102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0628

 

Introduced 2/24/2021, by Sen. John F. Curran

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 430/25-5
5 ILCS 430/25-10
5 ILCS 430/25-15
5 ILCS 430/25-20

    Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Modifies requirements concerning the Legislative Ethics Commission and Commissioners thereof. Modifies requirements concerning the jurisdiction of the Legislative Inspector General. Modifies the duties of the Legislative Ethics Commission. Removes a provision requiring the Legislative Inspector General to obtain advance approval of the Commission to issue subpoenas. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.


LRB102 13769 RJF 19119 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB0628LRB102 13769 RJF 19119 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 10. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act
5is amended by changing Sections 25-5, 25-10, 25-15, and 25-20
6as follows:
 
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
2060 days 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
9from the general public who have experience holding
10governmental office or employment. A person is not eligible to
11serve as a commissioner if that person (i) has been convicted
12of a felony or a crime of dishonesty or moral turpitude; (ii)
13is, or was within the preceding 10 years, engaged in
14activities that require registration under the Lobbyist
15Registration Act; (iii) is related to the appointing
16authority; (iv) is or has been within the preceding 10 years a
17State officer, a State employee, or an employee or member of
18the General Assembly; or (v) holds a partisan elected or
19political party office, or is otherwise an officer or employee
20of a political committee or political campaign. The appointing
21authorities shall appoint commissioners who have experience
22holding governmental office or employment and may appoint
23commissioners who are members of the General Assembly as well
24as commissioners from the general public. A commissioner who
25is a member of the General Assembly must recuse himself or
26herself from participating in any matter relating to any

 

 

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1investigation or proceeding in which he or she is the subject
2or is a complainant. A person is not eligible to serve as a
3commissioner if that person (i) has been convicted of a felony
4or a crime of dishonesty or moral turpitude, (ii) is, or was
5within the preceding 12 months, engaged in activities that
6require registration under the Lobbyist Registration Act,
7(iii) is a relative of the appointing authority, (iv) is a
8State officer or employee other than a member of the General
9Assembly, or (v) is a candidate for statewide office, federal
10office, or judicial office.
11    (c-5) If a commissioner is required to recuse himself or
12herself from participating in a matter as provided in
13subsection (c), the recusal shall create a temporary vacancy
14for the limited purpose of consideration of the matter for
15which the commissioner recused himself or herself, and the
16appointing authority for the recusing commissioner shall make
17a temporary appointment to fill the vacancy for consideration
18of the matter for which the commissioner recused himself or
19herself.
20    (d) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall have
21jurisdiction over current and former members of the General
22Assembly regarding events occurring during a member's term of
23office and current and former State employees regarding events
24occurring during any period of employment where the State
25employee's ultimate jurisdictional authority is (i) a
26legislative leader, (ii) the Senate Operations Commission, or

 

 

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1(iii) the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services. The
2Legislative Ethics Commission shall have jurisdiction over
3complainants and respondents in violation of subsection (d) of
4Section 25-90. The jurisdiction of the Commission is limited
5to matters arising under this Act or the Illinois Governmental
6Ethics Act.
7    An officer or executive branch State employee serving on a
8legislative branch board or commission remains subject to the
9jurisdiction of the Executive Ethics Commission and is not
10subject to the jurisdiction of the Legislative Ethics
11Commission.
12    (e) The Legislative Ethics Commission must meet, either in
13person or by other technological means, monthly or as often as
14necessary. At the first meeting of the Legislative Ethics
15Commission, the commissioners shall choose from their number a
16chairperson and other officers that they deem appropriate. The
17terms of officers shall be for 2 years commencing July 1 and
18running through June 30 of the second following year. Meetings
19shall be held at the call of the chairperson or any 3
20commissioners. Official action by the Commission shall require
21the affirmative vote of 5 commissioners, and a quorum shall
22consist of 5 commissioners. Commissioners shall receive no
23compensation but may be reimbursed for their reasonable
24expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties.
25    (f) No commissioner, other than a commissioner who is a
26member of the General Assembly, or employee of the Legislative

 

 

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1Ethics Commission may during his or her term of appointment or
2employment:
3        (1) become a candidate for any elective office;
4        (2) hold any other elected or appointed public office
5    except for appointments on governmental advisory boards or
6    study commissions or as otherwise expressly authorized by
7    law;
8        (3) be actively involved in the affairs of any
9    political party, or political organization, political
10    committee, or political campaign; or
11        (4) advocate for the appointment of another person to
12    an appointed or elected office or position or actively
13    participate in any campaign for any elective office.
14    (f-5) No commissioner who is a member of the General
15Assembly may be a candidate for statewide office, federal
16office, or judicial office. If a commissioner who is a member
17of the General Assembly files petitions to be a candidate for a
18statewide office, federal office, or judicial office, he or
19she shall be deemed to have resigned from his or her position
20as a commissioner on the date his or her name is certified for
21the ballot by the State Board of Elections or local election
22authority and his or her position as a commissioner shall be
23deemed vacant. Such person may not be reappointed to the
24Commission during any time he or she is a candidate for
25statewide office, federal office, or judicial office.
26    (g) An appointing authority may remove a commissioner only

 

 

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1for cause.
2    (h) The Legislative Ethics Commission shall appoint an
3Executive Director subject to the approval of at least 3 of the
44 legislative leaders. The compensation of the Executive
5Director shall be as determined by the Commission. The
6Executive Director of the Legislative Ethics Commission may
7employ, subject to the approval of at least 3 of the 4
8legislative leaders, and determine the compensation of staff,
9as appropriations permit.
10    (i) In consultation with the Legislative Inspector
11General, the Legislative Ethics Commission may develop
12comprehensive training for members and employees under its
13jurisdiction that includes, but is not limited to, sexual
14harassment, employment discrimination, and workplace civility.
15The training may be recommended to the ultimate jurisdictional
16authorities and may be approved by the Commission to satisfy
17the sexual harassment training required under Section 5-10.5
18or be provided in addition to the annual sexual harassment
19training required under Section 5-10.5. The Commission may
20seek input from governmental agencies or private entities for
21guidance in developing such training.
22(Source: P.A. 100-588, eff. 6-8-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19;
23101-221, eff. 8-9-19; 101-617, eff. 12-20-19.)
 
24    (5 ILCS 430/25-10)
25    Sec. 25-10. Office of Legislative Inspector General.

 

 

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1    (a) The independent Office of the Legislative Inspector
2General is created. The Office shall be under the direction
3and supervision of the Legislative Inspector General and shall
4be a fully independent office with its own appropriation.
5    (b) The Legislative Inspector General shall be appointed
6without regard to political affiliation and solely on the
7basis of integrity and demonstrated ability. The Legislative
8Ethics Commission shall diligently search out qualified
9candidates for Legislative Inspector General and shall make
10recommendations to the General Assembly. The Legislative
11Inspector General may serve in a full-time, part-time, or
12contractual capacity.
13    The Legislative Inspector General shall be appointed by a
14joint resolution of the Senate and the House of
15Representatives, which may specify the date on which the
16appointment takes effect. A joint resolution, or other
17document as may be specified by the Joint Rules of the General
18Assembly, appointing the Legislative Inspector General must be
19certified by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
20the President of the Senate as having been adopted by the
21affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to
22each house, respectively, and be filed with the Secretary of
23State. The appointment of the Legislative Inspector General
24takes effect on the day the appointment is completed by the
25General Assembly, unless the appointment specifies a later
26date on which it is to become effective.

 

 

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1    The Legislative Inspector General shall have the following
2qualifications:
3        (1) has not been convicted of any felony under the
4    laws of this State, another state, or the United States;
5        (2) has earned a baccalaureate degree from an
6    institution of higher education; and
7        (3) has 5 or more years of cumulative service (A) with
8    a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, at
9    least 2 years of which have been in a progressive
10    investigatory capacity; (B) as a federal, State, or local
11    prosecutor; (C) as a senior manager or executive of a
12    federal, State, or local agency; (D) as a member, an
13    officer, or a State or federal judge; or (E) representing
14    any combination of items (A) through (D).
15    The Legislative Inspector General may not be a relative of
16a commissioner.
17    The term of the initial Legislative Inspector General
18shall commence upon qualification and shall run through June
1930, 2008.
20    After the initial term, the Legislative Inspector General
21shall serve for 5-year terms commencing on July 1 of the year
22of appointment and running through June 30 of the fifth
23following year. The Legislative Inspector General may be
24reappointed to one or more subsequent terms. Terms shall run
25regardless of whether the position is filled.
26    (b-5) A vacancy occurring other than at the end of a term

 

 

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1shall be filled in the same manner as an appointment only for
2the balance of the term of the Legislative Inspector General
3whose office is vacant. Within 7 days of the Office becoming
4vacant or receipt of a Legislative Inspector General's
5prospective resignation, the vacancy shall be publicly posted
6on the Commission's website, along with a description of the
7requirements for the position and where applicants may apply.
8    Within 45 days of the vacancy, the Commission shall
9designate an Acting Legislative Inspector General who shall
10serve until the vacancy is filled. The Commission shall file
11the designation in writing with the Secretary of State.
12    Within 60 days prior to the end of the term of the
13Legislative Inspector General or within 30 days of the
14occurrence of a vacancy in the Office of the Legislative
15Inspector General, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall
16establish a four-member search committee within the Commission
17for the purpose of conducting a search for qualified
18candidates to serve as Legislative Inspector General. The
19Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of
20the House, Senate President, and Minority Leader of the Senate
21shall each appoint one member to the search committee. A
22member of the search committee shall be either a retired judge
23or former prosecutor and may not be a member or employee of the
24General Assembly or a registered lobbyist. If the Legislative
25Ethics Commission wishes to recommend that the Legislative
26Inspector General be re-appointed, a search committee does not

 

 

SB0628- 10 -LRB102 13769 RJF 19119 b

1need to be appointed.
2    The search committee shall conduct a search for qualified
3candidates, accept applications, and conduct interviews. The
4search committee shall recommend up to 3 candidates for
5Legislative Inspector General to the Legislative Ethics
6Commission. The search committee shall be disbanded upon an
7appointment of the Legislative Inspector General. Members of
8the search committee are not entitled to compensation but
9shall be entitled to reimbursement of reasonable expenses
10incurred in connection with the performance of their duties.
11    Within 30 days after June 8, 2018 (the effective date of
12Public Act 100-588) this amendatory Act of the 100th General
13Assembly, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall create a
14search committee in the manner provided for in this subsection
15to recommend up to 3 candidates for Legislative Inspector
16General to the Legislative Ethics Commission by October 31,
172018.
18    If a vacancy exists and the Commission has not appointed
19an Acting Legislative Inspector General, either the staff of
20the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, or if there
21is no staff, the Executive Director, shall advise the
22Commission of all open investigations and any new allegations
23or complaints received in the Office of the Inspector General.
24These reports shall not include the name of any person
25identified in the allegation or complaint, including, but not
26limited to, the subject of and the person filing the

 

 

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1allegation or complaint. Notification shall be made to the
2Commission on a weekly basis unless the Commission approves of
3a different reporting schedule.
4    If the Office of the Inspector General is vacant for 6
5months or more beginning on or after January 1, 2019, and the
6Legislative Ethics Commission has not appointed an Acting
7Legislative Inspector General, all complaints made to the
8Legislative Inspector General or the Legislative Ethics
9Commission shall be directed to the Inspector General for the
10Auditor General, and he or she shall have the authority to act
11as provided in subsection (c) of this Section and Section
1225-20 of this Act, and shall be subject to all laws and rules
13governing a Legislative Inspector General or Acting
14Legislative Inspector General. The authority for the Inspector
15General of the Auditor General under this paragraph shall
16terminate upon appointment of a Legislative Inspector General
17or an Acting Legislative Inspector General.
18    (c) The Legislative Inspector General shall have
19jurisdiction over the current and former members of the
20General Assembly regarding events occurring during a member's
21term of office and current and former State employees
22regarding events occurring during any period of employment
23where the State employee's ultimate jurisdictional authority
24is (i) a legislative leader, (ii) the Senate Operations
25Commission, or (iii) the Joint Committee on Legislative
26Support Services.

 

 

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1    The jurisdiction of each Legislative Inspector General is
2to investigate allegations of fraud, waste, abuse,
3mismanagement, misconduct, nonfeasance, misfeasance, or
4malfeasance related to government service or employment, or
5violations of this Act or violations of other related laws and
6rules regarding events that are related to a person's
7government service or employment.
8    The Legislative Inspector General shall have jurisdiction
9over complainants in violation of subsection (e) of Section
1025-63 of this Act.
11    (d) The compensation of the Legislative Inspector General
12shall be the greater of an amount (i) determined (i) by the
13Commission or (ii) by joint resolution of the General Assembly
14passed by a majority of members elected in each chamber.
15Subject to Section 25-45 of this Act, the Legislative
16Inspector General has full authority to organize the Office of
17the Legislative Inspector General, including the employment
18and determination of the compensation of staff, such as
19deputies, assistants, and other employees, as appropriations
20permit. Employment of staff is subject to the approval of at
21least 3 of the 4 legislative leaders.
22    (e) No Legislative Inspector General or employee of the
23Office of the Legislative Inspector General may, during his or
24her term of appointment or employment:
25        (1) become a candidate for any elective office;
26        (2) hold any other elected or appointed public office

 

 

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1    except for appointments on governmental advisory boards or
2    study commissions or as otherwise expressly authorized by
3    law;
4        (3) be actively involved in the affairs of any
5    political party or political organization; or
6        (4) actively participate in any campaign for any
7    elective office.
8    A full-time Legislative Inspector General shall not engage
9in the practice of law or any other business, employment, or
10vocation.
11    In this subsection an appointed public office means a
12position authorized by law that is filled by an appointing
13authority as provided by law and does not include employment
14by hiring in the ordinary course of business.
15    (e-1) No Legislative Inspector General or employee of the
16Office of the Legislative Inspector General may, for one year
17after the termination of his or her appointment or employment:
18        (1) become a candidate for any elective office;
19        (2) hold any elected public office; or
20        (3) hold any appointed State, county, or local
21    judicial office.
22    (e-2) The requirements of item (3) of subsection (e-1) may
23be waived by the Legislative Ethics Commission.
24    (f) The Commission may remove the Legislative Inspector
25General only for cause. At the time of the removal, the
26Commission must report to the General Assembly the

 

 

SB0628- 14 -LRB102 13769 RJF 19119 b

1justification for the removal.
2(Source: P.A. 100-588, eff. 6-8-18; 101-221, eff. 8-9-19;
3revised 9-12-19.)
 
4    (5 ILCS 430/25-15)
5    Sec. 25-15. Duties of the Legislative Ethics Commission.
6In addition to duties otherwise assigned by law, the
7Legislative Ethics Commission shall have the following duties:
8        (1) To promulgate rules governing the performance of
9    its duties and the exercise of its powers and governing
10    the investigations of the Legislative Inspector General;
11    except that, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall adopt
12    no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to
13    seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing
14    any investigation authorized under this Article or issuing
15    a subpoena under this Article. Any existing rule, as of
16    the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd
17    General Assembly, requiring the Legislative Inspector
18    General to seek the Commission's advance approval before
19    commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena is
20    void. The rules shall be available on the Commission's
21    website and any proposed changes to the rules must be made
22    available to the public on the Commission's website no
23    less than 7 days before the adoption of the changes. Any
24    person shall be given an opportunity to provide written or
25    oral testimony before the Commission in support of or

 

 

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

 

 

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1    Article and in the discretion of the Commission, to compel
2    the attendance of witnesses for purposes of testimony and
3    the production of documents and other items for inspection
4    and copying.
5        (8) To appoint special Legislative Inspectors General
6    as provided in Section 25-21.
7        (9) To conspicuously display on the Commission's
8    website the procedures for reporting a violation of this
9    Act, including how to report violations via email or
10    online.
11        (10) To conspicuously display on the Commission's
12    website any vacancies within the Office of the Legislative
13    Inspector General.
14        (11) To appoint an Acting Legislative Inspector
15    General in the event of a vacancy in the Office of the
16    Legislative Inspector General.
17(Source: P.A. 100-554, eff. 11-16-17; 100-588, eff. 6-8-18.)
 
18    (5 ILCS 430/25-20)
19    Sec. 25-20. Duties of the Legislative Inspector General.
20In addition to duties otherwise assigned by law, the
21Legislative Inspector General shall have the following duties:
22        (1) To receive and investigate allegations of
23    violations of this Act. Except as otherwise provided in
24    paragraph (1.5), an investigation may not be initiated
25    more than one year after the most recent act of the alleged

 

 

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1    violation or of a series of alleged violations except
2    where there is reasonable cause to believe that fraudulent
3    concealment has occurred. To constitute fraudulent
4    concealment sufficient to toll this limitations period,
5    there must be an affirmative act or representation
6    calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that a
7    violation has occurred. The Legislative Inspector General
8    shall have the discretion to determine the appropriate
9    means of investigation as permitted by law.
10        (1.5) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
11    contrary, the Legislative Inspector General, whether
12    appointed by the Legislative Ethics Commission or the
13    General Assembly, may initiate an investigation based on
14    information provided to the Office of the Legislative
15    Inspector General or the Legislative Ethics Commission
16    during the period from December 1, 2014 through November
17    3, 2017. Any investigation initiated under this paragraph
18    (1.5) must be initiated within one year after the
19    effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
20    Assembly.
21        Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary,
22    the Legislative Inspector General, through the Attorney
23    General, shall have the authority to file a complaint
24    related to any founded violations that occurred during the
25    period December 1, 2014 through November 3, 2017 to the
26    Legislative Ethics Commission, and the Commission shall

 

 

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1    have jurisdiction to conduct administrative hearings
2    related to any pleadings filed by the Legislative
3    Inspector General, provided the complaint is filed with
4    the Commission no later than 6 months after the summary
5    report is provided to the Attorney General in accordance
6    with subsection (c) of Section 25-50.
7        (2) To request information relating to an
8    investigation from any person when the Legislative
9    Inspector General deems that information necessary in
10    conducting an investigation.
11        (3) To issue subpoenas, with the advance approval of
12    the Commission, to compel the attendance of witnesses for
13    the purposes of testimony and production of documents and
14    other items for inspection and copying and to make service
15    of those subpoenas and subpoenas issued under item (7) of
16    Section 25-15.
17        (4) To submit reports as required by this Act.
18        (5) To file pleadings in the name of the Legislative
19    Inspector General with the Legislative Ethics Commission,
20    through the Attorney General, as provided in this Article
21    if the Attorney General finds that reasonable cause exists
22    to believe that a violation has occurred.
23        (6) To assist and coordinate the ethics officers for
24    State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Legislative
25    Inspector General and to work with those ethics officers.
26        (7) To participate in or conduct, when appropriate,

 

 

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1    multi-jurisdictional investigations.
2        (8) To request, as the Legislative Inspector General
3    deems appropriate, from ethics officers of State agencies
4    under his or her jurisdiction, reports or information on
5    (i) the content of a State agency's ethics training
6    program and (ii) the percentage of new officers and
7    employees who have completed ethics training.
8        (9) To establish a policy that ensures the appropriate
9    handling and correct recording of all investigations of
10    allegations and to ensure that the policy is accessible
11    via the Internet in order that those seeking to report
12    those allegations are familiar with the process and that
13    the subjects of those allegations are treated fairly.
14        (10) To post information to the Legislative Inspector
15    General's website explaining to complainants and subjects
16    of an investigation the legal limitations on the
17    Legislative Inspector General's ability to provide
18    information to them and a general overview of the
19    investigation process.
20(Source: P.A. 100-553, eff. 11-16-17; 100-588, eff. 6-8-18.)
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.