100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB2264

 

Introduced 11/7/2017, by Sen. William E. Brady

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 430/25-5

    Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that at least one of the 2 commissioners to the Legislative Ethics Commission appointed each by the President and Minority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives must be a member of the general public. Provides that, other than a member of the General Assembly, a person is not eligible to serve as a commissioner if that person holds a partisan elected or political party office, or is otherwise an officer or employee of a political committee or political campaign. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB2264LRB100 15547 RJF 30614 b

1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act is
5amended by changing Section 25-5 as follows:
 
6    (5 ILCS 430/25-5)
7    Sec. 25-5. Legislative Ethics Commission.
8    (a) The Legislative Ethics Commission is created.
9    (b) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall consist of 8
10commissioners appointed 2 each by the President and Minority
11Leader of the Senate and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the
12House of Representatives. At least one of the 2 commissioners
13appointed each by the President and Minority Leader of the
14Senate and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of
15Representatives must be a member of the general public.
16    The terms of the initial commissioners shall commence upon
17qualification. Each appointing authority shall designate one
18appointee who shall serve for a 2-year term running through
19June 30, 2005. Each appointing authority shall designate one
20appointee who shall serve for a 4-year term running through
21June 30, 2007. The initial appointments shall be made within 60
22days after the effective date of this Act.
23    After the initial terms, commissioners shall serve for

 

 

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14-year terms commencing on July 1 of the year of appointment
2and running through June 30 of the fourth following year.
3Commissioners may be reappointed to one or more subsequent
4terms.
5    Vacancies occurring other than at the end of a term shall
6be filled by the appointing authority only for the balance of
7the term of the commissioner whose office is vacant.
8    Terms shall run regardless of whether the position is
9filled.
10    (c) The appointing authorities shall appoint commissioners
11who have experience holding governmental office or employment
12and may appoint commissioners who are members of the General
13Assembly as well as commissioners from the general public. A
14commissioner who is a member of the General Assembly must
15recuse himself or herself from participating in any matter
16relating to any investigation or proceeding in which he or she
17is the subject. A person is not eligible to serve as a
18commissioner if that person (i) has been convicted of a felony
19or a crime of dishonesty or moral turpitude, (ii) is, or was
20within the preceding 12 months, engaged in activities that
21require registration under the Lobbyist Registration Act,
22(iii) is a relative of the appointing authority, or (iv) is a
23State officer or employee other than a member of the General
24Assembly, or (v) holds a partisan elected or political party
25office, or is otherwise an officer or employee of a political
26committee or political campaign, other than a member of the

 

 

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1General Assembly.
2    (d) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall have
3jurisdiction over members of the General Assembly and all State
4employees whose ultimate jurisdictional authority is (i) a
5legislative leader, (ii) the Senate Operations Commission, or
6(iii) the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services. The
7jurisdiction of the Commission is limited to matters arising
8under this Act.
9    An officer or executive branch State employee serving on a
10legislative branch board or commission remains subject to the
11jurisdiction of the Executive Ethics Commission and is not
12subject to the jurisdiction of the Legislative Ethics
13Commission.
14    (e) The Legislative Ethics Commission must meet, either in
15person or by other technological means, monthly or as often as
16necessary. At the first meeting of the Legislative Ethics
17Commission, the commissioners shall choose from their number a
18chairperson and other officers that they deem appropriate. The
19terms of officers shall be for 2 years commencing July 1 and
20running through June 30 of the second following year. Meetings
21shall be held at the call of the chairperson or any 3
22commissioners. Official action by the Commission shall require
23the affirmative vote of 5 commissioners, and a quorum shall
24consist of 5 commissioners. Commissioners shall receive no
25compensation but may be reimbursed for their reasonable
26expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties.

 

 

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1    (f) No commissioner, other than a commissioner who is a
2member of the General Assembly, or employee of the Legislative
3Ethics Commission may during his or her term of appointment or
4employment:
5        (1) become a candidate for any elective office;
6        (2) hold any other elected or appointed public office
7    except for appointments on governmental advisory boards or
8    study commissions or as otherwise expressly authorized by
9    law;
10        (3) be actively involved in the affairs of any
11    political party or political organization; or
12        (4) advocate for the appointment of another person to
13    an appointed or elected office or position or actively
14    participate in any campaign for any elective office.
15    (g) An appointing authority may remove a commissioner only
16for cause.
17    (h) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall appoint an
18Executive Director subject to the approval of at least 3 of the
194 legislative leaders. The compensation of the Executive
20Director shall be as determined by the Commission. The
21Executive Director of the Legislative Ethics Commission may
22employ, subject to the approval of at least 3 of the 4
23legislative leaders, and determine the compensation of staff,
24as appropriations permit.
25(Source: P.A. 96-555, eff. 8-18-09.)
 
26    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon

 

 

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1becoming law.