Quinn vetoes legislation limiting access to records

Gov. Pat Quinn has vetoed legislation that would've made it more difficult for members of the public to obtain large numbers of records under the Freedom of Information Act.

Quinn vetoed the measure Friday. It was sponsored by House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a Chicago Democrat, and passed the legislature in May. The legislation would have allowed public bodies to charge fees for providing electronic data if FOIA requests involved large amounts of information. It also would have given public entities exemptions from having to make copies of records on their websites.

Bill supporters said the measure eliminated "undue burdens." It was opposed by numerous press associations.

Quinn says the bill penalized those "seeking to learn more about their government."