ILLINOIS PUBLIC RECORDS NOT SO PUBLIC

Just how open are a state's public records?

Fifteen Illinois news organizations discovered that most officials were slow to provide documents that were clearly public record. What's worse, about one-fourth of the requests were totally ignored or flatly denied.

Reporters went to all 102 Illinois counties and requested public documents from county clerks, jails, city clerks of the largest cities and superintendents of the largest school districts. They didn't identify themselves at first, since the exercise was to determine if regular people could obtain the documents. Law allows anyone -- not just news organizations -- access to the information.

Nearly 60 percent of the time the Illinois reporters had to show a copy of the law after officials failed to comply with the request. And it's not just reporters who are facing a brick wall. The series cited a number of individuals or groups that had been unsuccessful in securing public information.

No doubt this experiment will turn some heads in the Illinois legislature, as well it should.

Illinois is not alone. Indiana newspapers were the first to test compliance by public officials for the state's existing open records law. Based on that bad experiences, the Indiana legislature enacted significant changes in the open-records law. Newspapers in several other states are conducting similar tests: New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania and California.

It might be time for Missouri to do its own test. No doubt Missouri newspapers would find similar experiences and need for reform.