Sen. Melinda Bush

Filed: 3/15/2019

 

 


 

 


 
10100SB1426sam001LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1426

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1426 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act is
5amended by changing Sections 25-5 and 25-50 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.
13    The terms of the initial commissioners shall commence upon
14qualification. Each appointing authority shall designate one
15appointee who shall serve for a 2-year term running through
16June 30, 2005. Each appointing authority shall designate one

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 2 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

1appointee who shall serve for a 4-year term running through
2June 30, 2007. The initial appointments shall be made within 60
3days after the effective date of this Act.
4    After the initial terms, commissioners shall serve for
54-year terms commencing on July 1 of the year of appointment
6and running through June 30 of the fourth following year.
7Commissioners may be reappointed to one or more subsequent
8terms.
9    Vacancies occurring other than at the end of a term shall
10be filled by the appointing authority only for the balance of
11the term of the commissioner whose office is vacant.
12    Terms shall run regardless of whether the position is
13filled.
14    (c) The appointing authorities shall appoint commissioners
15who have experience holding governmental office or employment
16and shall may appoint commissioners who are members of the
17General Assembly as well as commissioners from the general
18public. A commissioner who is a member of the General Assembly
19must recuse himself or herself from participating in any matter
20relating to any investigation or proceeding in which he or she
21is the subject or is a complainant. A person is not eligible to
22serve as a commissioner if that person (i) has been convicted
23of a felony or a crime of dishonesty or moral turpitude, (ii)
24is, or was within the preceding 12 months, engaged in
25activities that require registration under the Lobbyist
26Registration Act, (iii) is a relative of the appointing

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 3 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

1authority, (iv) is a State officer or employee other than a
2member of the General Assembly, or (v) is a candidate for
3statewide office, federal office, or judicial office.
4    (c-5) If a commissioner is required to recuse himself or
5herself from participating in a matter as provided in
6subsection (c), the recusal shall create a temporary vacancy
7for the limited purpose of consideration of the matter for
8which the commissioner recused himself or herself, and the
9appointing authority for the recusing commissioner shall make a
10temporary appointment to fill the vacancy for consideration of
11the matter for which the commissioner recused himself or
12herself.
13    (d) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall have
14jurisdiction over current and former members of the General
15Assembly regarding events occurring during a member's term of
16office and current and former State employees regarding events
17occurring during any period of employment where the State
18employee's ultimate jurisdictional authority is (i) a
19legislative leader, (ii) the Senate Operations Commission, or
20(iii) the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services. The
21jurisdiction of the Commission is limited to matters arising
22under this Act.
23    An officer or executive branch State employee serving on a
24legislative branch board or commission remains subject to the
25jurisdiction of the Executive Ethics Commission and is not
26subject to the jurisdiction of the Legislative Ethics

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 4 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

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

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 5 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

1    an appointed or elected office or position or actively
2    participate in any campaign for any elective office.
3    (f-5) No commissioner who is a member of the General
4Assembly may be a candidate for statewide office, federal
5office, or judicial office. If a commissioner who is a member
6of the General Assembly files petitions to be a candidate for a
7statewide office, federal office, or judicial office, he or she
8shall be deemed to have resigned from his or her position as a
9commissioner on the date his or her name is certified for the
10ballot by the State Board of Elections or local election
11authority and his or her position as a commissioner shall be
12deemed vacant. Such person may not be reappointed to the
13Commission during any time he or she is a candidate for
14statewide office, federal office, or judicial 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    (i) In consultation with the Legislative Inspector
26General, the Legislative Ethics Commission may develop

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 6 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

1comprehensive training for members and employees under its
2jurisdiction that includes, but is not limited to, sexual
3harassment, employment discrimination, and workplace civility.
4The training may be recommended to the ultimate jurisdictional
5authorities and may be approved by the Commission to satisfy
6the sexual harassment training required under Section 5-10.5 or
7be provided in addition to the annual sexual harassment
8training required under Section 5-10.5. The Commission may seek
9input from governmental agencies or private entities for
10guidance in developing such training.
11(Source: P.A. 100-588, eff. 6-8-18; revised 10-11-18.)
 
12    (5 ILCS 430/25-50)
13    Sec. 25-50. Investigation reports.
14    (a) If the Legislative Inspector General, upon the
15conclusion of an investigation, determines that reasonable
16cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the
17Legislative Inspector General shall issue a summary report of
18the investigation. The report shall be delivered to the
19appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority, to the head of
20each State agency affected by or involved in the investigation,
21if appropriate, and the member, if any, that is the subject of
22the report. The appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority
23or agency head and the member, if any, that is the subject of
24the report shall respond to the summary report within 20 days,
25in writing, to the Legislative Inspector General. If the

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 7 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

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

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 8 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

1    recommendations.
2    (c) Within 30 days after receiving a response from the
3appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head
4under subsection (a), the Legislative Inspector General shall
5notify the Commission and the Attorney General if the
6Legislative Inspector General believes that a complaint should
7be filed with the Commission. If the Legislative Inspector
8General desires to file a complaint with the Commission, the
9Legislative Inspector General shall submit the summary report
10and supporting documents to the Attorney General. If the
11Attorney General concludes that there is insufficient evidence
12that a violation has occurred, the Attorney General shall
13notify the Legislative Inspector General and the Legislative
14Inspector General shall deliver to the Legislative Ethics
15Commission a copy of the summary report and response from the
16ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head. If the
17Attorney General determines that reasonable cause exists to
18believe that a violation has occurred, then the Legislative
19Inspector General, represented by the Attorney General, may
20file with the Legislative Ethics Commission a complaint. The
21complaint shall set forth the alleged violation and the grounds
22that exist to support the complaint. Except as provided under
23subsection (1.5) of Section 20, the complaint must be filed
24with the Commission within 12 months after the Legislative
25Inspector General's initiation of an investigation 18 months
26after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 9 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

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

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 10 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

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

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 11 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

1the respondent.
2    (f) The Commission shall meet, at least 30 days after the
3complaint is served on all respondents either in person or by
4telephone, in a closed session to review the sufficiency of the
5complaint. The Commission shall issue notice by certified mail,
6return receipt requested, to the Legislative Inspector
7General, the Attorney General, and all respondents of the
8Commission's ruling on the sufficiency of the complaint. If the
9complaint is deemed to sufficiently allege a violation of this
10Act, then the Commission shall include a hearing date scheduled
11within 4 weeks after the date of the notice, unless all of the
12parties consent to a later date. If the complaint is deemed not
13to sufficiently allege a violation, then the Commission shall
14send by certified mail, return receipt requested, a notice to
15the Legislative Inspector General, the Attorney General, and
16all respondents the decision to dismiss the complaint.
17    (g) On the scheduled date the Commission shall conduct a
18closed meeting, either in person or, if the parties consent, by
19telephone, on the complaint and allow all parties the
20opportunity to present testimony and evidence. All such
21proceedings shall be transcribed.
22    (h) Within an appropriate time limit set by rules of the
23Legislative Ethics Commission, the Commission shall (i)
24dismiss the complaint, (ii) issue a recommendation of
25discipline to the respondent and the respondent's ultimate
26jurisdictional authority, (iii) impose an administrative fine

 

 

10100SB1426sam001- 12 -LRB101 07991 RJF 57824 a

1upon the respondent, (iv) issue injunctive relief as described
2in Section 50-10, or (v) impose a combination of (ii) through
3(iv).
4    (i) The proceedings on any complaint filed with the
5Commission shall be conducted pursuant to rules promulgated by
6the Commission.
7    (j) The Commission may designate hearing officers to
8conduct proceedings as determined by rule of the Commission.
9    (k) In all proceedings before the Commission, the standard
10of proof is by a preponderance of the evidence.
11    (l) Within 30 days after the issuance of a final
12administrative decision that concludes that a violation
13occurred, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall make public
14the entire record of proceedings before the Commission, the
15decision, any recommendation, any discipline imposed, and the
16response from the agency head or ultimate jurisdictional
17authority to the Legislative Ethics Commission.
18(Source: P.A. 100-588, eff. 6-8-18.)".