HB0736 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 04769 JAM 14833 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB0736

Introduced 2/6/2009, by Rep. John A. Fritchey

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

5 ILCS 430/5-47 new
5 ILCS 430/50-5
25 ILCS 160/3 new
25 ILCS 170/2	from Ch. 63, par. 172
25 ILCS 170/3	from Ch. 63, par. 173
25 ILCS 170/3.5 new
25 ILCS 170/5
25 ILCS 170/6	from Ch. 63, par. 176
25 ILCS 170/6.5
25 ILCS 170/7	from Ch. 63, par. 177
25 ILCS 170/10	from Ch. 63, par. 180
25 ILCS 170/10.5 new
25 ILCS 170/4 rep.
25 ILCS 170/11 rep.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, the General Assembly Staff Assistants Act, and the Lobbyist Registration Act. Makes changes concerning: lobbying revolving door prohibition for State employees; website posting of legislative committee witness slips; registration requirements and exemptions for lobbyists and lobbying entities; disclosure of employment or retention of lobbyists by units of local government and school districts; reports by lobbyists and lobbying entities; gifts from lobbyists and lobbying entities to elected State officials and State employees; and investigation of and penalties for violations of the Lobbyist Registration Act.

CORRECTIONAL BUDGET AND IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning ethics.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act is amended by adding Section 5-47 and by changing Section 50-5 as follows:

(5 ILCS 430/5-47 new)

Sec. 5-47. Lobbying; revolving door. No State employee may accept compensation or other employment as a lobbyist representing clients before any State agency for which the employee worked for one year from the date the employee left that agency.

(5 ILCS 430/50-5)

Sec. 50-5. Penalties.

(a) A person is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor if that person intentionally violates any provision of Section 5-15, 5-30, 5-40, or 5-45, or 5-47 or Article 15.

(b) A person who intentionally violates any provision of Section 5-20, 5-35, 5-50, or 5-55 is guilty of a business offense subject to a fine of at least $1,001 and up to $5,000.

(c) A person who intentionally violates any provision of Article 10 is guilty of a business offense and subject to a fine of at least $1,001 and up to $5,000.

(d) Any person who intentionally makes a false report alleging a violation of any provision of this Act to an ethics commission, an inspector general, the State Police, a State's Attorney, the Attorney General, or any other law enforcement official is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(e) An ethics commission may levy an administrative fine of up to $5,000 against any person who violates this Act, who intentionally obstructs or interferes with an investigation conducted under this Act by an inspector general, or who intentionally makes a false, frivolous, or bad faith allegation.

(f) In addition to any other penalty that may apply, whether criminal or civil, a State employee who intentionally violates any provision of Section 5-15, 5-20, 5-30, 5-35, 5-40, or 5-50, Article 10, Article 15, or Section 20-90 or 25-90 is subject to discipline or discharge by the appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority.

(Source: P.A. 93-615, eff. 11-19-03; 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

Section 10. The General Assembly Staff Assistants Act is amended by adding Section 3 as follows:

(25 ILCS 160/3 new)

Sec. 3. Posting of witness slips. During the period the General Assembly is in session, each legislative committee clerk, as assigned, shall ensure that any witness slips proffered for committee testimony are entered into an electronic database and posted with bill information on the General Assembly website.

Section 15. The Lobbyist Registration Act is amended by changing Sections 2, 3, 5, 6, 6.5, 7, and 10 and by adding Sections 3.5 and 10.5 as follows:

(25 ILCS 170/2) (from Ch. 63, par. 172)

Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or any other organization or group of persons.

(b) "Expenditure" means a payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or gift of money or anything of value, and includes a contract, promise, or agreement, whether or not legally enforceable, to make an expenditure, for the ultimate purpose of influencing executive, legislative, or administrative action, other than compensation as defined in subsection (d).

(c) "Official" means any officer, member, or employee as those terms are defined in the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. :

(1) the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, and State Comptroller;

(2) Chiefs of Staff for officials described in item (1);

(3) Cabinet members of any elected constitutional officer, including Directors, Assistant Directors and Chief Legal Counsel or General Counsel;

(4) Members of the General Assembly.

(d) "Compensation" means any money, thing of value or financial benefits received or to be received in return for services rendered or to be rendered, for lobbying as defined in subsection (e).

Monies paid to members of the General Assembly by the State as remuneration for performance of their Constitutional and statutory duties as members of the General Assembly shall not constitute compensation as defined by this Act.

(e) "Lobby" and "lobbying" "Lobbying" means any communication with an official of the executive or legislative branch of State government as defined in subsection (c) for the ultimate purpose of influencing any executive, legislative, or administrative action.

(f) "Influencing" means any communication, action, reportable expenditure as prescribed in Section 6 or other means used to promote, support, affect, modify, oppose or delay any executive, legislative or administrative action or to promote goodwill with officials as defined in subsection (c).

(g) "Executive action" means the proposal, drafting, development, consideration, amendment, adoption, approval, promulgation, issuance, modification, rejection or postponement by a State entity of a rule, regulation, order, decision, determination, contractual arrangement, purchasing agreement or other quasi-legislative or quasi-judicial action or proceeding.

(h) "Legislative action" means the development, drafting, introduction, consideration, modification, adoption, rejection, review, enactment, or passage or defeat of any bill, amendment, resolution, report, nomination, administrative rule or other matter by either house of the General Assembly or a committee thereof, or by a legislator. Legislative action also means the action of the Governor in approving or vetoing any bill or portion thereof, and the action of the Governor or any agency in the development of a proposal for introduction in the legislature.

(i) "Administrative action" means the execution or rejection of any rule, regulation, legislative rule, standard, fee, rate, contractual arrangement, purchasing agreement or other delegated legislative or quasi-legislative action to be taken or withheld by any executive agency, department, board or commission of the State.

(j) "Lobbyist" means any natural person who undertakes to lobby State government as provided in subsection (e).

(k) "Lobbying entity" means any entity that hires, retains, employs, or compensates a natural person to lobby State government as provided in subsection (e).

(Source: P.A. 88-187.)

(25 ILCS 170/3) (from Ch. 63, par. 173)

Sec. 3. Persons required to register.

(a) Except as provided in Section Sections 4 and 9, any natural the following persons shall register with the Secretary of State as provided herein: (1) Any person who, for compensation or otherwise, undertakes to lobby, or any either individually or as an employee or contractual employee of another person, undertakes to influence executive, legislative or administrative action. (2) Any person or entity who employs another person for the purposes of lobbying, shall register with the Secretary of State as provided in this Act, unless that person or entity qualifies for one or more of the following exemptions influencing executive, legislative or administrative action.

(1) Persons or entities who, for the purpose of influencing executive, legislative, or administrative action and who do not make expenditures that are reportable pursuant to Section 6, appear without compensation or promise thereof only as witnesses before committees of the House and Senate for the purpose of explaining or arguing for or against the passage of or action upon any legislation then pending before those committees, or who seek without compensation or promise thereof the approval or veto of any legislation by the Governor.

(1.4) A unit of local government or a school district.

(1.5) An elected or appointed official or an employee of a unit of local government or school district who, in the scope of his or her public office or employment, seeks to influence executive, legislative, or administrative action exclusively on behalf of that unit of local government or school district.

(2) Persons or entities who own, publish, or are employed by a newspaper or other regularly published periodical, or who own or are employed by a radio station, television station, or other bona fide news medium that in the ordinary course of business disseminates news, editorial or other comment, or paid advertisements that directly urge the passage or defeat of legislation. This exemption is not applicable to such an individual insofar as he or she receives additional compensation or expenses from some source other than the bona fide news medium for the purpose of influencing executive, legislative, or administrative action. This exemption does not apply to newspapers and periodicals owned by or published by trade associations and profit corporations engaged primarily in endeavors other than dissemination of news.

(3) Persons or entities performing professional services in drafting bills or in advising and rendering opinions to clients as to the construction and effect of proposed or pending legislation when those professional services are not otherwise, directly or indirectly, connected with executive, legislative, or administrative action.

(4) Persons or entities who are employees of departments, divisions, or agencies of State government and who appear before committees of the House and Senate for the purpose of explaining how the passage of or action upon any legislation then pending before those committees will affect those departments, divisions, or agencies of State government.

(5) Employees of the General Assembly, legislators, legislative agencies, and legislative commissions who, in the course of their official duties only, engage in activities that otherwise qualify as lobbying.

(6) Persons or entities in possession of technical skills and knowledge relevant to certain areas of executive, legislative, or administrative actions, whose skills and knowledge would be helpful to officials when considering those actions, whose activities are limited to making occasional appearances for or communicating on behalf of a registrant, and who do not make expenditures that are reportable pursuant to Section 6 even though receiving expense reimbursement for those occasional appearances.

(7) Any full-time employee of a bona fide church or religious organization who represents that organization solely for the purpose of protecting the right of the members thereof to practice the religious doctrines of that church or religious organization, or any such bona fide church or religious organization.

(8) Persons who receive no compensation other than reimbursement for expenses of up to $500 per year while engaged in lobbying State government, unless those persons make expenditures that are reportable under Section 6.

(9) Any attorney or group or firm of attorneys in the course of representing a client in any administrative or judicial proceeding, or any witness providing testimony in any administrative or judicial proceeding, in which ex parte communications are not allowed and who does not make expenditures that are reportable pursuant to Section 6.

(10) Persons or entities who, in the scope of their employment as a vendor, offer or solicit an official for the purchase of any goods or services when (1) the solicitation is limited to either an oral inquiry or written advertisements and informative literature; or (2) the goods and services are subject to competitive bidding requirements of the Illinois Procurement Code; or (3) the goods and services are for sale at a cost not to exceed $5,000; and (4) the persons or entities do not make expenditures that are reportable under Section 6.

(b) It is a violation of this Act to engage in lobbying or to employ any person for the purpose of lobbying who is not registered with the Office of the Secretary of State, except upon condition that the person register and the person does in fact register within 2 business days after being employed or retained for lobbying services.

(Source: P.A. 93-615, eff. 11-19-03.)

(25 ILCS 170/3.5 new)

Sec. 3.5. Local government and school district acknowledgement.

(a) Any unit of local government or school district that claims exemption from registration under Section 3(a)(1.4) shall file an acknowledgement with the Secretary of State.

(b) The acknowledgement shall contain the following information in substantially the following form:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

(1)............., a [unit of local government or school district], hereby acknowledges that it has engaged the following lobbyists for the following purposes .............................to lobby [name or names of State executive or legislative agencies or offices the lobbyist is to lobby] regarding

.............................................................

.............................................................

[a brief description of the executive, legislative, or administrative action in reference to which the service is rendered, including bill numbers where available]

(2) The unit or district pledges to provide at least as much information about these relationships as is required by the Lobbyist Registration Act under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The unit's or district's FOIA compliance officer is ....................... His or her mailing address is ...................... His or her telephone number is

.............................................................

His or her fax number is

.............................................................

His or her e mail address is

.............................................................

(3) The head of the unit or district under FOIA (for appeals purposes) is

.............................................................

His or her mailing address is

.............................................................

.............................................................

.............................................................

His or her telephone number is

.............................................................

His or her fax number is

.............................................................

His or her e mail address is

.............................................................

The acknowledgement shall be signed and dated by the chief executive officer of the unit of local government or school district.

(c) An acknowledgement shall be filed not later than 2 business days after the unit or district employs or retains a registrant. The filing unit or district shall amend the acknowledgement within 14 calendar days after any substantial changes or additions in order to report those changes or additions, except that an amendment to acknowledge a new agreement to retain or employ a registrant for lobbying services shall be filed before any services that require the person to register are performed, but in any event not later than 2 business days after entering into the agreement.

For the purpose of this Section, a substantial change to an acknowledgement means an addition to or deletion from, or a change in the identity of, a lobbyist, lobbying entity, Freedom of Information Act compliance officer, or head of the unit or district under the Freedom of Information Act (for appeals purposes). Changes in contact information, such as mailing addresses or telephone or fax numbers, do not constitute a substantial change requiring a new filing.

(d) There shall be no fee for filing an acknowledgement. Violators of this Section, however, may be assessed penalties under Section 10.

(25 ILCS 170/5)

Sec. 5. Lobbyist registration and disclosure. Every person required to register under Section 3 shall before any service is performed which requires the person to register, but in any event not later than 2 business days after being employed or retained, and on or before each January 31 and July 31 thereafter, file in the Office of the Secretary of State a written statement in a format prescribed by the Secretary of State containing the following information with respect to each person or entity employing or retaining the person required to register:

(a) The registrant's name, permanent address, e-mail address, if any, fax number, if any, business telephone number, and temporary address, if the registrant has a temporary address while lobbying.

(a-5) If the registrant is an organization or business entity, the information required under subsection (a) for each person associated with the registrant who will be lobbying, regardless of whether lobbying is a significant part of his or her duties.

(b) The name and address of the person or persons employing or retaining registrant to perform such services or on whose behalf the registrant appears.

(c) A brief description of the executive, legislative, or administrative action in reference to which such service is to be rendered.

(c-5) Each executive and legislative branch agency the registrant expects to lobby during the registration period.

(c-6) The nature of the client's business, by indicating all of the following categories that apply: (1) banking and financial services, (2) manufacturing, (3) education, (4) environment, (5) healthcare, (6) insurance, (7) community interests, (8) labor, (9) public relations or advertising, (10) marketing or sales, (11) hospitality, (12) engineering, (13) information or technology products or services, (14) social services, (15) public utilities, (16) racing or wagering, (17) real estate or construction, (18) telecommunications, (19) trade or professional association, (20) travel or tourism, (21) transportation, and (22) other (setting forth the nature of that other business).

The registrant must file an amendment to the statement within 14 calendar days to report any substantial change or addition to the information previously filed, except that a registrant must file an amendment to the statement to disclose a new agreement to retain the registrant for lobbying services before any service is performed which requires the person to register, but in any event not later than 2 business days after entering into the retainer agreement.

Not later than 12 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, or as soon thereafter as the Secretary of State has provided adequate software to the persons required to file, all statements and amendments to statements required to be filed shall be filed electronically. The Secretary of State shall promptly make all filed statements and amendments to statements publicly available by means of a searchable database that is accessible through the World Wide Web. The Secretary of State shall provide all software necessary to comply with this provision to all persons required to file. The Secretary of State shall implement a plan to provide computer access and assistance to persons required to file electronically.

Persons required to register under this Act prior to July 1, 2003, shall remit a single, annual and nonrefundable $50 registration fee. All fees collected for registrations prior to July 1, 2003, shall be deposited into the Lobbyist Registration Administration Fund for administration and enforcement of this Act. Beginning July 1, 2003, all persons other than entities qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code required to register under this Act shall remit a single, annual, and nonrefundable $350 registration fee. Entities required to register under this Act which are qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code shall remit a single, annual, and nonrefundable $150 registration fee. Each individual required to register under this Act shall submit, on an annual basis, a picture of the registrant. A registrant may, in lieu of submitting a picture on an annual basis, authorize the Secretary of State to use any photo identification available in any database maintained by the Secretary of State for other purposes. Of each registration fee collected for registrations on or after July 1, 2003, $50 shall be deposited into the Lobbyist Registration Administration Fund for administration and enforcement of this Act and is intended to be used to implement and maintain electronic filing of reports under this Act, the next $100 shall be deposited into the Lobbyist Registration Administration Fund for administration and enforcement of this Act, and any balance shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund.

(Source: P.A. 93-32, eff. 7-1-03; 93-615, eff. 11-19-03; 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

(25 ILCS 170/6) (from Ch. 63, par. 176)

Sec. 6. Reports.

(a) Lobbyist reports. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, every lobbyist registered under this Act who is solely employed by a lobbying entity person required to register as prescribed in Section 3 shall file an affirmation report, verified under oath pursuant to Section 1-109 of the Code of Civil Procedure, with to the Secretary of State attesting to the accuracy of any reports filed pursuant to subsection (b) as those reports pertain to work performed by the lobbyist. Any lobbyist registered under this Act who is not solely employed by a lobbying entity shall personally file reports required of lobbying entities pursuant to subsection (b). A lobbyist may, if authorized so to do by a lobbying entity by whom he or she is employed or retained, file lobbying entity reports pursuant to section (b) provided that the lobbying entity may delegate the filing of the lobbying entity report to only one lobbyist in any reporting period all expenditures for lobbying made or incurred by the lobbyist on his behalf or the behalf of his employer. In the case where an individual is solely employed by another person to perform job related functions any part of which includes lobbying, the employer shall be responsible for reporting all lobbying expenditures incurred on the employer's behalf as shall be identified by the lobbyist to the employer preceding such report. Persons who contract with another person to perform lobbying activities shall be responsible for reporting all lobbying expenditures incurred on the employer's behalf. Any additional lobbying expenses incurred by the employer which are separate and apart from those incurred by the contractual employee shall be reported by the employer.

(b) Lobbying entity reports. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, every lobbying entity registered under this Act shall report all revenues and expenditures related to lobbying. The report shall itemize each individual expenditure or transaction over $75, shall include an aggregate total for all non-itemized expenditures or transactions, $100 and shall include the name of the official on whose behalf the expenditure was made, the name of the client on whose behalf the expenditure was made, the total amount of the expenditure, a description of the expenditure, the address and location of the expenditure if the expenditure was for an intangible item such as lodging, the date on which the expenditure occurred and the subject matter of the lobbying activity, if any.

The report shall include the names and addresses of all clients who retained the lobbying entity together with an itemized description for each client of the following: (1) lobbying regarding executive action, including the name of any agency lobbied, the names of any officials lobbied, the specific subject matter discussed with each agency or official, and the total amount billed to the client, together with subtotals for professional services and reimbursements; (2) lobbying regarding legislative action, including the names of any officials lobbied, the specific subject matter discussed, including bill numbers when available, and the total amount billed to the client, together with subtotals for professional services and reimbursements; and (3) lobbying regarding administrative action, including the specific subject matter and the total billed to the client, including subtotals for professional services and reimbursements. Registrants who made no reportable expenditures during a reporting period shall file a report stating that no expenditures were incurred.

Expenditures attributable to lobbying officials shall be listed and reported according to the following categories:

(1) travel and lodging on behalf of others.

(2) meals, beverages and other entertainment.

(3) gifts (indicating which, if any, are on the basis of personal friendship).

(4) honoraria.

(5) any other thing or service of value not listed under categories (1) through (4), setting forth a description of the expenditure. The category travel and lodging includes, but is not limited to, all travel and living accommodations made for or on behalf of State officials in the State capital during sessions of the General Assembly.

Individual expenditures required to be reported as described herein which are equal to or less than $100 in value need not be itemized but are required to be categorized and reported by officials in an aggregate total in a manner prescribed by rule of the Secretary of State.

(b-3) Expenditures incurred for hosting receptions, benefits and other large gatherings held for purposes of goodwill or otherwise to influence executive, legislative or administrative action to which there are 25 or more State officials invited shall be reported listing only the total amount of the expenditure, the date of the event, and the estimated number of officials in attendance.

(b-5) Each individual expenditure required to be reported shall include all expenses made for or on behalf of State officials and their immediate family members of the immediate family of those persons.

The category travel and lodging includes, but is not limited to, all travel and living accommodations made for or on behalf of State officials in the capital during sessions of the General Assembly.

(b-7) Matters excluded from reports. Reasonable and bona fide expenditures made by the registrant who is a member of a legislative or State study commission or committee while attending and participating in meetings and hearings of such commission or committee need not be reported.

Reasonable and bona fide expenditures made by the registrant for personal sustenance, lodging, travel, office expenses and clerical or support staff need not be reported.

Salaries, fees, and other compensation paid to a lobbyist the registrant for the purposes of lobbying need not be reported, but total billings by lobbying entities or, if the lobbyist was personally employed by more than one lobbying entity, to clients shall be included in the report. Expenditures made for activities covered in items (1) through (10) of Section 3(a) may be excluded from the report.

Any contributions required to be reported under Article 9 of the Election Code need not be reported.

The report shall include: (1) the name of each State government entity lobbied; (2) whether the lobbying involved executive, legislative, or administrative action, or a combination; (3) the names of the persons who performed the lobbyist services; and (4) a brief description of the legislative, executive, or administrative action involved.

Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, gifts and honoraria returned or reimbursed to the registrant within 30 days of the date of receipt shall not be reported.

A gift or honorarium returned or reimbursed to the registrant within 10 days after the official receives a copy of a report pursuant to Section 6.5 shall not be included in the final report unless the registrant informed the official, contemporaneously with the receipt of the gift or honorarium, that the gift or honorarium is a reportable expenditure pursuant to this Act.

(c) Reports under this Section shall be filed by July 31, for expenditures from the previous January 1 through the later of June 30 or the final day of the regular General Assembly session, and by January 31, for expenditures from the entire previous calendar year.

Registrants who made no reportable expenditures during a reporting period shall file a report stating that no expenditures were incurred. Such reports shall be filed in accordance with the deadlines as prescribed in this subsection.

A registrant who terminates employment or duties which required him to register under this Act shall give the Secretary of State, within 30 days after the date of such termination, written notice of such termination and shall include therewith a report of the revenues and expenditures described herein, covering the period of time since the filing of his last report to the date of termination of employment. Such notice and report shall be final and relieve such registrant of further reporting under this Act, unless and until he later takes employment or assumes duties requiring him to again register under this Act.

(d) Failure to file any such report within the time designated or the reporting of incomplete information shall constitute a violation of this Act.

A registrant shall preserve for a period of 2 years all receipts and records used in preparing reports under this Act.

(e) Within 30 days after a filing deadline, the lobbyist shall notify each official on whose behalf an expenditure has been reported. Notification shall include the name of the registrant, the total amount of the expenditure, a description of the expenditure, the date on which the expenditure occurred, and the subject matter of the lobbying activity.

(f) Lobbyist and lobbying entity reports shall be filed by July 31, for the period January 1 through June 30 immediately preceding, and by January 31 for the period July 1 through December 31 immediately preceding. A report filed under this Act is due in the Office of the Secretary of State no later than the close of business on the date on which it is required to be filed.

(g) All reports filed under this Act shall be filed in a format or on forms prescribed by the Secretary of State.

(Source: P.A. 93-244, eff. 1-1-04; 93-615, eff. 11-19-03.)

(25 ILCS 170/6.5)

Sec. 6.5. Disposition of gifts Response to report by official.

(a) Every person required to register as prescribed in Section 3 and required to file a report with the Secretary of State as prescribed in Section 6 shall, at least 25 days before filing the report, provide a copy of the report to each official listed in the report by first class mail or hand delivery. An official may, within 10 days after receiving the copy of the report, provide written objections to the report by first class mail or hand delivery to the person required to file the report. If those written objections conflict with the final report that is filed, the written objections shall be filed along with the report.

(b) If an official who receives a gift from a lobbyist or lobbying entity returned the gift, reimbursed the giver for the gift, donated the gift to charity, or otherwise surrendered possession of the gift to a person or entity outside of his or her household, then the official shall return a copy of the report supplied to the official under Section 6 to the Secretary of State indicating the disposition of the gift. Reports filed pursuant to this Section shall be filed with the Secretary of State by September 1, for gifts received during the period January 1 through June 30 immediately preceding, or by March 1, for gifts received during the period July 1 to December 31 immediately preceding. Reports filed pursuant to this Section shall not be admissible as evidence of a violation of Article 10 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, provided that the gifts were disposed of in accordance with Section 10-30 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.

(c) Failure to provide a copy of the report to an official listed in the report within the time designated in this Section is a violation of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-244, eff. 1-1-04; 93-615, eff. 11-19-03.)

(25 ILCS 170/7) (from Ch. 63, par. 177)

Sec. 7. Duties of the Secretary of State.

(a) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to provide appropriate forms for the registration and reporting of information required by this Act and to keep such registrations and reports on file in his office for 3 years from the date of filing. He shall also provide and maintain a register with appropriate blanks and indexes so that the information required in Sections 5 and 6 of this Act may be accordingly entered. Such records shall be considered public information and open to public inspection.

A report filed under this Act is due in the Office of the Secretary of State no later than the close of business on the date on which it is required to be filed.

(b) Within 10 days after a filing deadline, the Secretary of State shall notify persons he determines are required to file but have failed to do so.

(c) The Secretary of State shall provide adequate software to the persons required to file under this Act, and all registrations, reports, statements, and amendments required to be filed shall be filed electronically. Not later than 12 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, or as soon thereafter as the Secretary of State has provided adequate software to the persons required to file, all reports required under this Act shall be filed electronically. The Secretary of State shall promptly make all filed reports publicly available by means of a searchable database that is accessible through the World Wide Web. The Secretary of State shall provide all software necessary to comply with this provision to all persons required to file. The Secretary of State shall implement a plan to provide computer access and assistance to persons required to file electronically.

(d) Not later than 12 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the Secretary of State shall include registrants' pictures when publishing or posting on his or her website the information required in Section 5.

(e) The Secretary of State shall receive and investigate allegations of violations of this Act. Any employee of the Secretary of State who receives an allegation shall immediately transmit it to the Secretary of State or the Secretary's designee.

(Source: P.A. 93-615, eff. 11-19-03.)

(25 ILCS 170/10) (from Ch. 63, par. 180)

Sec. 10. Penalties.

(a) The Secretary of State may assess penalties for any violation of this Act, which may be appealed to a circuit court with jurisdiction where the alleged violation occurred, where the lobbyist resides, or where the lobbying entity is located. Penalties are as follows:

(1) Any person who or entity that fails to register as a lobbyist or lobbying entity as required by Section 3 shall be fined up to $100 per day for each day or portion of a day that the registration is late or the person or entity is unregistered. Any person who or entity that willfully fails to register may be fined up to $500 for each day or portion of a day that the registration is late. In determining the appropriate fine for each violation, the Secretary of State shall consider the scope of the entire lobbying project, the nature of activities conducted during the time the person or entity was in violation of this Act, and whether the failure to register was willful or knowing.

(2) Any unit of local government or school district required to file under Section 3.5 may be fined up to $100 per day for a late filing.

(3) Any person who or entity that fails to file a report required by Section 6 shall be assessed a penalty of not more than $10,000.

(4) Any person who or entity that fails to file a report required by Section 6.5 shall be assessed a penalty of not more than $100 per day or portion of a day that a report is late Any person who violates any of the provisions of this Act shall be guilty of a business offense and shall be fined not more than $10,000.

(b) In addition to the penalties provided for in subsection (a) of this Section, if the Secretary of State determines that any entity or person violated this Act in a willful manner or has committed 3 or more violations in any 2-year period, then that entity or person may be prohibited from lobbying for a term not to exceed 3 years. any person convicted of any violation of any provision of this Act is prohibited for a period of three years from the date of such conviction from lobbying.

(c) There is created in the State treasury a special fund to be known as the Lobbyist Registration Administration Fund. All fines collected in the enforcement of this Section shall be deposited into the Fund. These funds shall, subject to appropriation, be used by the Office of the Secretary of State for implementation and administration of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 88-187.)

(25 ILCS 170/10.5 new)

Sec. 10.5. Enforcement. The Secretary of State or his or her designee shall investigate possible violations of this Act. If the Secretary determines that a violation has occurred, the Secretary shall make the determination, together with any relevant evidence, available to the public and take such steps to ensure compliance as are deemed necessary, including but not limited to assessing penalties as set forth in this Act.

(25 ILCS 170/4 rep.)

(25 ILCS 170/11 rep.)

Section 20. The Lobbyist Registration Act is amended by repealing Sections 4 and 11.