HB1401 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 00146 JLK 20146 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB1401

Introduced , by Rep. Thaddeus Jones

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-65	from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-10-65
65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-75	from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-10-75
65 ILCS 5/3.1-15-40	from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-15-40
65 ILCS 5/3.1-20-22	from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-20-22

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Requires the corporate authorities of a municipality with a population of less than 40,000 to adopt an ordinance staggering the terms of its aldermen or trustees by July 1, 2015. Provides that the staggered terms of aldermen or trustees shall go into effect at the first election after July 1, 2015. Prohibits municipalities from reducing the length of the terms from 4 years to 2 years.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

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

Section 5. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by changing Sections 3.1-10-65, 3.1-10-75, 3.1-15-40, and 3.1-20-22 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-65) (from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-10-65)

Sec. 3.1-10-65. Referendum to reduce terms.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), in In any municipality of less than 500,000 inhabitants, a proposition to reduce the terms of the elective officers of the municipality from 4 years to 2 years may be submitted, within the discretion of the corporate authorities, to the electors of the municipality. The proposition shall also be submitted if a petition requesting that action is signed by electors of the municipality numbering not less than 10% of the total vote cast at the last election for mayor or president of the municipality and the petition is filed with the municipal clerk and certified in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall be substantially in the following form:

Shall the term of the elective officers of (name of municipality) be reduced from 4 years to 2 years?

(b) If a majority of the electors voting on the proposition vote against it, the terms of the officers shall remain 4 years. If, however, a majority of those voting on the proposition vote in favor of it, the officers elected at the next regular election for officers in the municipality shall hold their offices for a term of 2 years and until their successors are elected and have qualified, except in the case of trustees and aldermen. In the case of aldermen and trustees: (i) at the first election of aldermen or trustees that occurs in an odd numbered year following the vote to reduce the length of terms, successors to aldermen or trustees whose terms expire in that year shall be elected for a term of one year and until their successors are elected and have qualified and (ii) thereafter, one-half of the aldermen or trustees shall be elected each year for terms of 2 years and until their successors are elected and have qualified.

(c) On or before July 1, 2015, the corporate authorities of each municipality with a population of less than 40,000, where the length of the terms of aldermen or trustees are 2 years, shall adopt an ordinance reflecting the term lengths and election cycles set forth as follows: on the date of the next election of aldermen and trustees that occurs after July 1, 2015, one alderman shall be elected from each even-numbered ward for a term of 2 years and one alderman shall be elected from each odd-numbered ward for a term of 4 years. Thereafter, their successors shall be elected for terms of 4 years.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b), on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, no municipality with a population of less than 40,000 may reduce the length of terms of the aldermen or trustees of the municipality from 4 years to 2 terms by referendum or otherwise.

(Source: P.A. 87-1119.)

(65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-75) (from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-10-75)

Sec. 3.1-10-75. Referendum to lengthen terms.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), in In any municipality of less than 500,000 inhabitants that, under Section 3.1-10-65, has voted to shorten the terms of elective officers, a proposition to lengthen the terms of the elective officers of the municipality from 2 years to 4 years may be submitted, within the discretion of the corporate authorities, to the electors of the municipality. The proposition shall be certified by the municipal clerk to the appropriate election authorities, who shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall also be submitted at an election if a petition requesting that action is signed by electors of the municipality numbering not less than 10% of the total vote cast at the last election for mayor or president of the municipality and the petition is filed with the municipal clerk. The proposition shall be substantially in the following form:

Shall the term of the elective officers of (name of municipality) be lengthened from 2 years to 4 years?

(b) If a majority of the electors voting on the proposition vote against it, the terms of the officers shall remain 2 years. If, however, a majority of those voting on the proposition vote in favor of it, the officers elected at the next regular election for officers in the municipality shall hold their offices for a term of 4 years and until their successors are elected and have qualified, except in the case of trustees and aldermen. In the case of aldermen and trustees: (i) if the first election for aldermen or trustees, after approval of the proposition, occurs in an even numbered year, the aldermen or trustees elected in that even numbered year shall serve for terms of 3 years and until their successors are elected and have qualified, the terms for successors to those elected at the first even numbered year election shall be 4 years and until successors are elected and have qualified, the aldermen or trustees elected at the first odd numbered year election next following the first even numbered year election shall serve for terms of 4 years and until successors are elected and have qualified, and successors elected after the first odd numbered year shall also serve 4 year terms and until their successors are elected and have qualified and (ii) if the first election for aldermen or trustees, after approval of the proposition, occurs in an odd numbered year, the aldermen or trustees elected in that odd numbered year shall serve for terms of 4 years and until their successors are elected and have qualified, the terms for successors to those elected at the first odd numbered year election shall be for 4 years and until successors are elected and have qualified, the aldermen or trustees elected at the first even numbered year election next following the first odd numbered year election shall serve for terms of one year and until their successors are elected and have qualified, and the terms for successors to those elected at the first odd numbered year election shall be 4 years and until their successors are elected and have qualified.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b), on or before July 1, 2015 the corporate authorities of a municipality with a population of less than 40,000 shall adopt an ordinance reflecting the term lengths and election cycles set forth as follows: beginning with the first election after July 1, 2015, one alderman shall be elected from each even-numbered ward for a term of 2 years and one alderman shall be elected from each odd-numbered ward for a term of 4 years. Thereafter, their successors shall be elected for terms of 4 years.

(Source: P.A. 87-1119.)

(65 ILCS 5/3.1-15-40) (from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-15-40)

Sec. 3.1-15-40. Staggered elections under minority plans. In municipalities with a population of less than 40,000, the corporate authorities shall, by July 1, 2015, provide by ordinance that that at any ensuing general municipal election for city officers the aldermen in every alternate district shall be elected for one term of 2 years and, at the expiration of that term of 2 years, for regular terms of 4 years. In all other cities that adopt or have adopted the minority representation plan for the election of aldermen and have not already staggered the terms of their aldermen, the city council may provide by ordinance that at any ensuing general municipal election for city officers the aldermen in every alternate district shall be elected for one term of 2 years and, at the expiration of that term of 2 years, for regular terms of 4 years. This Section does not prohibit a city from voting in favor of a 2 year term for city officers as provided in Section 3.1-10-65. The provisions of the general election law shall govern elections under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 87-1119.)

(65 ILCS 5/3.1-20-22) (from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-20-22)

Sec. 3.1-20-22. Aldermen; staggered terms.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), in In any city of less than 100,000 inhabitants, a proposition to stagger the terms of aldermen, with as nearly as possible one-half of the aldermen elected every 2 years, shall be certified by the city clerk to the proper election authority, who shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the general election law, if a petition requesting that action is signed by electors of the city numbering at least 10% of the total vote cast at the last election for mayor of the city and is filed with the city clerk.

The ballot shall have printed on it, but not as a part of the proposition submitted, the following information for voters: one alderman elected from each even-numbered ward shall serve a term of 2 years; one alderman elected from each odd-numbered ward shall serve a term of 4 years.

The proposition shall be substantially in the following form:

Shall (name of city) adopt a system of staggered terms for aldermen?

If a majority of those voting on the proposition vote in favor of it, then at the next regular election for aldermen one alderman shall be elected from each even-numbered ward for a term of 2 years and one alderman shall be elected from each odd-numbered ward for a term of 4 years. Thereafter, their successors shall be elected for terms of 4 years.

(b) In any municipality with a population of less than 40,000, the corporate authorities of the municipality shall adopt an ordinance reflecting the term lengths of aldermen and election cycles set forth as follows: beginning with the first election after July 1, 2015, one alderman shall be elected from each even-numbered ward for a term of 2 years and one alderman shall be elected from each odd-numbered ward for a term of 4 years. Thereafter, their successors shall be elected for terms of 4 years.

(Source: P.A. 87-1119.)