---
type: "Bill"
title: "OPEN MEET-LEGAL COUNSEL"
description: "Amends the Open Meetings Act. Permits a public body to close a meeting or portion of a meeting to discuss its legal counsel's appointment, performance, compensation, or dismissal. Effective July 1, 2003."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "93rd"
identifier: "SB 1204"
citation: "Illinois SB 1204 (93rd)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 40
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2003-02-20"
last_action: "2003-06-30"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/bbd7de1c-e9b1-4568-a578-61d26b529232"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1204&GAID=3&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=4134&SessionID=3&GA=93"
source_hash: "86affcdfe54b09f3b2c9449c55da3d17427b2d53e0de454654d071b989583597"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois SB 1204 (93rd) — OPEN MEET-LEGAL COUNSEL

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Permits a public body to close a meeting or portion of a meeting to discuss its legal counsel's appointment, performance, compensation, or dismissal. Effective July 1, 2003.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09300SB1204&GA=93&SessionId=3&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=4134&DocNum=1204&GAID=3&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09300SB1204eng&GA=93&SessionId=3&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=4134&DocNum=1204&GAID=3&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09300SB1204enr&GA=93&SessionId=3&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=4134&DocNum=1204&GAID=3&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **114–0** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **38–20** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Don Harmon — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2003-02-20** Filed with Secretary by Sen. Don Harmon `filing`
- **2003-02-20** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2003-02-20** Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2003-02-27** Assigned to Local Government `referral-committee`
- **2003-03-12** Do Pass Local Government; 009-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2003-03-12** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 13, 2003
- **2003-03-13** Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford
- **2003-03-18** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2003-03-18** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 19, 2003
- **2003-03-19** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Don Harmon `amendment-introduction`
- **2003-03-19** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2003-03-24** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Local Government
- **2003-03-25** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Be Adopted Local Government; 009-000-000 `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2003-03-25** Recalled to Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2003-03-25** Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted; Harmon `amendment-passage`
- **2003-03-25** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 26, 2003
- **2003-03-26** Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Barack Obama
- **2003-03-26** Third Reading - Passed; 038-020-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2003-03-26** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2003-03-26** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2003-03-27** Chief House Sponsor Rep. Robin Kelly
- **2003-03-28** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2003-03-28** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2003-03-31** Assigned to State Government Administration Committee `referral-committee`
- **2003-04-16** Do Pass / Short Debate State Government Administration Committee; 010-000-001 `committee-passage`
- **2003-04-16** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2003-04-29** Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough
- **2003-05-01** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Bob Biggins
- **2003-05-01** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough
- **2003-05-01** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Marlow H. Colvin
- **2003-05-09** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2003-05-09** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2003-05-09** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Deborah L. Graham
- **2003-05-16** Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Extended-Rule 9(b); May 23, 2003
- **2003-05-21** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 114-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2003-05-21** Passed Both Houses
- **2003-06-19** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2003-06-30** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2003-06-30** Effective Date July 1, 2003
- **2003-06-30** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 93-0057 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/bbd7de1c-e9b1-4568-a578-61d26b529232`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).