Taxpayers have a right to know what their local government is voting on. They shouldn’t have to attend every single city council, village board or school board meeting to find out.

Thanks to legislation amending the Illinois Open Meetings Act and signed into law recently by Gov. Pat Quinn, taxpayers at least will have a better idea what their local governmental bodies are voting on simply by reading the agendas.

House Bill 4687 requires local governments’ meeting agendas to set forth the “general subject matter” of any issue that will be up for a final vote. In other words, explain to your constituency what the item up for a vote is about.