Gov. Quinn signs P.A. 97-504 Requiring OMA Training for School Board Members

School Board Members are now required to receive Open Meetings Act training.

The Governor's signature of Public Act 97-0504 on August 23rd requires that, beginning on January 1, 2012, all school board members shall have 1 year to successfully complete Open Meetings Act ("OMA") training provided by the Attorney General's Public Access Counselor electronically (the Act also provides that training may be provided by the Illinois Association of School Boards).  Public Act 97-0504 creates a training requirement for "each elected or appointed member of a public body subject to this Act" (the Open Meetings Act) in addition to the already existing OMA training requirement for "designated employees, officers and members".     

Key changes: 

 - All board members elected or appointed prior to January 1, 1012 shall have 1 year from that date to complete electronic OMA training provided by the Illinois Public Access Counselor.

 - All board members elected or appointed after January 1, 2012 shall complete the OMA training within 90 days of taking the oath of office (for public bodies which do not require an oath of office, the member shall complete the training within 90 days of "assuming responsibility as a member of the public body") 

 - The OMA training required by PA 94-0504 is separate from the board member training provisions established by the Educational Reform Act (SB-7)