LABORERS’ AND RETIREMENT BOARD EMPLOYEES’
ANNUITY AND BENEFIT FUND OF CHICAGO
Rules for Public Comment and Recording of Open Meetings
Adopted January 20, 2026
WHEREAS, the Retirement Board of the Laborers' and Retirement Board Employees' Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago ("Fund") recognizes that it is the public policy in Illinois that actions of public bodies be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly, as set forth in Illinois Open Meetings Act ("Act"), 5 ILCS 120 et seq.;
WHEREAS, Section 2.05 of the Act permits any person to record the proceedings at meetings required to be open by the Act by tape, film, or other means and authorizes the public body holding the meeting to prescribe reasonable rules to govern the right to make such recordings;
WHEREAS, Section 2.06(g) of the Act permits any person an opportunity to address public officials under the rules established and recorded by the public body;
WHEREAS, the Retirement Board of the Fund ("Board") acknowledges that it is a "public body" as defined in the Act, 5 ILCS 120/1.02, and pursuant to its authority under 40 ILCS 5/11-198, hereby adopts the following rules regarding the procedure to record open meetings, and the procedure to address the Board at meetings, in accordance with the Act.
Article 1 RECORDING OPEN MEETINGS
Any person may record the proceedings required to be open by the Act by tape, film, or other means, subject to the following reasonable rules, which are adopted to ensure the business of the Fund can be conducted in an orderly manner:
(a) Sign In. Any person who wishes to record the proceedings must sign in with his or her name and employer or affiliation for the minutes and indicate that they will record proceedings.
(b) Designated Location. The Executive Director shall designate a location(s) for recording equipment. The movements of people using recording equipment are restricted to the designated location(s) for the duration of the meeting.
(c) Minimal Disturbance. The person recording the proceedings shall ensure that the recording activity does not disturb the meeting or impair the ability of other meeting participants or members of the public from viewing the meeting.
(d) Audience Release. An announcement shall be made at the beginning of a meeting when a meeting is to be recorded. Individuals in attendance, who continue to attend the meeting after the announcement, give their permission to be recorded.
(e) Witness Exception. If any witness refuses to testify on the grounds that he or she may not be compelled to testify if any portion of his or her testimony is to be broadcast or televised or if motion pictures are to be taken of him or her during the testimony, then the Board shall prohibit such recording during the testimony of the witness.
(f) Violation. If any person is disruptive or violates these rules, which are designed to permit orderly recording of meetings, the Board may, at its discretion, deny the opportunity for further recording and/or remove the person from the meeting.
Article 2 RIGHT TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
The Board shall hear comments from members of the public who wish to express their views before the Board. The agenda for each regular board meeting may allot up to twenty minutes for this purpose. The right to address the Board is subject to the following reasonable rules, which are adopted to ensure the business of the Fund can be conducted in an orderly manner:
(a) Reasonable Prior Notice. Requests to address the Board shall be made to the Executive Director by 4:00 p.m. of the day prior to the meeting, provided that the Board shall have the discretion to waive the prior notice requirement, subject to the requirements in subparagraphs (b) through (d), below.
(b) Procedure. The Board shall recognize each speaker in the order of notice. Each speaker shall give his or her name and employer or affiliation for the minutes.Once a person has spoken, that person may not speak on the same issue again.
(c) Comments. Public comments shall be limited to issues pertaining to the Fund’s business. Subject to the discretion of the Board, public comments shall be limited to three minutes. Public comments are not to be disruptive and may not be used to solicit business.The public may only address the Board during the public comment portion of the open portion of the Board agenda, subject to the Board’s discretion.
(d) Violation. If any person is disruptive or violates these rules, which are designed to permit orderly public comments, the Board may, at its discretion, deny the opportunity for further public comment and/or remove the person from the meeting.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Board approves this policy to address the procedure to record open meetings and the procedure to address the Board at meetings, in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. This Policy shall supersede the prior Open Meetings Act Policy dated 11/15/2011.
I HEREBY CERTIFYthat this is a true copy of the Policy adopted by the Retirement Board of the Laborers' and Retirement Board Employees' Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago, at a meeting held on January 20, 2026.