigates fraud against government bodies and employees or officials who break the public trust.
The Attorney General's Public Access Counselor (PAC) promotes transparency and access to government meetings and records and:
- Provides educational materials to the public and responds to informal inquiries;
- Issues advisory opinions on FOIA and OMA in response to requests by public bodies;
- Resolves or mediates FOIA and OMA disputes between members of the public and public bodies;
- Investigates and issues opinions when a FOIA request was denied or when it is alleged that a public body has violated OMA; and
- Provides electronic training to all FOIA officers and those designated by public bodies to receive OMA training
The Attorney General upholds the public's trust in our governing bodies and public institutions by:
- Investigating and prosecuting crimes committed by public servants; and
- Fighting fraud and unlawful acts against public bodies including theft of state revenue or misuse of public funds.
The Attorney General Office's staff maintains a high ethical standard in order to effectively and honestly serve the citizens of Illinois by:
- Instilling strict ethical principles through comprehensive training each year;
- Supporting procedures to report and/or address conduct that does not adhere to state ethics laws and the Office of the Attorney General's ethics policies; and
- Cooperating with the Executive Inspector General to receive and investigate complaints.