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1 | AN ACT concerning elections.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | heading of Article 9 and Sections 9-1, 9-1.4, and 9-1.5 and by | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | adding Sections 9-1.16, 9-1.17, 9-1.18, 9-1.19, 9-1.20, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | 9-1.21, 9-1.22, 9-1.23, 9-1.24, 9-2.5, 9-2.7, 9-8.5, and 9-8.7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | (10 ILCS 5/Art. 9 heading) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | ARTICLE 9. DISCLOSURE AND REGULATION OF CAMPAIGN
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11 | CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES
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12 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1)
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13 | Sec. 9-1. As used in this Article, unless the context | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | otherwise requires,
the terms defined in Sections 9-1.1 through | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | 9-1.24
9-1.13 , have the respective
meanings as defined in those | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Sections.
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17 | (Source: P.A. 86-873.)
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18 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.4) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.4)
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19 | Sec. 9-1.4. Contribution.
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20 | (A) "Contribution" means-
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21 | (1) a gift, subscription, donation, dues, loan, |
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1 | advance, or deposit
of money or anything of value, | ||||||
2 | knowingly received in
connection with the
nomination for | ||||||
3 | election, or election, or retention of any person to or in | ||||||
4 | public office, in
connection with the election of any | ||||||
5 | person as ward or township committeeman in
counties of | ||||||
6 | 3,000,000 or more population, or
in
connection with any | ||||||
7 | question of public policy;
| ||||||
8 | (1.5) a gift, subscription, donation, dues, loan, | ||||||
9 | advance, deposit of money, or anything of value that | ||||||
10 | constitutes an electioneering communication regardless of | ||||||
11 | whether the communication is made in concert or cooperation | ||||||
12 | with or at the request, suggestion, or knowledge of a | ||||||
13 | candidate, a candidate's authorized local political | ||||||
14 | committee, a State political committee, a political | ||||||
15 | committee in support of or opposition to a question of | ||||||
16 | public policy, or any of their agents;
| ||||||
17 | (2) the purchase of tickets for fund-raising events, | ||||||
18 | including but
not limited to dinners, luncheons, cocktail | ||||||
19 | parties, and rallies made in
connection with the nomination | ||||||
20 | for election, or election, or retention of any person
to or | ||||||
21 | in public office, in
connection with the election of any | ||||||
22 | person as ward or
township committeeman in counties of | ||||||
23 | 3,000,000 or more population, or in
connection with any | ||||||
24 | question of public policy;
| ||||||
25 | (3) a transfer of funds between political committees; | ||||||
26 | and
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1 | (4) the services of an employee donated by an employer, | ||||||
2 | in which
case the contribution shall be listed in the name | ||||||
3 | of the employer,
except that any individual services | ||||||
4 | provided voluntarily and without
promise or expectation of | ||||||
5 | compensation from any source shall not be deemed
a | ||||||
6 | contribution; and
but
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7 | (5) any expenditure made in cooperation, consultation, | ||||||
8 | or concert with the committee, but
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9 | (6)
(5) does not include--
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10 |
(a) the use of real or personal property and the | ||||||
11 | cost of invitations,
food,
and beverages, voluntarily | ||||||
12 | provided by an individual in rendering voluntary
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13 | personal services on the individual's residential | ||||||
14 | premises for
candidate-related
activities; provided | ||||||
15 | the value of the service provided does not exceed an
| ||||||
16 | aggregate of $150 in a reporting period;
| ||||||
17 | (b) (blank).
the sale of any food or beverage by a | ||||||
18 | vendor for use in a candidate's
campaign at a charge | ||||||
19 | less than the normal comparable charge, if such charge
| ||||||
20 | for use in a candidate's campaign is at least equal to | ||||||
21 | the cost of such
food or beverage to the vendor.
| ||||||
22 | (c) communications on any subject by a corporation | ||||||
23 | to its stockholders and executive or administrative | ||||||
24 | personnel and their families, by a labor organization | ||||||
25 | to its members and their families, or by an association | ||||||
26 | to its members and their families; |
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1 | (d) voter registration and get-out-the-vote | ||||||
2 | campaigns that make no mention of any clearly | ||||||
3 | identified candidate, public question, or political | ||||||
4 | party, or group or combination thereof; | ||||||
5 | (e) the establishment, administration, and | ||||||
6 | solicitation of contributions to a separate segregated | ||||||
7 | fund to be used for political purposes by a | ||||||
8 | corporation, labor organization, or association; or | ||||||
9 | (f) a secured loan of money by a national or State | ||||||
10 | bank or credit union made in accordance with the | ||||||
11 | applicable banking laws and regulations and in the | ||||||
12 | ordinary course of business; however, the use, | ||||||
13 | ownership, or control of any security for such a loan, | ||||||
14 | if provided by a person other than the candidate or his | ||||||
15 | or her committee, qualifies as a contribution. | ||||||
16 | (B) Interest or other investment income, earnings or | ||||||
17 | proceeds, and refunds or returns of all or part of a | ||||||
18 | committee's previous expenditures, shall not be considered | ||||||
19 | contributions for the purposes of Section 9-8.5 but shall be | ||||||
20 | listed with contributions on disclosure reports required by | ||||||
21 | this Article.
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22 | (Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05.)
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23 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.5) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5) | ||||||
24 | Sec. 9-1.5. Expenditure defined. | ||||||
25 | "Expenditure" means-
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1 | (1) a payment, distribution, purchase, loan, advance, | ||||||
2 | deposit, or
gift of money or anything of value, in
connection | ||||||
3 | with the nomination
for election, or election, or retention of | ||||||
4 | any person to or in public office, in connection with
the | ||||||
5 | election of any person as ward or township committeeman in | ||||||
6 | counties of
3,000,000 or more population, or in
connection with | ||||||
7 | any question of public policy.
"Expenditure" also includes a | ||||||
8 | payment, distribution, purchase, loan,
advance, deposit, or | ||||||
9 | gift of
money or anything of value that constitutes an | ||||||
10 | electioneering communication
regardless of whether the | ||||||
11 | communication is made in concert or cooperation with
or at the | ||||||
12 | request, suggestion, or knowledge of a candidate, a candidate's
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13 | authorized
local political committee, a State political | ||||||
14 | committee, a political committee in support of or opposition to | ||||||
15 | a question of public policy, or any of their
agents.
However, | ||||||
16 | expenditure does not
include -
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17 | (a) the use of real or personal property and the cost | ||||||
18 | of invitations,
food,
and beverages, voluntarily provided | ||||||
19 | by an individual in rendering voluntary
personal services | ||||||
20 | on the individual's
residential premises for | ||||||
21 | candidate-related activities; provided the value
of the | ||||||
22 | service provided does not exceed an aggregate of $150 in a | ||||||
23 | reporting
period .
;
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24 | (b) the sale of any food or beverage by a vendor for | ||||||
25 | use in a candidate's
campaign at a charge less than the | ||||||
26 | normal comparable charge, if such charge
for use in a |
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1 | candidate's
campaign is at least equal to the cost of such | ||||||
2 | food or beverage to the vendor.
| ||||||
3 | (2) a transfer of funds between political committees.
| ||||||
4 | (3) a payment for electioneering communications.
| ||||||
5 | (Source: P.A. 93-574, eff. 8-21-03; 93-615, eff. 11-19-03; | ||||||
6 | 93-847, eff. 7-30-04.)
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7 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.16 new) | ||||||
8 | Sec. 9-1.16. Independent expenditure. "Independent | ||||||
9 | expenditure" means an expenditure by a person: | ||||||
10 | (a) expressly advocating the election or defeat of a | ||||||
11 | clearly identified candidate; and | ||||||
12 | (b) that is not made in cooperation, consultation, or | ||||||
13 | concert with or at the request or suggestion or the candidate, | ||||||
14 | the candidate's authorized political committee or agents, or | ||||||
15 | agents thereof. | ||||||
16 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.17 new) | ||||||
17 | Sec. 9-1.17. Clearly identified or identifiable. "Clearly | ||||||
18 | identified" or "clearly identifiable" means that: | ||||||
19 | (a) the name, voice, image, or likeness of a candidate | ||||||
20 | appears; or | ||||||
21 | (b) the identify of the candidate is apparent by | ||||||
22 | unambiguous reference.
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23 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.18 new) |
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1 | Sec. 9-1.18. Regular election period. "Regular election | ||||||
2 | period" means any of: | ||||||
3 | (a) the period beginning on January 1 immediately following | ||||||
4 | the date of the general election for the office to which a | ||||||
5 | candidate seeks nomination or election and ending the day of | ||||||
6 | the General primary election for that office; | ||||||
7 | (b) the period beginning on the day after the general | ||||||
8 | primary election for the office to which the candidate seeks | ||||||
9 | nomination or election and ending on the December 31 after the | ||||||
10 | general election for that office; | ||||||
11 | (c) the period beginning on the date on which a sitting | ||||||
12 | judge declares for retention and ending 90 days after the | ||||||
13 | retention election.
| ||||||
14 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.19 new) | ||||||
15 | Sec. 9-1.19. Municipal election period. "Municipal | ||||||
16 | election period" means the period beginning on July 1 | ||||||
17 | immediately following the date of the consolidated primary | ||||||
18 | election or consolidated election at which the office for which | ||||||
19 | the candidate seeks nomination or election is filled and ending | ||||||
20 | on June 30 immediately preceding the date of the next | ||||||
21 | consolidated primary election for that office, unless the | ||||||
22 | office is not filled at the consolidated primary election, in | ||||||
23 | which instance candidates who will seek office in the next | ||||||
24 | upcoming consolidated election may begin a new municipal | ||||||
25 | election period the day after the consolidated primary election |
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1 | and ending on the next June 30. | ||||||
2 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.20 new) | ||||||
3 | Sec. 9-1.20. Labor organization. The term "labor | ||||||
4 | organization" means any organization of any kind or any agency | ||||||
5 | or employee representation committee or plan in which employees | ||||||
6 | participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in | ||||||
7 | part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor | ||||||
8 | disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or | ||||||
9 | conditions of work. | ||||||
10 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.21 new) | ||||||
11 | Sec. 9-1.21. Corporation. The term "corporation" includes | ||||||
12 | a limited liability company, partnership, professional | ||||||
13 | practice, cooperative, or sole proprietorship, whether | ||||||
14 | organized on a for-profit or non-profit basis. | ||||||
15 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.22 new) | ||||||
16 | Sec. 9-1.22. Association. The term "association" means any | ||||||
17 | group, club, meeting, collective, membership organization, | ||||||
18 | collection of persons, any entity organized under Section 501 | ||||||
19 | or 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, or any other entity other | ||||||
20 | than a natural person, except that an association does not | ||||||
21 | include a political committee organized under this Article. | ||||||
22 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.23 new) |
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1 | Sec. 9-1.23. Earmarked. The term "earmarked" means a | ||||||
2 | designation, instruction, or encumbrance, whether direct or | ||||||
3 | indirect, express or implied, oral or written, that results in | ||||||
4 | all or any part of a contribution or expenditure being made to, | ||||||
5 | or expended on behalf of, a clearly identified candidate a | ||||||
6 | candidate's designated committee, or a committee in support of | ||||||
7 | or opposition to a public question. | ||||||
8 | (10 ILCS 5/9-1.24 new) | ||||||
9 | Sec. 9-1.24. Conduit and intermediary. The terms "conduit" | ||||||
10 | and "intermediary" are interchangeable and mean any person who | ||||||
11 | receives a contribution earmarked by the contributor to be | ||||||
12 | forwarded or transmitted to another. | ||||||
13 | (10 ILCS 5/9-2.5 new) | ||||||
14 | Sec. 9-2.5. Single political committee. | ||||||
15 | (a) Except as provided by this Section, no public official | ||||||
16 | or candidate for public office may establish more than one | ||||||
17 | political committee for each office that public official or | ||||||
18 | candidate occupies or is seeking. | ||||||
19 | (b) A public official with one or more pre-existing | ||||||
20 | committees bound by the limits of any subsection of Section | ||||||
21 | 9-8.5 considering a candidacy for any office covered by the | ||||||
22 | limits of any different subsection of Section 9-8.5 must form a | ||||||
23 | new committee, to be termed an exploratory committee. A | ||||||
24 | pre-existing committee created for the primary purpose of |
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1 | aiding that candidate's election to other offices that ceases | ||||||
2 | all fundraising after the creation of an exploratory committee | ||||||
3 | may transfer funds without limit to an exploratory committee. | ||||||
4 | Should the candidate decide against running for the new office, | ||||||
5 | fail to qualify for the ballot at the next election, or lose | ||||||
6 | the next election, any remaining funds held by the exploratory | ||||||
7 | committee shall be returned to contributors or donated to | ||||||
8 | charity, and the committee shall be closed, within 90 days. | ||||||
9 | (c) The public officials elected President of the Senate, | ||||||
10 | Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House of | ||||||
11 | Representatives, and Minority Leader of the House of | ||||||
12 | Representatives may each establish and operate one additional | ||||||
13 | political committee for the purpose of supporting the election | ||||||
14 | of candidates to the General Assembly. The committees provided | ||||||
15 | for in this subsection (c) shall not be considered established | ||||||
16 | by the President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, | ||||||
17 | Speaker of the House of Representatives, or Minority Leader of | ||||||
18 | the House of Representatives for purposes of Section 9-8.5.
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19 | (10 ILCS 5/9-2.7 new) | ||||||
20 | Sec. 9-2.7. Political committee designations. | ||||||
21 | (a) Candidate committees. | ||||||
22 | (1) Each candidate shall designate in writing one and | ||||||
23 | only one political committee to serve as the political | ||||||
24 | committee of the candidate. The designation shall be made | ||||||
25 | no later than 15 days after becoming a candidate or |
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1 | establishing the committee and shall be filed with the | ||||||
2 | State Board of Election. Any committee so designated may, | ||||||
3 | within 10 business days after notification of the | ||||||
4 | designation, reject the designation. If a committee | ||||||
5 | rejects a candidate designation, the committee must return | ||||||
6 | to donors any funds raised as a result of the designation, | ||||||
7 | and the candidate must create and designate a new committee | ||||||
8 | within 5 business days after the rejection. | ||||||
9 | (2) The name of the designated committee shall include | ||||||
10 | the name of the candidate who authorized the committee | ||||||
11 | under paragraph (1). No political committee that is not an | ||||||
12 | authorized candidate committee may include the full name of | ||||||
13 | that candidate in its name. | ||||||
14 | (b) Party committees. | ||||||
15 | (1) Any political organization or party may designate | ||||||
16 | in writing one and only one political committee to serve as | ||||||
17 | the political committee of the party for elections to State | ||||||
18 | or local office. The designation shall be made no later | ||||||
19 | than 15 days after the effective date of this amendatory | ||||||
20 | Act of the 95th General Assembly, or 15 days after | ||||||
21 | formation of the committee, and shall be filed with the | ||||||
22 | State Board of Election. The designation of a party | ||||||
23 | committee may be changed only upon the replacement of the | ||||||
24 | party chairman. | ||||||
25 | (2) The name of the designated committee shall include | ||||||
26 | the name of the party that authorized the committee under |
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1 | paragraph (1). No political committee that is not an | ||||||
2 | authorized party committee may include the full name of | ||||||
3 | that party in its name. | ||||||
4 | (c) Caucus committees. | ||||||
5 | (1) The public officials elected President of the | ||||||
6 | Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House | ||||||
7 | of Representatives, and Minority Leader of the House of | ||||||
8 | Representatives may each designate in writing one and only | ||||||
9 | one political committee to serve as the political committee | ||||||
10 | of his or her caucus. The designation shall be made no | ||||||
11 | later than 15 days after the start of the General Assembly, | ||||||
12 | and shall be filed with the State Board of Election. The | ||||||
13 | designation of a caucus committee may not be changed, | ||||||
14 | revoked, or altered until the start of the next General | ||||||
15 | Assembly unless the person elected to the office authorized | ||||||
16 | to designate the caucus committee also changes; the new | ||||||
17 | leader may designate a new committee within 15 days after | ||||||
18 | taking office. All contributions from all committees | ||||||
19 | designated the caucus committee for a particular caucus | ||||||
20 | made during a single election period shall be aggregated | ||||||
21 | for the purposes of Section 9-8.5. | ||||||
22 | (2) The name of the designated committee shall include | ||||||
23 | a clear and unambiguous reference to the caucus that | ||||||
24 | authorized the committee under paragraph (1). No political | ||||||
25 | committee that is not an authorized caucus committee may | ||||||
26 | include the name of that caucus in its name. |
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1 | (d) All designations, statements, and reports required to | ||||||
2 | be filed under this Section shall be filed with the Board. The | ||||||
3 | Board shall retain and make the designations, statements, and | ||||||
4 | reports received under this Section available for public | ||||||
5 | inspection and copying in the same manner as statements of | ||||||
6 | organization.
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7 | (10 ILCS 5/9-8.5 new) | ||||||
8 | Sec. 9-8.5. Limitation on contributions. | ||||||
9 | (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to make | ||||||
10 | contributions to a political committee except as provided in | ||||||
11 | this Section. | ||||||
12 | (b) For political committees designated by a candidate for | ||||||
13 | legislative office: | ||||||
14 | (1) Natural persons may contribute no more than $1,500 | ||||||
15 | during any regular election period in which the candidate | ||||||
16 | who designated the committee is seeking nomination or | ||||||
17 | election. | ||||||
18 | (2) Political committees established by a State | ||||||
19 | political party may contribute not more than $20,000 during | ||||||
20 | the regular election period that includes the general | ||||||
21 | election in which the candidate who designated the | ||||||
22 | committee is seeking election; provided that all | ||||||
23 | committees established by a State political party, under | ||||||
24 | State or federal law, shall be considered as one committee | ||||||
25 | for the purpose of this Section. |
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1 | (3) Political committees established by a partisan | ||||||
2 | legislative caucus may contribute not more than $20,000 | ||||||
3 | during any regular election period in which the candidate | ||||||
4 | who designated the committee is seeking nomination or | ||||||
5 | election. | ||||||
6 | (4) Any other political committee not designated or | ||||||
7 | controlled by the candidate may contribute no more than | ||||||
8 | $5,000 during a regular election period in which the | ||||||
9 | candidate who designated the committee is seeking | ||||||
10 | nomination or election. | ||||||
11 | (5) A corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
12 | may contribute from its own treasuries no more than $5,000 | ||||||
13 | during each election period. All contributions from | ||||||
14 | associated entities, including political committees for | ||||||
15 | which the corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
16 | is the sponsoring entity, shall be aggregated for the | ||||||
17 | purposes of this Section.
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18 | (c) For political committees designated by a candidate for | ||||||
19 | a local office or for ward or township committeeman in counties | ||||||
20 | of 3,000,000 or more population: | ||||||
21 | (1) Natural persons may contribute no more than $1,500 | ||||||
22 | during any regular election period in which the candidate | ||||||
23 | who designated the committee is seeking nomination or | ||||||
24 | election. | ||||||
25 | (2) The candidate may designate one and only one | ||||||
26 | political party whose political committees may contribute |
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1 | not more than $10,000 during the regular election period | ||||||
2 | that includes the general election in which the candidate | ||||||
3 | who designated the committee is seeking election; provided | ||||||
4 | that all committees established by the political party, | ||||||
5 | under State or federal law, shall be considered as one | ||||||
6 | committee for the purpose of this Section. | ||||||
7 | (3) Any other political committee not designated or | ||||||
8 | controlled by the candidate may contribute no more than | ||||||
9 | $5,000 during a regular election period in which the | ||||||
10 | candidate who designated the committee is seeking | ||||||
11 | nomination or election. | ||||||
12 | (3.5) A corporation, labor organization, or | ||||||
13 | association may contribute from its own treasuries no more | ||||||
14 | than $5,000 during each election period. All contributions | ||||||
15 | from associated entities, including political committees | ||||||
16 | for which the corporation, labor organization, or | ||||||
17 | association is the sponsoring entity, shall be aggregated | ||||||
18 | for the purposes of this Section.
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19 | (4) Committees designated by one or more candidates for | ||||||
20 | any office required to file a statement of economic | ||||||
21 | interests with a county clerk may select to follow the | ||||||
22 | municipal election calendar. Committees that select to | ||||||
23 | follow the municipal election calendar must make that | ||||||
24 | decision at least 18 months prior to the next consolidated | ||||||
25 | primary election or within 30 days after creation. The | ||||||
26 | selection to follow the municipal election calendar is |
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1 | irrevocable. For committees that select to follow the | ||||||
2 | municipal election calendar: | ||||||
3 | (A) Natural persons may contribute no more than | ||||||
4 | $1,500 during any Municipal election period in which | ||||||
5 | the candidate who designated the committee is seeking | ||||||
6 | nomination or election. | ||||||
7 | (B) The candidate may designate one and only one | ||||||
8 | political party whose political committees may | ||||||
9 | contribute not more than $10,000 during the regular | ||||||
10 | election period that includes the consolidated | ||||||
11 | election in which the candidate who designated the | ||||||
12 | committee is seeking election; provided that all | ||||||
13 | committees established by the political party, under | ||||||
14 | State or federal law, shall be considered as one | ||||||
15 | committee for the purpose of this Section. | ||||||
16 | (C) Any other political committee not designated | ||||||
17 | or controlled by the candidate may contribute no more | ||||||
18 | than $5,000 during any municipal election period in | ||||||
19 | which the candidate who designated the committee is | ||||||
20 | seeking nomination or election. | ||||||
21 | (D) A corporation, labor organization, or | ||||||
22 | association may contribute from its own treasuries no | ||||||
23 | more than $5,000 during each election period. All | ||||||
24 | contributions from associated entities, including | ||||||
25 | political committees for which the corporation, labor | ||||||
26 | organization, or association is the sponsoring entity, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | shall be aggregated for the purposes of this Section.
| ||||||
2 | (d) For political committees designated by a candidate for | ||||||
3 | State office, other than for legislative or statewide office: | ||||||
4 | (1) Natural persons may contribute no more than $1,500 | ||||||
5 | during any regular election period in which the candidate | ||||||
6 | who designated the committee is seeking nomination, | ||||||
7 | election, or retention. | ||||||
8 | (2) The candidate may designate one and only one | ||||||
9 | political party whose political committees may contribute | ||||||
10 | not more than $10,000 during the regular election period | ||||||
11 | that includes the general election in which the candidate | ||||||
12 | who designated the committee is seeking election; provided | ||||||
13 | that all committees established by the political party, | ||||||
14 | under State or federal law, shall be considered as one | ||||||
15 | committee for the purpose of this Section. | ||||||
16 | (3) Any other political committee not designated or | ||||||
17 | controlled by the candidate may contribute no more than | ||||||
18 | $5,000 during a regular election period in which the | ||||||
19 | candidate who designated the committee is seeking | ||||||
20 | nomination, election, or retention. | ||||||
21 | (4) A corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
22 | may contribute from its own treasuries no more than $5,000 | ||||||
23 | during each election period. All contributions from | ||||||
24 | associated entities, including political committees for | ||||||
25 | which the corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
26 | is the sponsoring entity, shall be aggregated for the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | purposes of this Section.
| ||||||
2 | (e) For political committees designated by a candidate for | ||||||
3 | statewide office: | ||||||
4 | (1) Natural persons may contribute no more than $3,000 | ||||||
5 | during any regular election period. | ||||||
6 | (2) The candidate may designate one and only one | ||||||
7 | political party whose political committees may contribute | ||||||
8 | not more than $125,000 during the regular election period | ||||||
9 | that includes the general election in which the candidate | ||||||
10 | who designated the committee is seeking election; provided | ||||||
11 | that all committees established by the political party, | ||||||
12 | under State or federal law, shall be considered as one | ||||||
13 | committee for the purpose of this Section. | ||||||
14 | (3) Any other political committee not designated or | ||||||
15 | controlled by the candidate may contribute no more than | ||||||
16 | $5,000 during a regular election period. | ||||||
17 | (4) A corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
18 | may contribute from its own treasuries no more than $5,000 | ||||||
19 | during each election period. All contributions from | ||||||
20 | associated entities, including political committees for | ||||||
21 | which the corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
22 | is the sponsoring entity, shall be aggregated for the | ||||||
23 | purposes of this Section.
| ||||||
24 | (f) For political committees designated by an established | ||||||
25 | political party: | ||||||
26 | (1) Natural persons may contribute no more than $10,000 |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | during any regular election period during which any | ||||||
2 | candidate actively supported by the party is seeking | ||||||
3 | nomination or election. | ||||||
4 | (2) Any other political committee may contribute no | ||||||
5 | more than $5,000 during any regular election period during | ||||||
6 | which any candidate actively supported by the party is | ||||||
7 | seeking nomination or election. | ||||||
8 | (3) A corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
9 | may contribute from its own treasuries no more than $5,000 | ||||||
10 | during each election period. All contributions from | ||||||
11 | associated entities, including political committees for | ||||||
12 | which the corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
13 | is the sponsoring entity, shall be aggregated for the | ||||||
14 | purposes of this Section.
| ||||||
15 | (g) For political committees designated by a legislative | ||||||
16 | caucus: | ||||||
17 | (1) Natural persons may contribute no more than $1,500 | ||||||
18 | during any regular election period during which any | ||||||
19 | candidate actively supported by the caucus is seeking | ||||||
20 | nomination or election. | ||||||
21 | (2) Any other political committee may contribute no | ||||||
22 | more than $5,000 during any regular election period during | ||||||
23 | which any candidate actively supported by the caucus is | ||||||
24 | seeking nomination or election. | ||||||
25 | (3) A corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
26 | may contribute from its own treasuries no more than $5,000 |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | during each election period. All contributions from | ||||||
2 | associated entities, including political committees for | ||||||
3 | which the corporation, labor organization, or association | ||||||
4 | is the sponsoring entity, shall be aggregated for the | ||||||
5 | purposes of this Section.
| ||||||
6 | (h) For any other political committee, natural persons may | ||||||
7 | contribute no more than $3,000 during any period beginning on | ||||||
8 | January 1 of an odd-numbered year and ending on December 31 of | ||||||
9 | an even-numbered year. A corporation, labor organization, | ||||||
10 | association, or other political committee may contribute no | ||||||
11 | more than $5,000 during each election period. All contributions | ||||||
12 | from associated entities, including political committees for | ||||||
13 | which the corporation, labor organization, or association is | ||||||
14 | the sponsoring entity, shall be aggregated for the purposes of | ||||||
15 | this Section. | ||||||
16 | (i) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit political | ||||||
17 | committees from dividing the proceeds of joint fund raising | ||||||
18 | efforts; provided that no political committee may receive more | ||||||
19 | than the limit from any one donor and all donations shall be | ||||||
20 | listed as from their true origin. | ||||||
21 | (j) No natural person, corporation, labor organization, or | ||||||
22 | association
may contribute in aggregate more than $80,000 to | ||||||
23 | political committees during any period beginning on January 1 | ||||||
24 | of an odd-numbered year and ending on December 31 of an | ||||||
25 | even-numbered year. | ||||||
26 | (k) On January 1 of every odd-numbered year, the State |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Board of Elections shall adjust the limits established in | ||||||
2 | subsections (b), (c), (d), (f), (g), (h), and (j) for inflation | ||||||
3 | as determined by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban | ||||||
4 | Consumers as issued by the United States Department of Labor | ||||||
5 | and rounded to the nearest $100. | ||||||
6 | (l) In any instance where a corporation and any of its | ||||||
7 | subsidiaries, branches, divisions, departments, or local | ||||||
8 | units; a labor organization and any of its subsidiaries, | ||||||
9 | branches, divisions, departments, or local units; or an | ||||||
10 | association or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, branches, | ||||||
11 | divisions, departments, or local units contribute to one or | ||||||
12 | more political committees or establish, maintain, or control | ||||||
13 | more than one separate segregated fund qualified as a political | ||||||
14 | committee, all of the related contributing entities
shall be | ||||||
15 | treated as a single contributing entity
for the purposes of the | ||||||
16 | limitations provided by this Section. | ||||||
17 | (m) Expenditures. | ||||||
18 | (1) Expenditures made by any person in cooperation, | ||||||
19 | consultation, or concert with a candidate, his or her | ||||||
20 | authorized committee, or their agents, shall be considered | ||||||
21 | a contribution to the candidate's designated political | ||||||
22 | committee for the purpose of this Section. | ||||||
23 | (2) The financing by any person of the dissemination, | ||||||
24 | distribution, or republication, in whole or in part, of any | ||||||
25 | broadcast or any written, graphic, or other form of | ||||||
26 | campaign materials prepared by the candidate, his or her |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | political committee, or their authorized agents shall be | ||||||
2 | considered to be a contribution to the candidate's | ||||||
3 | designated political committee for the purposes of this | ||||||
4 | Section. | ||||||
5 | (n) For the purposes of the limitations designated by this | ||||||
6 | Section, all contributions made by a person, either directly or | ||||||
7 | indirectly, to a particular candidate, including contributions | ||||||
8 | that are in any way earmarked or otherwise directed through an | ||||||
9 | intermediary or conduit to a candidate's committee, shall be | ||||||
10 | treated as contributions from the person to the candidate's | ||||||
11 | committee. The intermediary or conduit shall report the | ||||||
12 | original source and the intended recipient of the contribution | ||||||
13 | to the Board and to the intended recipient within 10 days after | ||||||
14 | the person made the contribution, or upon transmittal to the | ||||||
15 | candidate, whichever is earlier. A conduit's or intermediary's | ||||||
16 | contribution limits are not affected by the forwarding of an | ||||||
17 | earmarked contribution except where the conduit or | ||||||
18 | intermediary exercises any direction or control over the choice | ||||||
19 | of the recipient. Any person who is prohibited from making | ||||||
20 | contributions or expenditures in connection with a candidate or | ||||||
21 | public question shall be prohibited from acting as a conduit | ||||||
22 | for contributions earmarked for that candidate or public | ||||||
23 | question, and any person who is prohibited from acting as a | ||||||
24 | conduit who receives an earmarked contribution shall return | ||||||
25 | that contribution to the contributor without transmitting or | ||||||
26 | forwarding it to the committee of the candidate or public |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | question. | ||||||
2 | (o) No candidate or political committee shall knowingly | ||||||
3 | accept any contribution or make any expenditure in violation of | ||||||
4 | the provisions of this Section. No officer or employee of a | ||||||
5 | political committee shall knowingly accept a contribution made | ||||||
6 | for the benefit or use of a candidate or knowingly make any | ||||||
7 | expenditure on behalf of a candidate in violation of any | ||||||
8 | limitation designated for contributions and expenditures under | ||||||
9 | this Section. | ||||||
10 | (p) Multiple designations. | ||||||
11 | (1) No committee may accept donations larger than those | ||||||
12 | specified in this Section, regardless of the number of | ||||||
13 | candidates that may designate that committee under Section | ||||||
14 | 9-2.7. | ||||||
15 | (2) Any committee designated by candidates who | ||||||
16 | individually qualify under different subsections of this | ||||||
17 | Section shall be bound by the lower limit. | ||||||
18 | (q) Complaints. | ||||||
19 | (1) The Board shall receive complaints alleging | ||||||
20 | violations of this Section. The Board may bring complaints | ||||||
21 | and investigations on its own initiative when the Board has | ||||||
22 | reason to believe that a violation of this Section has | ||||||
23 | occurred. | ||||||
24 | (2) Upon receipt of a complaint, the Board shall hold a | ||||||
25 | closed preliminary hearing to determine whether or not the | ||||||
26 | complaint appears to have been filed on justifiable |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | grounds. Such closed preliminary hearing shall be | ||||||
2 | conducted as soon as practicable after affording | ||||||
3 | reasonable notice, a copy of the complaint, and an | ||||||
4 | opportunity to testify at such hearing to both the person | ||||||
5 | making the complaint and the person against whom the | ||||||
6 | complaint is directed. If the Board determines that the | ||||||
7 | complaint has not been filed on justifiable grounds, it | ||||||
8 | shall issue a written order to dismiss the complaint | ||||||
9 | without further hearing, specifying the defect in the | ||||||
10 | original complaint. | ||||||
11 | (3) The Board shall have the authority to promulgate | ||||||
12 | procedural rules governing the filing and hearing of | ||||||
13 | complaints under this Section that are not inconsistent | ||||||
14 | with this Section. | ||||||
15 | (4) In addition to any other penalties authorized by | ||||||
16 | this Article, the State Board of Elections, any political | ||||||
17 | committee, or any person may apply to the circuit court for | ||||||
18 | a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent | ||||||
19 | injunction against a political committee or any other | ||||||
20 | entity to cease the expenditure of funds in violation of | ||||||
21 | this Section and to cease operations until the Board | ||||||
22 | determines that the committee or entity is in compliance | ||||||
23 | with this Section. | ||||||
24 | (r) Penalties. | ||||||
25 | (1) Any person who violates this Section shall be fined | ||||||
26 | the greater of $10,000 or 3 times the value of the excess |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | contribution or expenditure. | ||||||
2 | (2) The State Board of Elections shall assess a penalty | ||||||
3 | of up to $5,000 for each violation against the recipient of | ||||||
4 | any contribution in violation of this Section if the | ||||||
5 | recipient knew that the donation was in violation of this | ||||||
6 | Section. For purposes of this Section, a recipient knew | ||||||
7 | that the donation was in violation of this Section if the | ||||||
8 | candidate, the committee chairman or treasurer, or any | ||||||
9 | natural person paid to perform regular campaign tasks knew | ||||||
10 | that the donation was in violation of this Section.
| ||||||
11 | (s) Increase in the limits under special circumstances. | ||||||
12 | (1) Subject to paragraph (5), if the opposing | ||||||
13 | candidate's personal funds amount with respect to a | ||||||
14 | candidate for nomination to or election to judicial office | ||||||
15 | exceeds the threshold amount, the limit under this Section | ||||||
16 | shall be increased in accordance with the formula in | ||||||
17 | subsection (s) (3). | ||||||
18 | (2) Threshold amount. | ||||||
19 | (A) In this subsection, for all elections other | ||||||
20 | than in subcircuits, the threshold amount with respect | ||||||
21 | to an election period of a candidate described in | ||||||
22 | subparagraph (c) (1) is an amount equal to the sum of: | ||||||
23 | (i) $150,000; and | ||||||
24 | (ii) $0.04 multiplied by the voting age | ||||||
25 | population of the district or circuit in which the | ||||||
26 | candidates are seeking office. |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (B) For the purpose of subparagraph (c) (2) (A), | ||||||
2 | the term "voting age population" means the number of | ||||||
3 | adults over the age of 18 found residing in every | ||||||
4 | county in the district or circuit by the U.S. Census | ||||||
5 | Bureau at the last preceding decennial census. | ||||||
6 | (C) In this subsection, for all elections in | ||||||
7 | subcircuits, the threshold amount with respect to an | ||||||
8 | election period of a candidate described in | ||||||
9 | subparagraph (c)(1) is $150,000. | ||||||
10 | (3) If the opposing candidate's personal funds amount | ||||||
11 | is over: | ||||||
12 | (A) 2 times the threshold amount, but not over 4 | ||||||
13 | times the amount, then the increased limit shall be 3 | ||||||
14 | times the applicable limit. | ||||||
15 | (B) 4 times the threshold amount, but not over 10 | ||||||
16 | times the amount, then the increased limit shall be 6 | ||||||
17 | times the applicable limit. | ||||||
18 | (C) 10 times the threshold amount, then the | ||||||
19 | increased limit shall be 6 times the applicable limit. | ||||||
20 | (4) The opposing candidate's personal funds amount is | ||||||
21 | an amount equal to the excess (if any) of: | ||||||
22 | (A) The greatest aggregate amount of expenditures | ||||||
23 | from personal funds that an opposing candidate in the | ||||||
24 | same election makes, over | ||||||
25 | (B) The aggregate amount of expenditures from | ||||||
26 | personal funds made by the candidate with respect to |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the election. | ||||||
2 | (5) Time to accept contributions under increased | ||||||
3 | limit. | ||||||
4 | (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), a candidate and | ||||||
5 | the candidate's authorized committee shall not accept | ||||||
6 | any contribution under the increased limit under | ||||||
7 | paragraph (3): | ||||||
8 | (i) Until the candidate has received | ||||||
9 | notification from the Board of the opposing | ||||||
10 | candidate's personal funds amount, and | ||||||
11 | (ii) To the extent that the contribution, when | ||||||
12 | added to the aggregate amount of contributions | ||||||
13 | previously accepted under the increased limits | ||||||
14 | under this subsection for the election period, | ||||||
15 | exceeds 110% of the opposing candidate's personal | ||||||
16 | funds amount. | ||||||
17 | (B) A candidate and a candidate's authorized committee | ||||||
18 | shall not accept any contribution under the increased | ||||||
19 | limit after the date on which an opposing candidate | ||||||
20 | ceases to be a candidate to the extent that the amount | ||||||
21 | of the increased limit is attributable to such an | ||||||
22 | opposing candidate. | ||||||
23 | (6) On January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the State | ||||||
24 | Board of Election shall adjust the dollar figures in | ||||||
25 | paragraph (c) (2) for inflation as determined by the | ||||||
26 | Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers as determined |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | by the United States Department of Labor. Figures expressed | ||||||
2 | in dollars in paragraph (c) (2) shall be rounded to the | ||||||
3 | nearest $100, and figures expressed in one-hundredths of a | ||||||
4 | dollar shall be rounded to the nearest one-hundredth of a | ||||||
5 | dollar.
| ||||||
6 | (10 ILCS 5/9-8.7 new) | ||||||
7 | Sec. 9-8.7. Soliciting of contributions by associations, | ||||||
8 | corporations, or labor organizations. | ||||||
9 | (a) It is unlawful for any person affiliated in any way | ||||||
10 | with a corporation knowingly soliciting an employee of that | ||||||
11 | corporation for a contribution to a political committee to fail | ||||||
12 | to inform the employee at the time of the solicitation of the | ||||||
13 | political purposes of the fund. It is unlawful for any person | ||||||
14 | affiliated in any way with a labor organization or association | ||||||
15 | knowingly soliciting an member of that labor organization or | ||||||
16 | association for a contribution to a political committee to fail | ||||||
17 | to inform the member at the time of the solicitation of the | ||||||
18 | political purposes of the fund. | ||||||
19 | (b) It is unlawful for any person affiliated in any way | ||||||
20 | with a corporation knowingly soliciting an employee of that | ||||||
21 | corporation for a contribution to a political committee to fail | ||||||
22 | to inform the employee at the time of the solicitation of the | ||||||
23 | employee's right to refuse to contribute without any reprisal. | ||||||
24 | It is unlawful for any person affiliated in any way with a | ||||||
25 | labor organization or association knowingly soliciting any |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | member of the same labor organization or association for a | ||||||
2 | contribution to a political committee to fail to inform the | ||||||
3 | employee at the time of the solicitation of the employee's | ||||||
4 | right to refuse to contribute without any reprisal. | ||||||
5 | (c) Complaints. | ||||||
6 | (1) The Board shall receive complaints alleging | ||||||
7 | violations of this Section. The Board may bring complaints | ||||||
8 | and investigations on its own initiative when the Board has | ||||||
9 | reason to believe that a violation of this Section has | ||||||
10 | occurred. | ||||||
11 | (2) Upon receipt of a complaint, the Board shall hold a | ||||||
12 | closed preliminary hearing to determine whether or not the | ||||||
13 | complaint appears to have been filed on justifiable | ||||||
14 | grounds. Such closed preliminary hearing shall be | ||||||
15 | conducted as soon as practicable after affording | ||||||
16 | reasonable notice, a copy of the complaint, and an | ||||||
17 | opportunity to testify at such hearing to both the person | ||||||
18 | making the complaint and the person against whom the | ||||||
19 | complaint is directed. If the Board determines that the | ||||||
20 | complaint has not been filed on justifiable grounds, it | ||||||
21 | shall issue a written order to dismiss the complaint | ||||||
22 | without further hearing, specifying the defect in the | ||||||
23 | original complaint. | ||||||
24 | (3) The Board shall have the authority to promulgate | ||||||
25 | procedural rules governing the filing and hearing of | ||||||
26 | complaints under this Section that are not inconsistent |
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1 | with this Section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | (4) In addition to any other penalties authorized by | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | this Article, the State Board of Elections, any political | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | committee, or any person may apply to the circuit court for | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | a temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | injunction against a political committee or any other | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | entity to cease the expenditure of funds in violation of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | this Section and to cease operations until the Board | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | determines that the committee or entity is in compliance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | with this Section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | (d) Penalties. Any person who violates this Section shall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | be fined $200 for each person improperly solicited. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | Contributions received from any donor within 6 months after an | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | improper solicitation of that donor must be returned to the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | donor. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | severable. If any provision of this Act is held invalid by a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity does not affect | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | other provisions of the Act that can be given effect without | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | the invalid provision.
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