Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB1954

Amends the Counties Code. Creates the Recall of Countywide Elected Officials Division within the Code. Authorizes a county to establish a process by which countywide elected officials may be recalled by the electors of the county by referendum or petition. Provides that, if a county board adopts a resolution calling for a referendum on the proposal to adopt a process by which countywide elected officials may be recalled by the electors of the county, then the county clerk and county board shall provide for the submission of the proposition to the electors of the county at the next general election held in an even-numbered year. Provides that, if there is filed with the clerk of the circuit court of the county, within the time provided in the general election law, a petition that is signed by the specified number of registered voters in the county and that requests the establishment of a process by which countywide elected officials may be recalled by the electors of that county, the clerk of the circuit court shall transmit the petition to the chief judge of the circuit court who shall determine the sufficiency of the petition or shall assign the determination of the sufficiency of the petition to a circuit judge who shall make the determination. Specifies that, if the judge determines that the petition is sufficient, the judge shall certify the sufficiency of the petition and shall issue an order directing the county clerk and the county board to provide for the submission of the proposition to the electors of the county at the next general election held in an even-numbered year. Authorizes the recall of a countywide elected official to be proposed by petition by the electors of the county. Sets forth requirements for the petition. Provides that, if the petition is valid and sufficient, then the State Board of Elections shall certify the petition, and the question must be submitted to the electors at a special election. Prohibits more than one recall petition per official per term of office. Effective immediately.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Defines the term "countywide elected official". Provides that a county may establish a process by which countywide elected officials may be recalled by the electors of the county, by submitting the proposition to the electors of the county and obtaining their approval of the proposition at a referendum held at the general election of 2026 (rather than at any general election). Provides that it is only if the referendum to establish a recall process is approved by a majority of the voters voting on the proposition that the recall of countywide elected officials may thereafter be proposed by a petition signed by a number of electors equal in number to at least 15% of the total votes cast for Governor in the county in the preceding gubernatorial election. Provides that the petition shall have been signed by the petitioning electors not more than 50 days (rather than 100 days) after an affidavit has been filed with the State Board of Elections providing notice of intent to circulate a petition to recall the countywide elected official. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill, as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1, with the following additional changes. Provides that only Sangamon County is authorized, through its county board, to adopt a resolution calling for a referendum at the general election of 2026 to adopt a process by which countywide elected officials may be recalled. Provides that "countywide elected official" means a county officer who holds an elective office under Article 3 of the Counties Code, but it does not include an officer who is elected by electors outside of Sangamon County. Provides for the repeal of the provisions of the amendatory Act on January 1, 2027.

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