101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB0074

 

Introduced 1/23/2019, by Sen. Melinda Bush

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 430/25-15

    Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the Legislative Ethics Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation authorized under specified provisions. Provides that any existing rule, as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation is void. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB0074LRB101 04548 RJF 49556 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 25-15 as follows:
 
6    (5 ILCS 430/25-15)
7    Sec. 25-15. Duties of the Legislative Ethics Commission.
8In addition to duties otherwise assigned by law, the
9Legislative Ethics Commission shall have the following duties:
10        (1) To promulgate rules governing the performance of
11    its duties and the exercise of its powers and governing the
12    investigations of the Legislative Inspector General;
13    except that, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall adopt
14    no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek
15    the Commission's advance approval before commencing any
16    investigation authorized under this Article. Any existing
17    rule, as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of
18    the 101st General Assembly, requiring the Legislative
19    Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance
20    approval before commencing any investigation is void. The
21    rules shall be available on the Commission's website and
22    any proposed changes to the rules must be made available to
23    the public on the Commission's website no less than 7 days

 

 

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1    before the adoption of the changes. Any person shall be
2    given an opportunity to provide written or oral testimony
3    before the Commission in support of or opposition to
4    proposed rules.
5        (2) To conduct administrative hearings and rule on
6    matters brought before the Commission only upon the receipt
7    of pleadings filed by the Legislative Inspector General and
8    not upon its own prerogative, but may appoint special
9    Legislative Inspectors General as provided in Section
10    25-21. Any other allegations of misconduct received by the
11    Commission from a person other than the Legislative
12    Inspector General shall be referred to the Office of the
13    Legislative Inspector General.
14        (3) To prepare and publish manuals and guides and,
15    working with the Office of the Attorney General, oversee
16    training of employees under its jurisdiction that explains
17    their duties.
18        (4) To prepare public information materials to
19    facilitate compliance, implementation, and enforcement of
20    this Act.
21        (5) To submit reports as required by this Act.
22        (6) To the extent authorized by this Act, to make
23    rulings, issue recommendations, and impose administrative
24    fines, if appropriate, in connection with the
25    implementation and interpretation of this Act. The powers
26    and duties of the Commission are limited to matters clearly

 

 

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1    within the purview of this Act.
2        (7) To issue subpoenas with respect to matters pending
3    before the Commission, subject to the provisions of this
4    Article and in the discretion of the Commission, to compel
5    the attendance of witnesses for purposes of testimony and
6    the production of documents and other items for inspection
7    and copying.
8        (8) To appoint special Legislative Inspectors General
9    as provided in Section 25-21.
10        (9) To conspicuously display on the Commission's
11    website the procedures for reporting a violation of this
12    Act, including how to report violations via email or
13    online.
14        (10) To conspicuously display on the Commission's
15    website any vacancies within the Office of the Legislative
16    Inspector General.
17        (11) To appoint an Acting Legislative Inspector
18    General in the event of a vacancy in the Office of the
19    Legislative Inspector General.
20(Source: P.A. 100-554, eff. 11-16-17; 100-588, eff. 6-8-18.)
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.