Lawmaker says Illinois behind 44 states in legislative transparency

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois House Minority Leader Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, is renewing her bid to increase transparency in state government by making live legislative committee hearings available to the public after they occur – a shift from the current “live-only” access system.

McCombie recently filed House Bill 4383, legislation that would require that audio and video recordings of all Illinois General Assembly committee hearings be posted online and remain accessible for at least 30 days following each session.

Under the current system, hearings can be watched live but no searchable public archive exists, a gap McCombie says leaves everyday residents out of the process

“People have to be able to see what’s going on. [Constituents say,] ‘I wasn’t able to log in at noon, or I wasn’t available at 3 o’clock in the morning for this crazy budget that was just passed. I would like to watch and see what happens for myself,’” McCombie told TCS.

McCombie explained the bill represents an incremental first step, extending access for a limited time, toward her broader goal of permanent, searchable archives of all House and Senate proceedings.

“It would take our live hearings and hold them in space for 30 days,” she explained, adding that the technology “shouldn’t be that hard” given that townships and municipalities across Illinois already do this.

Illinois currently lags behind most of the country in this regard.

According to the advocacy group Better Government Association, 44 other U.S. states already offer some form of archived legislative videos that the public can easily search and review online, a level of access Illinois lacks.

Transparency advocates have long warned that public trust erodes when key legislative deliberations occur without accessible records. In January, the Better Government Association cited commitments from House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon to improve online archives, calling the effort “reasonable” and “transformative.”

“I originally introduced similar legislation in the 101st, 102nd and 103rd General Assemblies, and now here we are in the 104th,” McCombie said. “I think it’s gaining attention now because the Better Government Association reached out to Speaker Welch and Senate President Harmon, and suddenly transparency is being treated as a good idea.”

McCombie acknowledged that HB4383 does not include dedicated funding.

“There’s no appropriation, and to me this shouldn’t be that expensive,” McCombie said. “I understand there are security considerations, but small municipalities and villages have been doing this for years, often through a simple YouTube channel.”

Transparency concerns are often heightened by late-night legislative sessions, particularly during budget negotiations. McCombie noted that in past years, key votes and amendments have taken place in the early morning hours, when most residents are unable to attend or watch proceedings live.

“I would love to see more regular hours if people can see it in real time,” she said, adding that scheduling decisions rest with the majority party. While McCombie acknowledged that sessions are starting on time more consistently, she said overnight lawmaking remains a concern.

McCombie acknowledged that HB4383 does not include enforcement mechanisms.

She suggested that any gaps in compliance would likely be technical rather than deliberate, noting that streaming infrastructure already exists.