---
type: "Bill"
title: "OPEN MEETINGS-PHYSICAL QUORUM"
description: "Amends the Open Meetings Act. Permits a public body with statewide jurisdiction or with jurisdiction over more than 4,500 square miles to include members participating in a video or audio conference at specified locations when determining the physical presence of a quorum at an open meeting (now, a public body with statewide jurisdiction may include members participating in a video conference at specified locations when determining the physical presence of a quorum at an open meeting). Provides that the requirement that members of a public body with less than statewide jurisdiction be physically present at a closed meeting is limited to public bodies with jurisdiction over 4,500 or fewer square miles. Effective immediately."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "96th"
identifier: "HB 793"
citation: "Illinois HB 793 (96th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 54
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2009-02-09"
last_action: "2009-08-25"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/64fe78c8-9ea0-4549-b239-657e580420ba"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=793&GAID=10&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=42246&SessionID=76&GA=96"
source_hash: "34cded2bb1dacc040c708d9ff6860eb27a77142f1af6b2c6db4317bb82a9d65c"
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 HB 793 (96th) — OPEN MEETINGS-PHYSICAL QUORUM

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Permits a public body with statewide jurisdiction or with jurisdiction over more than 4,500 square miles to include members participating in a video or audio conference at specified locations when determining the physical presence of a quorum at an open meeting (now, a public body with statewide jurisdiction may include members participating in a video conference at specified locations when determining the physical presence of a quorum at an open meeting). Provides that the requirement that members of a public body with less than statewide jurisdiction be physically present at a closed meeting is limited to public bodies with jurisdiction over 4,500 or fewer square miles. Effective immediately.

## 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=09600HB0793&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=42246&DocNum=793&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB0793eng&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=42246&DocNum=793&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB0793enr&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=42246&DocNum=793&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **97–20** (pass) · lower
- Amendments — **57–0** (pass) · upper
- Third Reading — **50–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Dave Winters — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2009-02-09** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Dave Winters `filing`
- **2009-02-09** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-02-09** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-02-11** Assigned to Executive Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-02-18** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Robert W. Pritchard
- **2009-02-20** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Dan Reitz
- **2009-03-13** Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-03-25** Committee Deadline Extended-Rule 9(b) April 3, 2009
- **2009-03-25** Assigned to Executive Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-03-31** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Executive Committee `amendment-introduction`
- **2009-03-31** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Executive Committee; by Voice Vote `amendment-passage`
- **2009-03-31** Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Executive Committee; 011-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-03-31** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-03-31** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2009-03-31** Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2009-04-01** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-04-02** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 097-020-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-04-02** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2009-04-02** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading April 21, 2009 `reading-1`
- **2009-04-14** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. John J. Cullerton
- **2009-04-14** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Don Harmon
- **2009-04-15** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-04-15** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-22** Assigned to Local Government `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-22** Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. J. Bradley Burzynski
- **2009-04-23** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. David Koehler
- **2009-04-28** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Michael Noland
- **2009-04-29** Postponed - Local Government
- **2009-04-30** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. J. Bradley Burzynski `amendment-introduction`
- **2009-04-30** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-05-05** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Local Government
- **2009-05-06** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted `amendment-passage`
- **2009-05-06** Do Pass as Amended Local Government; 007-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-05-06** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 7, 2009
- **2009-05-12** Sponsor Removed Sen. Don Harmon
- **2009-05-12** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2009-05-12** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 13, 2009
- **2009-05-15** Third Reading - Passed; 050-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-05-15** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2009-05-15** Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 1
- **2009-05-27** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion Filed Non-Concur Rep. Dave Winters
- **2009-05-28** House Non-Concurs by Voice Vote; SA 1
- **2009-05-28** Secretary's Desk - Non-Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 1
- **2009-05-28** Placed on Calendar Order of Non-Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 1 - May 29, 2009
- **2009-05-29** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Recede Filed with Secretary Sen. J. Bradley Burzynski `filing`
- **2009-05-29** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Recede Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-05-29** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Recede Assignments Referred to Local Government `referral-committee`
- **2009-05-29** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion To Recede Recommended Do Adopt Local Government; 006-000-000
- **2009-05-30** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Senate Recedes 057-000-000
- **2009-05-30** Passed Both Houses
- **2009-06-26** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2009-08-25** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2009-08-25** Effective Date August 25, 2009
- **2009-08-25** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-0664 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/64fe78c8-9ea0-4549-b239-657e580420ba`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).