During the first notice period, the agency shall accept data, views, arguments, or comments from any interested persons. The agency shall accept submissions in writing, including submissions by email or by other publicly accessible electronic means through its website. In the discretion of the agency, submissions may be submitted orally. The notice published in the Illinois Register shall indicate the manner selected by the agency for the submissions, including the email address or website address where submissions will be accepted. The agency shall consider all submissions received.
The agency shall hold a public hearing on the proposed rulemaking during the first notice period if (i) during the first notice period, the agency finds that a public hearing would facilitate the submission of views and comments that might not otherwise be submitted or (ii) the agency receives a request for a public hearing, within the first 14 days after publication of the notice of proposed rulemaking in the Illinois Register, from 25 interested persons, an association representing at least 100 interested persons, the Governor, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, or a unit of local government that may be affected. At the public hearing, the agency shall allow interested persons to present views and comments on the proposed rulemaking. A public hearing in response to a request for a hearing may not be held less than 20 days after the publication of the notice of proposed rulemaking in the Illinois Register unless notice of the public hearing is included in the notice of proposed rulemaking. A public hearing on proposed rulemaking may not be held less than 5 days before submission of the notice required under subsection (c) of this Section to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. Each agency may prescribe reasonable rules for the conduct of public hearings on proposed rulemaking to prevent undue repetition at the hearings. The hearings must be open to the public and recorded by stenographic or mechanical means. At least one agency representative shall be present during the hearing who is qualified to respond to general questions from the public regarding the agency's proposal and the rulemaking process.
5 ILCS 100/5-40