SB3389 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 18780 MJP 34016 b

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB3389

Introduced 2/16/2018, by Sen. Cristina Castro

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

5 ILCS 430/25-15
5 ILCS 430/25-20
5 ILCS 430/25-50

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that the Legislative Ethics Commission shall adopt (rather than promulgate) rules under the Administrative Procedure Act governing (rather than rules governing) the performance of its duties and the exercise of its powers and governing the investigations of the Legislative Inspector General. Provides that the Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena. Provides that any existing rule, as of the effective date of the amendatory Act, requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena is void. Removes language providing that the Legislative Inspector General needs the advance approval of the Commission to issue subpoenas. Provides that the Legislative Inspector General may publish a summary report for an investigation upon issuance of a final administrative decision that concludes that a violation occurred unless a supermajority of the Commission votes to suppress the report. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning government.

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

Section 5. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act is amended by changing Sections 25-15, 25-20, and 25-50 as follows:

(5 ILCS 430/25-15)

Sec. 25-15. Duties of the Legislative Ethics Commission.

In addition to duties otherwise assigned by law, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall have the following duties:

(1) To adopt promulgate rules under the Illinois Administrative Act governing the performance of its duties and the exercise of its powers and governing the investigations of the Legislative Inspector General; except that, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall adopt no rule requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation authorized under this Article or issuing a subpoena under this Article. Any existing rule, as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, requiring the Legislative Inspector General to seek the Commission's advance approval before commencing any investigation or issuing a subpoena is void.

(2) To conduct administrative hearings and rule on matters brought before the Commission only upon the receipt of pleadings filed by the Legislative Inspector General and not upon its own prerogative, but may appoint special Legislative Inspectors General as provided in Section 25-21. Any other allegations of misconduct received by the Commission from a person other than the Legislative Inspector General shall be referred to the Office of the Legislative Inspector General.

(3) To prepare and publish manuals and guides and, working with the Office of the Attorney General, oversee training of employees under its jurisdiction that explains their duties.

(4) To prepare public information materials to facilitate compliance, implementation, and enforcement of this Act.

(5) To submit reports as required by this Act.

(6) To the extent authorized by this Act, to make rulings, issue recommendations, and impose administrative fines, if appropriate, in connection with the implementation and interpretation of this Act. The powers and duties of the Commission are limited to matters clearly within the purview of this Act.

(7) To issue subpoenas with respect to matters pending before the Commission, subject to the provisions of this Article and in the discretion of the Commission, to compel the attendance of witnesses for purposes of testimony and the production of documents and other items for inspection and copying.

(8) To appoint special Legislative Inspectors General as provided in Section 25-21.

(9) To conspicuously display on the Commission's website the procedures for reporting a violation of this Act, including how to report violations via email or online.

(Source: P.A. 100-554, eff. 11-16-17.)

(5 ILCS 430/25-20)

Sec. 25-20. Duties of the Legislative Inspector General.

In addition to duties otherwise assigned by law, the Legislative Inspector General shall have the following duties:

(1) To receive and investigate allegations of violations of this Act. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (1.5), an investigation may not be initiated more than one year after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a series of alleged violations except where there is reasonable cause to believe that fraudulent concealment has occurred. To constitute fraudulent concealment sufficient to toll this limitations period, there must be an affirmative act or representation calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that a violation has occurred. The Legislative Inspector General shall have the discretion to determine the appropriate means of investigation as permitted by law.

(1.5) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Legislative Inspector General, whether appointed by the Legislative Ethics Commission or the General Assembly, may initiate an investigation based on information provided to the Office of the Legislative Inspector General or the Legislative Ethics Commission during the period from December 1, 2014 through November 3, 2017. Any investigation initiated under this paragraph (1.5) must be initiated within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly.

(2) To request information relating to an investigation from any person when the Legislative Inspector General deems that information necessary in conducting an investigation.

(3) To issue subpoenas, with the advance approval of the Commission, to compel the attendance of witnesses for the purposes of testimony and production of documents and other items for inspection and copying and to make service of those subpoenas and subpoenas issued under item (7) of Section 25-15.

(4) To submit reports as required by this Act.

(5) To file pleadings in the name of the Legislative Inspector General with the Legislative Ethics Commission, through the Attorney General, as provided in this Article if the Attorney General finds that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred.

(6) To assist and coordinate the ethics officers for State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Legislative Inspector General and to work with those ethics officers.

(7) To participate in or conduct, when appropriate, multi-jurisdictional investigations.

(8) To request, as the Legislative Inspector General deems appropriate, from ethics officers of State agencies under his or her jurisdiction, reports or information on (i) the content of a State agency's ethics training program and (ii) the percentage of new officers and employees who have completed ethics training.

(9) To establish a policy that ensures the appropriate handling and correct recording of all investigations of allegations and to ensure that the policy is accessible via the Internet in order that those seeking to report those allegations are familiar with the process and that the subjects of those allegations are treated fairly.

(Source: P.A. 100-553, eff. 11-16-17.)

(5 ILCS 430/25-50)

Sec. 25-50. Investigation reports.

(a) If the Legislative Inspector General, upon the conclusion of an investigation, determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the Legislative Inspector General shall issue a summary report of the investigation. The report shall be delivered to the appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority and to the head of each State agency affected by or involved in the investigation, if appropriate. The appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head shall respond to the summary report within 20 days, in writing, to the Legislative Inspector General. The response shall include a description of any corrective or disciplinary action to be imposed. The Legislative Inspector General may publish a summary report issued under this subsection upon issuance of a final administrative decision that concludes that a violation occurred unless a supermajority of the Commission votes to suppress the report.

(b) The summary report of the investigation shall include the following:

(1) A description of any allegations or other information received by the Legislative Inspector General pertinent to the investigation.

(2) A description of any alleged misconduct discovered in the course of the investigation.

(3) Recommendations for any corrective or disciplinary action to be taken in response to any alleged misconduct described in the report, including but not limited to discharge.

(4) Other information the Legislative Inspector General deems relevant to the investigation or resulting recommendations.

(c) Within 30 days after receiving a response from the appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head under subsection (a), the Legislative Inspector General shall notify the Commission and the Attorney General if the Legislative Inspector General believes that a complaint should be filed with the Commission. If the Legislative Inspector General desires to file a complaint with the Commission, the Legislative Inspector General shall submit the summary report and supporting documents to the Attorney General. If the Attorney General concludes that there is insufficient evidence that a violation has occurred, the Attorney General shall notify the Legislative Inspector General and the Legislative Inspector General shall deliver to the Legislative Ethics Commission a copy of the summary report and response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head. If the Attorney General determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the Legislative Inspector General, represented by the Attorney General, may file with the Legislative Ethics Commission a complaint. The complaint shall set forth the alleged violation and the grounds that exist to support the complaint. The complaint must be filed with the Commission within 18 months after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a series of alleged violations except where there is reasonable cause to believe that fraudulent concealment has occurred. To constitute fraudulent concealment sufficient to toll this limitations period, there must be an affirmative act or representation calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that a violation has occurred. If a complaint is not filed with the Commission within 6 months after notice by the Inspector General to the Commission and the Attorney General, then the Commission may set a meeting of the Commission at which the Attorney General shall appear and provide a status report to the Commission.

(c-5) Within 30 days after receiving a response from the appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head under subsection (a), if the Legislative Inspector General does not believe that a complaint should be filed, the Legislative Inspector General shall deliver to the Legislative Ethics Commission a statement setting forth the basis for the decision not to file a complaint and a copy of the summary report and response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority or agency head. The Inspector General may also submit a redacted version of the summary report and response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority if the Inspector General believes either contains information that, in the opinion of the Inspector General, should be redacted prior to releasing the report, may interfere with an ongoing investigation, or identifies an informant or complainant.

(c-10) If, after reviewing the documents, the Commission believes that further investigation is warranted, the Commission may request that the Legislative Inspector General provide additional information or conduct further investigation. The Commission may also refer the summary report and response from the ultimate jurisdictional authority to the Attorney General for further investigation or review. If the Commission requests the Attorney General to investigate or review, the Commission must notify the Attorney General and the Legislative Inspector General. The Attorney General may not begin an investigation or review until receipt of notice from the Commission. If, after review, the Attorney General determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the Attorney General may file a complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission. If the Attorney General concludes that there is insufficient evidence that a violation has occurred, the Attorney General shall notify the Legislative Ethics Commission and the appropriate Legislative Inspector General.

(d) A copy of the complaint filed with the Legislative Ethics Commission must be served on all respondents named in the complaint and on each respondent's ultimate jurisdictional authority in the same manner as process is served under the Code of Civil Procedure.

(e) A respondent may file objections to the complaint within 30 days after notice of the petition has been served on the respondent.

(f) The Commission shall meet, at least 30 days after the complaint is served on all respondents either in person or by telephone, in a closed session to review the sufficiency of the complaint. The Commission shall issue notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Legislative Inspector General, the Attorney General, and all respondents of the Commission's ruling on the sufficiency of the complaint. If the complaint is deemed to sufficiently allege a violation of this Act, then the Commission shall include a hearing date scheduled within 4 weeks after the date of the notice, unless all of the parties consent to a later date. If the complaint is deemed not to sufficiently allege a violation, then the Commission shall send by certified mail, return receipt requested, a notice to the Legislative Inspector General, the Attorney General, and all respondents the decision to dismiss the complaint.

(g) On the scheduled date the Commission shall conduct a closed meeting, either in person or, if the parties consent, by telephone, on the complaint and allow all parties the opportunity to present testimony and evidence. All such proceedings shall be transcribed.

(h) Within an appropriate time limit set by rules of the Legislative Ethics Commission, the Commission shall (i) dismiss the complaint, (ii) issue a recommendation of discipline to the respondent and the respondent's ultimate jurisdictional authority, (iii) impose an administrative fine upon the respondent, (iv) issue injunctive relief as described in Section 50-10, or (v) impose a combination of (ii) through (iv).

(i) The proceedings on any complaint filed with the Commission shall be conducted pursuant to rules promulgated by the Commission.

(j) The Commission may designate hearing officers to conduct proceedings as determined by rule of the Commission.

(k) In all proceedings before the Commission, the standard of proof is by a preponderance of the evidence.

(l) Within 30 days after the issuance of a final administrative decision that concludes that a violation occurred, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall make public the entire record of proceedings before the Commission, the decision, any recommendation, any discipline imposed, and the response from the agency head or ultimate jurisdictional authority to the Legislative Ethics Commission.

(Source: P.A. 96-555, eff. 8-18-09.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.