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 […]
Sophia Van Pelt
Sophia Van Pelt (pronouns: She/Her/Hers) graduated from Illinois State University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. Her policy classes sparked an interest in policy analysis which led to her graduating in 2021 with a master's in Applied Economics, also from Illinois State. Her main academic interests are in the fields of Econometrics, Health Economics, and Labor Economics. She hopes to use her data and statistical knowledge to give policymakers a clearer understanding of the possible impact their legislation might have.
Posted inResearch & Analysis
2025 FOIA Legislation Analysis
The foundational principle of Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act is that the public is entitled to “full and complete information regarding the affairs of government.” Many stakeholders — journalists, researchers, government agencies, members of the public, etc. — have a vested interest in how FOIA works.
Posted inOpenGov
How to FOIA for Body Camera Footage
Under Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act, there is a presumption that government records are open to the public. Body cam footage is an anomaly. Its availability is dictated by the […]
Posted inResearch & Analysis
City Council Upheld the Mayor’s ‘Snap’ Curfew Veto. Here’s What Chicago Dodged.
The Chicago City Council passed a “snap” curfew ordinance on June 18 that allows the superintendent to impose short-notice curfews. Two days later, Mayor Brandon Johnson issued the first veto […]
Posted inPerspectives
The Public Should Have Open Access to Judicial Records. A Recent Investigation Shows Why.
BGA Policy has long documented the perils that come with the judiciary being exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. This lack of public oversight puts those in the courts’ […]
Posted inResearch & Analysis
State Courts Lag on Electronic Monitoring Data Required by SAFE-T Act
As BGA Policy has consistently highlighted, Illinois’ judicial branch is not subject to FOIA, leaving entities like juvenile detention centers, policies and procedures of judicial agencies, training manuals and budget […]
Posted inResearch & Analysis
SAFE-T Act Data Collection Begins Behind Schedule
Illinois courts are quickly falling behind in key areas of data-collection required by the state’s new Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act – a lag that is making it […]
Posted inPerspectives
Sophia Van Pelt: Illinois Juvenile Detention Centers Can Hide Mistreatment Behind FOIA Exclusion
It’s hardly news that the juvenile justice system in Illinois is failing the young people it is supposed to serve. In the Cook County detention center alone, advocates and journalists in […]
Posted inResearch & Analysis
How a FOIA Loophole in Illinois Puts Kids at Risk
A BGA Policy analysis of the 16 county detention centers across Illinois has found that only three successfully have completed audits mandated by federal law to enforce protections against sexual […]
Posted inResearch & Analysis
Illinois Legislative Oversight is Weak Compared to Other States
Legislative watchdog is ill-equipped compared to other Illinois watchdogs