101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB1426

 

Introduced 2/13/2019, by Sen. Melinda Bush

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 430/25-5
5 ILCS 430/25-20
5 ILCS 430/25-50
5 ILCS 430/25-52

    Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the appointing authorities shall (rather than may) appoint both members of the General Assembly and members of the general public to the Legislative Ethics Commission. Provides that the Legislative Inspector General may issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses for the purposes of testimony and production of documents and other items for inspection and copying and to make service of those subpoenas without the advance approval of the Legislative Ethics Commission. Provides that a complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission must be filed within 12 months after the Legislative Inspector General's initiation of an investigation (currently, 18 months after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a series of alleged violations). Provides that the Legislative Ethics Commission shall make available to the public any summary report in which a subject of the report is a current or former member of the General Assembly, and the Legislative Inspector General found that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred. Requires that publicly available summary reports be posted on the websites of the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Legislative Inspector General.


LRB101 07991 RJF 53048 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1426LRB101 07991 RJF 53048 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 Sections 25-5, 25-20, 25-50, and 25-52 as
6follows:
 
7    (5 ILCS 430/25-5)
8    Sec. 25-5. Legislative Ethics Commission.
9    (a) The Legislative Ethics Commission is created.
10    (b) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall consist of 8
11commissioners appointed 2 each by the President and Minority
12Leader of the Senate and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the
13House of Representatives.
14    The terms of the initial commissioners shall commence upon
15qualification. Each appointing authority shall designate one
16appointee who shall serve for a 2-year term running through
17June 30, 2005. Each appointing authority shall designate one
18appointee who shall serve for a 4-year term running through
19June 30, 2007. The initial appointments shall be made within 60
20days after the effective date of this Act.
21    After the initial terms, commissioners shall serve for
224-year terms commencing on July 1 of the year of appointment
23and running through June 30 of the fourth following year.

 

 

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

 

 

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1for the limited purpose of consideration of the matter for
2which the commissioner recused himself or herself, and the
3appointing authority for the recusing commissioner shall make a
4temporary appointment to fill the vacancy for consideration of
5the matter for which the commissioner recused himself or
6herself.
7    (d) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall have
8jurisdiction over current and former members of the General
9Assembly regarding events occurring during a member's term of
10office and current and former State employees regarding events
11occurring during any period of employment where the State
12employee's ultimate jurisdictional authority is (i) a
13legislative leader, (ii) the Senate Operations Commission, or
14(iii) the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services. The
15jurisdiction of the Commission is limited to matters arising
16under this Act.
17    An officer or executive branch State employee serving on a
18legislative branch board or commission remains subject to the
19jurisdiction of the Executive Ethics Commission and is not
20subject to the jurisdiction of the Legislative Ethics
21Commission.
22    (e) The Legislative Ethics Commission must meet, either in
23person or by other technological means, monthly or as often as
24necessary. At the first meeting of the Legislative Ethics
25Commission, the commissioners shall choose from their number a
26chairperson and other officers that they deem appropriate. The

 

 

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1terms of officers shall be for 2 years commencing July 1 and
2running through June 30 of the second following year. Meetings
3shall be held at the call of the chairperson or any 3
4commissioners. Official action by the Commission shall require
5the affirmative vote of 5 commissioners, and a quorum shall
6consist of 5 commissioners. Commissioners shall receive no
7compensation but may be reimbursed for their reasonable
8expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties.
9    (f) No commissioner, other than a commissioner who is a
10member of the General Assembly, or employee of the Legislative
11Ethics Commission may during his or her term of appointment or
12employment:
13        (1) become a candidate for any elective office;
14        (2) hold any other elected or appointed public office
15    except for appointments on governmental advisory boards or
16    study commissions or as otherwise expressly authorized by
17    law;
18        (3) be actively involved in the affairs of any
19    political party or political organization; or
20        (4) advocate for the appointment of another person to
21    an appointed or elected office or position or actively
22    participate in any campaign for any elective office.
23    (f-5) No commissioner who is a member of the General
24Assembly may be a candidate for statewide office, federal
25office, or judicial office. If a commissioner who is a member
26of the General Assembly files petitions to be a candidate for a

 

 

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1statewide office, federal office, or judicial office, he or she
2shall be deemed to have resigned from his or her position as a
3commissioner on the date his or her name is certified for the
4ballot by the State Board of Elections or local election
5authority and his or her position as a commissioner shall be
6deemed vacant. Such person may not be reappointed to the
7Commission during any time he or she is a candidate for
8statewide office, federal office, or judicial office.
9    (g) An appointing authority may remove a commissioner only
10for cause.
11    (h) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall appoint an
12Executive Director subject to the approval of at least 3 of the
134 legislative leaders. The compensation of the Executive
14Director shall be as determined by the Commission. The
15Executive Director of the Legislative Ethics Commission may
16employ, subject to the approval of at least 3 of the 4
17legislative leaders, and determine the compensation of staff,
18as appropriations permit.
19    (i) In consultation with the Legislative Inspector
20General, the Legislative Ethics Commission may develop
21comprehensive training for members and employees under its
22jurisdiction that includes, but is not limited to, sexual
23harassment, employment discrimination, and workplace civility.
24The training may be recommended to the ultimate jurisdictional
25authorities and may be approved by the Commission to satisfy
26the sexual harassment training required under Section 5-10.5 or

 

 

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1be provided in addition to the annual sexual harassment
2training required under Section 5-10.5. The Commission may seek
3input from governmental agencies or private entities for
4guidance in developing such training.
5(Source: P.A. 100-588, eff. 6-8-18; revised 10-11-18.)
 
6    (5 ILCS 430/25-20)
7    Sec. 25-20. Duties of the Legislative Inspector General.
8In addition to duties otherwise assigned by law, the
9Legislative Inspector General shall have the following duties:
10        (1) To receive and investigate allegations of
11    violations of this Act. Except as otherwise provided in
12    paragraph (1.5), an investigation may not be initiated more
13    than one year after the most recent act of the alleged
14    violation or of a series of alleged violations except where
15    there is reasonable cause to believe that fraudulent
16    concealment has occurred. To constitute fraudulent
17    concealment sufficient to toll this limitations period,
18    there must be an affirmative act or representation
19    calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that a
20    violation has occurred. The Legislative Inspector General
21    shall have the discretion to determine the appropriate
22    means of investigation as permitted by law.
23        (1.5) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
24    contrary, the Legislative Inspector General, whether
25    appointed by the Legislative Ethics Commission or the

 

 

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1    General Assembly, may initiate an investigation based on
2    information provided to the Office of the Legislative
3    Inspector General or the Legislative Ethics Commission
4    during the period from December 1, 2014 through November 3,
5    2017. Any investigation initiated under this paragraph
6    (1.5) must be initiated within one year after the effective
7    date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly.
8        Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary,
9    the Legislative Inspector General, through the Attorney
10    General, shall have the authority to file a complaint
11    related to any founded violations that occurred during the
12    period December 1, 2014 through November 3, 2017 to the
13    Legislative Ethics Commission, and the Commission shall
14    have jurisdiction to conduct administrative hearings
15    related to any pleadings filed by the Legislative Inspector
16    General, provided the complaint is filed with the
17    Commission no later than 6 months after the summary report
18    is provided to the Attorney General in accordance with
19    subsection (c) of Section 25-50.
20        (2) To request information relating to an
21    investigation from any person when the Legislative
22    Inspector General deems that information necessary in
23    conducting an investigation.
24        (3) To issue subpoenas, with the advance approval of
25    the Commission, to compel the attendance of witnesses for
26    the purposes of testimony and production of documents and

 

 

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1    other items for inspection and copying and to make service
2    of those subpoenas and subpoenas issued under item (7) of
3    Section 25-15.
4        (4) To submit reports as required by this Act.
5        (5) To file pleadings in the name of the Legislative
6    Inspector General with the Legislative Ethics Commission,
7    through the Attorney General, as provided in this Article
8    if the Attorney General finds that reasonable cause exists
9    to believe that a violation has occurred.
10        (6) To assist and coordinate the ethics officers for
11    State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Legislative
12    Inspector General and to work with those ethics officers.
13        (7) To participate in or conduct, when appropriate,
14    multi-jurisdictional investigations.
15        (8) To request, as the Legislative Inspector General
16    deems appropriate, from ethics officers of State agencies
17    under his or her jurisdiction, reports or information on
18    (i) the content of a State agency's ethics training program
19    and (ii) the percentage of new officers and employees who
20    have completed ethics training.
21        (9) To establish a policy that ensures the appropriate
22    handling and correct recording of all investigations of
23    allegations and to ensure that the policy is accessible via
24    the Internet in order that those seeking to report those
25    allegations are familiar with the process and that the
26    subjects of those allegations are treated fairly.

 

 

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1        (10) To post information to the Legislative Inspector
2    General's website explaining to complainants and subjects
3    of an investigation the legal limitations on the
4    Legislative Inspector General's ability to provide
5    information to them and a general overview of the
6    investigation process.
7(Source: P.A. 100-553, eff. 11-16-17; 100-588, eff. 6-8-18.)
 
8    (5 ILCS 430/25-50)
9    Sec. 25-50. Investigation reports.
10    (a) If the Legislative Inspector General, upon the
11conclusion of an investigation, determines that reasonable
12cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the
13Legislative Inspector General shall issue a summary report of
14the investigation. The report shall be delivered to the
15appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority, to the head of
16each State agency affected by or involved in the investigation,
17if appropriate, and the member, if any, that is the subject of
18the report. The appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority
19or agency head and the member, if any, that is the subject of
20the report shall respond to the summary report within 20 days,
21in writing, to the Legislative Inspector General. If the
22ultimate jurisdictional authority is the subject of the report,
23he or she may only respond to the summary report in his or her
24capacity as the subject of the report and shall not respond in
25his or her capacity as the ultimate jurisdictional authority.

 

 

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1The response shall include a description of any corrective or
2disciplinary action to be imposed. If the appropriate ultimate
3jurisdictional authority or the member that is the subject of
4the report does not respond within 20 days, or within an
5extended time as agreed to by the Legislative Inspector
6General, the Legislative Inspector General may proceed under
7subsection (c) as if a response had been received. A member
8receiving and responding to a report under this Section shall
9be deemed to be acting in his or her official capacity.
10    (b) The summary report of the investigation shall include
11the following:
12        (1) A description of any allegations or other
13    information received by the Legislative Inspector General
14    pertinent to the investigation.
15        (2) A description of any alleged misconduct discovered
16    in the course of the investigation.
17        (3) Recommendations for any corrective or disciplinary
18    action to be taken in response to any alleged misconduct
19    described in the report, including but not limited to
20    discharge.
21        (4) Other information the Legislative Inspector
22    General deems relevant to the investigation or resulting
23    recommendations.
24    (c) Within 30 days after receiving a response from the
25appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head
26under subsection (a), the Legislative Inspector General shall

 

 

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1notify the Commission and the Attorney General if the
2Legislative Inspector General believes that a complaint should
3be filed with the Commission. If the Legislative Inspector
4General desires to file a complaint with the Commission, the
5Legislative Inspector General shall submit the summary report
6and supporting documents to the Attorney General. If the
7Attorney General concludes that there is insufficient evidence
8that a violation has occurred, the Attorney General shall
9notify the Legislative Inspector General and the Legislative
10Inspector General shall deliver to the Legislative Ethics
11Commission a copy of the summary report and response from the
12ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head. If the
13Attorney General determines that reasonable cause exists to
14believe that a violation has occurred, then the Legislative
15Inspector General, represented by the Attorney General, may
16file with the Legislative Ethics Commission a complaint. The
17complaint shall set forth the alleged violation and the grounds
18that exist to support the complaint. Except as provided under
19subsection (1.5) of Section 20, the complaint must be filed
20with the Commission within 12 months after the Legislative
21Inspector General's initiation of an investigation 18 months
22after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a
23series of alleged violations except where there is reasonable
24cause to believe that fraudulent concealment has occurred. To
25constitute fraudulent concealment sufficient to toll this
26limitations period, there must be an affirmative act or

 

 

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1representation calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that
2a violation has occurred. If a complaint is not filed with the
3Commission within 6 months after notice by the Inspector
4General to the Commission and the Attorney General, then the
5Commission may set a meeting of the Commission at which the
6Attorney General shall appear and provide a status report to
7the Commission.
8    (c-5) Within 30 days after receiving a response from the
9appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head
10under subsection (a), if the Legislative Inspector General does
11not believe that a complaint should be filed, the Legislative
12Inspector General shall deliver to the Legislative Ethics
13Commission a statement setting forth the basis for the decision
14not to file a complaint and a copy of the summary report and
15response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency
16head. The Inspector General may also submit a redacted version
17of the summary report and response from the ultimate
18jurisdictional authority if the Inspector General believes
19either contains information that, in the opinion of the
20Inspector General, should be redacted prior to releasing the
21report, may interfere with an ongoing investigation, or
22identifies an informant or complainant.
23    (c-10) If, after reviewing the documents, the Commission
24believes that further investigation is warranted, the
25Commission may request that the Legislative Inspector General
26provide additional information or conduct further

 

 

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1investigation. The Commission may also refer the summary report
2and response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority to the
3Attorney General for further investigation or review. If the
4Commission requests the Attorney General to investigate or
5review, the Commission must notify the Attorney General and the
6Legislative Inspector General. The Attorney General may not
7begin an investigation or review until receipt of notice from
8the Commission. If, after review, the Attorney General
9determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a
10violation has occurred, then the Attorney General may file a
11complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission. If the
12Attorney General concludes that there is insufficient evidence
13that a violation has occurred, the Attorney General shall
14notify the Legislative Ethics Commission and the appropriate
15Legislative Inspector General.
16    (d) A copy of the complaint filed with the Legislative
17Ethics Commission must be served on all respondents named in
18the complaint and on each respondent's ultimate jurisdictional
19authority in the same manner as process is served under the
20Code of Civil Procedure.
21    (e) A respondent may file objections to the complaint
22within 30 days after notice of the petition has been served on
23the respondent.
24    (f) The Commission shall meet, at least 30 days after the
25complaint is served on all respondents either in person or by
26telephone, in a closed session to review the sufficiency of the

 

 

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1complaint. The Commission shall issue notice by certified mail,
2return receipt requested, to the Legislative Inspector
3General, the Attorney General, and all respondents of the
4Commission's ruling on the sufficiency of the complaint. If the
5complaint is deemed to sufficiently allege a violation of this
6Act, then the Commission shall include a hearing date scheduled
7within 4 weeks after the date of the notice, unless all of the
8parties consent to a later date. If the complaint is deemed not
9to sufficiently allege a violation, then the Commission shall
10send by certified mail, return receipt requested, a notice to
11the Legislative Inspector General, the Attorney General, and
12all respondents the decision to dismiss the complaint.
13    (g) On the scheduled date the Commission shall conduct a
14closed meeting, either in person or, if the parties consent, by
15telephone, on the complaint and allow all parties the
16opportunity to present testimony and evidence. All such
17proceedings shall be transcribed.
18    (h) Within an appropriate time limit set by rules of the
19Legislative Ethics Commission, the Commission shall (i)
20dismiss the complaint, (ii) issue a recommendation of
21discipline to the respondent and the respondent's ultimate
22jurisdictional authority, (iii) impose an administrative fine
23upon the respondent, (iv) issue injunctive relief as described
24in Section 50-10, or (v) impose a combination of (ii) through
25(iv).
26    (i) The proceedings on any complaint filed with the

 

 

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1Commission shall be conducted pursuant to rules promulgated by
2the Commission.
3    (j) The Commission may designate hearing officers to
4conduct proceedings as determined by rule of the Commission.
5    (k) In all proceedings before the Commission, the standard
6of proof is by a preponderance of the evidence.
7    (l) Within 30 days after the issuance of a final
8administrative decision that concludes that a violation
9occurred, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall make public
10the entire record of proceedings before the Commission, the
11decision, any recommendation, any discipline imposed, and the
12response from the agency head or ultimate jurisdictional
13authority to the Legislative Ethics Commission.
14(Source: P.A. 100-588, eff. 6-8-18.)
 
15    (5 ILCS 430/25-52)
16    Sec. 25-52. Release of summary reports.
17    (a) Within 60 days after receipt of a summary report and
18response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency
19head that resulted in a suspension of at least 3 days or
20termination of employment, the Legislative Ethics Commission
21shall make available to the public the report and response or a
22redacted version of the report and response. The Legislative
23Ethics Commission shall also make available to the public any
24summary report in which a subject of the report is a current or
25former member of the General Assembly, and the Legislative

 

 

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1Inspector General found that reasonable cause exists to believe
2that a violation has occurred. The Legislative Ethics
3Commission may make available to the public any other summary
4report and response of the ultimate jurisdictional authority or
5agency head or a redacted version of the report and response.
6Publicly available summary reports shall be posted on the
7websites of the Legislative Ethics Commission and the
8Legislative Inspector General.
9    (b) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall redact
10information in the summary report that may reveal the identity
11of witnesses, complainants, or informants or if the Commission
12determines it is appropriate to protect the identity of a
13person before publication. The Commission may also redact any
14information it believes should not be made public. Prior to
15publication, the Commission shall permit the respondents,
16Legislative Inspector General, and Attorney General to review
17documents to be made public and offer suggestions for redaction
18or provide a response that shall be made public with the
19summary report.
20    (c) The Legislative Ethics Commission may withhold
21publication of the report or response if the Legislative
22Inspector General or Attorney General certifies that
23publication will interfere with an ongoing investigation.
24(Source: P.A. 96-555, eff. 8-18-09.)