Substitute House Bill No. 6850 seeks to amend the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by broadening the nondisclosure protections for the residential addresses of public agency employees. The bill repeals the existing Section 1-217 and introduces new provisions that expand the list of individuals whose residential addresses are protected from disclosure. This includes judges, law enforcement officers, and employees of various state departments, while also adding "any other employee of a public agency, except when residency is a condition or term of such person's employment." The bill clarifies that business addresses of these individuals remain subject to disclosure.

Additionally, the bill establishes procedures for public agencies regarding requests for records that may contain the residential addresses of protected individuals. It mandates that if an employee requests nondisclosure and provides their business address, the agency must redact their residential address from any disclosed records. The bill also outlines conditions under which municipal clerks and election officials can request nondisclosure of their addresses, particularly concerning election timelines. Importantly, it states that public agencies or officials will not face penalties for violations unless they are willful and knowing, and it provides a framework for handling complaints about such violations. The new provisions are set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 1-217
GAE Joint Favorable: 1-217
File No. 146: 1-217