Support Our Community Policy for Local Government Transparency and Independent Press Access Act: Help Us Get It Endorsed by Local Leaders.

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To ensure every municipality in Illinois is covered by independent media, increasing transparency and civic accountability through standardized access and oversight.

Key Problems Identified

No uniform press credentialing for journalists covering governance.
Existing press credentials are controlled by law enforcement (e.g., CPD), prioritizing crime reporting.
The Open Meetings Act (OMA) allows public access but does not manage press credentials or protect against inconsistent access.
Underserved communities lack dedicated municipal reporting.

Policy Solutions

Municipal Journalism Trust Fund
- Provides grants to support independent local journalism.
- Administered by the Independent Journalism Oversight Board (IJOB).
Press Credentialing Authority of Illinois (PCAI)
- A new, independent, nonpartisan body that:
  - Issues credentials to journalists covering municipal & state governance.
  - Maintains a public directory of credentialed reporters.
  - Ensures standardized, fair press access across municipalities.
- Removes credentialing authority from law enforcement entities.
Municipal Press Access Requirement
- Every municipality must ensure at least one independent journalist has access to:
  - Public meetings, records, and press briefings.

Municipalities cannot interfere with editorial independence.

Legal & Ethical Safeguards

Full First Amendment protection for journalists.
Strict ban on retaliation against reporters for critical or investigative coverage.

Implementation Timeline

IJOB: Within 6 months.
Trust Fund & PCAI: Operational within 12 months.
Municipal compliance: Required within 18 months.

Enforcement

Municipalities face penalties for non-compliance.
Journalists can file access complaints with IJOB.