Bill > HB1040

This bill, titled the Open Operating Standards Act, mandates that state agencies make public data sets available through a single web portal, data.illinois.gov, or its successor, and requires that grant-awarding agencies (grantor agencies) report specific details about the grant funds they have awarded in the previous fiscal year. These details must include the name of the awarding agency, the recipient (grantee), a description of the grant's purpose, the amount awarded, and the date and duration of the award, with agencies encouraged to provide any other relevant information. The bill defines "grant funds" as public money given by a state agency to an individual or entity for a specific purpose, excluding funds from fee-for-service contracts. It also establishes "Illinois Open Data" as the state's open operating standard, promoting transparency by making public data accessible and usable without restrictions, though certain types of data, such as those protected by law or reflecting internal deliberations, are exempt from disclosure. The Act also outlines legal policies for open data, stating that the provided data is for informational purposes and the state is not liable for its accuracy or any third-party applications using it, and all public data sets are in the public domain.