Better Government Association

Represented by the MacArthur Justice Center, BGA and DuPage County service provider Radical Hospitality Ministries, has filed suit against elements of the judicial branch to force compliance with transparency requirements under the SAFE-T Act. For years, BGA has been working to bring transparency and accountability to Illinois’ judicial system. But not only have the courts avoided providing basic information to the public, they have also been violating the law.

This year’s schedule was unlike any in recent memory. While legislative sessions are always demanding, the greatest challenge was not the number of days lawmakers worked, but rather how those days were structured. Over a five-month period, the Illinois House and Senate were in session together for just 31 days. Eighteen of those days occurred during May alone as lawmakers rushed toward adjournment.

For nearly five years, the Better Government Association, through its leadership of the Court Transparency Coalition, has worked alongside lawmakers, civic organizations, and advocates to push for greater transparency and public accountability within Illinois’ judicial branch. That sustained effort has now resulted in a significant step forward.

The BGA Policy team applauds the Chicago City Council’s approval of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointment of David Glockner as the next Inspector General for the City of Chicago. The Office of Inspector General plays a vital role in promoting accountability, transparency, and public trust across city government, and this appointment marks an important moment for the city. Full disclosure, I had the privilege of serving as a member of the Inspector General search committee.

Organization: For over 100 years, the Better Government Association has been the only non-profit holding power to account through investigative and solutions-focused journalism and advocating for action that creates a better Illinois for all. We accomplish this in three ways: The Illinois Answers Project, our Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom, exposes systemic failures and elevates the stories that matter most.

Chicago’s city council today passed an ordinance establishing a working group to research, evaluate, and issue recommendations regarding health and safety inspections of rental units. The ordinance was produced and championed by the Chicago Healthy Homes Ordinance coalition, of which BGA Policy is a steering committee member. The coalition seeks a proactive rental inspection regimen similar to those successfully established in other major cities.

Chicago’s budget for the 2026 fiscal year, enacted just before its Dec. 31st deadline, made history when it passed without the mayor’s support or approval. Mayor Brandon Johnson lacked the votes to pass his own proposal and was forced to accept a budget package that contained substantial amendments by Chicago’s city council.

Submissions are now open for the 22nd Anniversary Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Aards for Investigative Reporting. News organizations across Chicago and Illinois are encouraged to apply. The deadline to submit your entry is Monday, February 23rd at 11:59 p.m. CDT. Join us for Beyond the Byline: Featuring the 22nd Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards for Investigative Reporting on Thursday, May 7, from 3:30–8:30 p.m. at Venue SIX10 in downtown Chicago.

Illinoisans should not need insider access or paid subscriptions to see their government at work. Across most of the country, residents can easily watch, search, and review legislative proceedings online on their own time. In Illinois, that basic level of transparency has long been missing, leaving the public behind while other states and even local governments provide basic online archives. Early last year, BGA Policy took a clear and direct step to expand transparency in Illinois government.

Just a few months after the last remaining law enforcement agencies were required to equip officers with body cameras, several legislative efforts in 2025 tried to limit access to body cam footage, according to an analysis by BGA Policy. Body cameras, which nearly all officers in Illinois must wear, help them collect evidence and also keep them accountable. Members of the public can use the footage to identify or prove misconduct.