100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
SC0027

 

Introduced 3/14/2018, by Sen. Michael Connelly

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
ILCON Art. XV heading new
ILCON Art. XV, Sec. 1 new
ILCON Art. XV, Sec. 2 new

    Proposes to create the Ethics Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides for the creation of the Department of Governmental Ethics. Provides that the Department shall have jurisdiction over the Executive and Legislative Branches of the State government, together with all units of local government, school districts, public colleges, and public universities. Provides that the Department shall be led by a Director. Provides that the Department shall have a State Government Division with the authority to investigate, prosecute, and ensure compliance with laws relating to the duties and responsibilities of the agencies and other bodies, elected and appointed officers, and employees of the Executive and Legislative Branches of the State government. Provides that the Department shall have a Local Government Division, which shall have the authority to investigate, prosecute, and ensure compliance with laws relating to the duties and responsibilities of units of local government and the elected and appointed officers and employees of units of local government. Provides that the Department shall have an Education Division, which shall have the authority to investigate, prosecute, and ensure compliance with laws relating to the duties and responsibilities of school districts, public colleges, and public universities, and the elected and appointed officers and employees of school districts, public colleges, and public universities. Provides for the creation of the Governmental Ethics Commission. Provides that the Commission shall have authority over the Department of Governmental Ethics, shall receive reports from audits of the Department conducted by the Auditor General, shall approve the budget of the Department, and shall appoint the Director of the Department and such other officers as it may determine. The commission shall not be composed of a majority of members from any one political party. Directs the General Assembly to provide by law for the implementation of the provisions of the Article.


LRB100 21244 JWD 37439 e

 

SC0027LRB100 21244 JWD 37439 e

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
4ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
5CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the
6electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general
7election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of
8this resolution a proposition to add Article XV to the Illinois
9Constitution as follows:
 
10    (ILCON Art. XV heading new)
11
ARTICLE XV
12
ETHICS

13    (ILCON Art. XV, Sec. 1 new)
14SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENTAL ETHICS
15    (a) A Department of Governmental Ethics is created. The
16Department of Governmental Ethics shall have jurisdiction over
17the Executive and Legislative Branches of the State government,
18together with all units of local government, school districts,
19public colleges, and public universities. The Department shall
20be led by the Director of Governmental Ethics and shall be
21under the authority of the Governmental Ethics Commission. The
22General Assembly shall provide by law for the operation of the
23Department.
24    (b) The Department of Governmental Ethics shall have a

 

 

SC0027- 2 -LRB100 21244 JWD 37439 e

1State Government Division, which shall have the authority to
2investigate, prosecute, and ensure compliance with laws
3relating to the duties and responsibilities of the agencies and
4other bodies, elected and appointed officers, and employees of
5the Executive and Legislative Branches of the State government,
6including, but not limited to: the preservation of, and the
7public's access to, information about, created by, or held by
8those agencies and other bodies, officers, and employees;
9transparency and accountability in finance and contracting by
10those agencies and other bodies; ethical standards applicable
11to those agencies and other bodies, officers, and employees;
12prohibitions on conflicts of interest applicable to those
13officers and employees; and prohibitions on employment by
14former officers and employees.
15    (c) The Department of Governmental Ethics shall have a
16Local Government Division, which shall have the authority to
17investigate, prosecute, and ensure compliance with laws
18relating to the duties and responsibilities of units of local
19government and the elected and appointed officers and employees
20of units of local government, including, but not limited to:
21the preservation of, and the public's access to, information
22about, created by, or held by those units of local government,
23officers, and employees; notice of public hearings and other
24meetings held by units of local government, including their
25governing bodies and any committees or other subdivisions
26thereof; transparency and accountability in finance and

 

 

SC0027- 3 -LRB100 21244 JWD 37439 e

1contracting by units of local government; ethical standards
2applicable to those officers and employees; prohibitions on
3conflicts of interest applicable to those officers and
4employees; and prohibitions on employment by former officers
5and employees.
6    (d) The Department of Governmental Ethics shall have an
7Education Division, which shall have the authority to
8investigate, prosecute, and ensure compliance with laws
9relating to the duties and responsibilities of school
10districts, public colleges, and public universities and the
11elected and appointed officers and employees of school
12districts, public colleges, and public universities,
13including, but not limited to: the preservation of, and the
14public's access to, information about, created by, or held by
15those school districts, public colleges, and public
16universities officers and employees; notice of public hearings
17and other meetings held by school districts, public colleges,
18and public universities, including their governing bodies and
19any committees or other subdivisions thereof; transparency and
20accountability in finance and contracting by school districts,
21public colleges, and public universities; ethical standards
22applicable to those officers and employees; prohibitions on
23conflicts of interest applicable to those officers and
24employees; and prohibitions on employment by former officers
25and employees.
 

 

 

SC0027- 4 -LRB100 21244 JWD 37439 e

1    (ILCON Art. XV, Sec. 2 new)
2SECTION 2. GOVERNMENTAL ETHICS COMMISSION
3    A Governmental Ethics Commission is created. The
4Commission shall have authority over the Department of
5Governmental Ethics, shall receive reports from audits of the
6Department conducted by the Auditor General, shall approve the
7budget of the Department, and shall appoint the Director of the
8Department and such other officers as it may determine. The
9General Assembly shall by law provide for the operation of the
10Commission and shall determine the size, manner of selection,
11and compensation of the Commission. The commission shall not be
12composed of a majority of members from any one political party.
 
13
SCHEDULE
14    This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
15declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
16Constitutional Amendment Act.