Charities that get money from Illinois government would have to open up their records to the public under a measure proposed by a state legislator.The proposal would consider nonprofits "public bodies" if they get state funding. Laurel O'Sullivan is with the Donors Forum. She objects to the bill saying it's impractical and unnecessary because nonprofits already have to make much of their financial, compensation and other information available to the public. She also says if nonprofits have to follow the Freedom of Information Act, for-profit companies that get state contracts or grants should also be included. O'Sullivan says that could have far, unintended consequences which could extend to newspapers for instance that receive state funding to put ads on Illinois Lottery or it could have unintended consequences for hospitals and nursing homes and privacy restrictions.
O'Sullivan says such a requirement would add an extra expense, at a time when many organizations are already struggling. She says the plan would create a "duplicative" and "confusing" as well as expensive bureaucracy. O'Sullivan says non-profits are private entities, and beacuse they receive government dollars does not convert them into public bodies. She says that's a fundamental misconception around the status of nonprofits.
The legislation isSB3773.
