5 ILCS 347/25

(5 ILCS 347/25)

Sec. 25. Procedure for completing a written request.

(a) No governmental agency, person, business, or association shall be found to have violated any provision of this Act if the public official fails to submit a written request calling for the protection of the public official's personal information.

(b) A written request shall be valid if:

(1) The public official sends a written request directly to a governmental agency, person, business, or association; or

(2) The public official sends a written request to the Secretary of State in accordance with the policy and procedures adopted, by rule, by the Secretary of State for public officials to file written requests under this Act. In each quarter of a calendar year, the Secretary of State shall provide a list of all public officials who have submitted a written request under this paragraph to the appropriate officer with ultimate supervisory authority for a governmental agency. The officer shall promptly provide a copy of the list to any and all governmental agencies under his or her supervision. Receipt of the written request list compiled by the Secretary of State by a governmental agency shall constitute a written request to that governmental agency for the purposes of this Act. In each quarter of a calendar year, the Secretary of State shall provide a list of all public officials who have submitted a written request under this paragraph to the registered agent, president, manager, or otherwise highest ranking corporate officer with ultimate supervisory authority for a business or association. The person to which the list is provided shall promptly provide a copy of the list to any and all employees under his or her supervision who are responsible for compliance with this Act. Receipt of the written request list compiled by the Secretary of State by a business or association shall constitute a written request to that business or association for the purposes of this Act.

(c) A representative from the public official's office or the public official's employer may submit a written request on the public official's behalf, provided that the public official gives written consent to the representative and provided that the representative agrees to furnish a copy of that consent when a written request is made. The representative shall submit the written request as provided in subsection (b) of this Section.

(d) A public official's written request shall specify what personal information shall be maintained private. If a public official wishes to identify a secondary residence as a home address as that term is defined in this Act, the designation shall be made in the written request. A public official shall disclose the identity of the public official's immediate family and indicate that the personal information of these family members shall also be excluded to the extent that it could reasonably be expected to reveal the personal information of the public official.

(e) A public official's written request is valid until the public official provides the governmental agency, person, business, or association with written permission to release the private information. A public official's written request expires on death.

(f) A written request made under paragraph (2) of subsection (b) shall be in a form substantially similar to the form for judicial requests for the removal of personal information pursuant to the Judicial Privacy Act.

(Source: P.A. 104-443, eff. 1-1-26.)