HB2308 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 09790 JAM 19953 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB2308

Introduced 2/18/2009, by Rep. Elaine Nekritz

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/2A-1.1	from Ch. 46, par. 2A-1.1
10 ILCS 5/9-10	from Ch. 46, par. 9-10
25 ILCS 115/4	from Ch. 63, par. 15.1
25 ILCS 130/9-2.5

Amends the Election Code, the General Assembly Compensation Act, and the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984. Changes the general primary election from the first Tuesday in February of even-numbered years to the third Tuesday in March of even-numbered years in which a U.S. President is elected and the first Tuesday in August in even-numbered years in which a Governor is elected. Makes conforming changes with respect to filing of campaign finance reports and printing and mailing of legislators' newsletters and brochures. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning elections.

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

Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Sections 2A-1.1 and 9-10 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/2A-1.1) (from Ch. 46, par. 2A-1.1)

Sec. 2A-1.1. All Elections - Consolidated Schedule.

(a) In even-numbered years, the general election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November; and an election to be known as the general primary election shall be held (i) on the third first Tuesday in March of even-numbered years in which the United States President is elected and (ii) on the first Tuesday in August of even-numbered years in which the Governor is elected February;

(b) In odd-numbered years, an election to be known as the consolidated election shall be held on the first Tuesday in April except as provided in Section 2A-1.1a of this Act; and an election to be known as the consolidated primary election shall be held on the last Tuesday in February.

(Source: P.A. 95-6, eff. 6-20-07.)

(10 ILCS 5/9-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-10)

Sec. 9-10. Financial reports.

(a) The treasurer of every state political committee and the treasurer of every local political committee shall file with the Board, and the treasurer of every local political committee shall file with the county clerk, reports of campaign contributions, and semi-annual reports of campaign contributions and expenditures on forms to be prescribed or approved by the Board. The treasurer of every political committee that acts as both a state political committee and a local political committee shall file a copy of each report with the State Board of Elections and the county clerk. Entities subject to Section 9-7.5 shall file reports required by that Section at times provided in this Section and are subject to the penalties provided in this Section.

(b) This subsection does not apply with respect to general primary elections. Reports of campaign contributions shall be filed no later than the 15th day next preceding each election or primary in connection with which the political committee has accepted or is accepting contributions or has made or is making expenditures. Such reports shall be complete as of the 30th day next preceding each election or primary. The Board shall assess a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a violation of this subsection, except that for State officers and candidates and political committees formed for statewide office, the civil penalty may not exceed $10,000. The fine, however, shall not exceed $500 for a first filing violation for filing less than 10 days after the deadline. There shall be no fine if the report is mailed and postmarked at least 72 hours prior to the filing deadline. For the purpose of this subsection, "statewide office" and "State officer" means the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer. However, a continuing political committee that does not make an expenditure or expenditures in an aggregate amount of more than $500 on behalf of or in opposition to any (i) candidate or candidates, (ii) public question or questions, or (iii) candidate or candidates and public question or questions on the ballot at an election or primary shall not be required to file the reports prescribed in this subsection (b) and subsection (b-5) but may file in lieu thereof a Statement of Nonparticipation in the Election or Primary with the Board or the Board and the county clerk ; except that if the political committee, by the terms of its statement of organization filed in accordance with this Article, is organized to support or oppose a candidate or public question on the ballot at the next election or primary, that committee must file reports required by this subsection (b) and by subsection (b-5).

(b-5) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) and Section 1.25 of the Statute on Statutes, any contribution of more than $500 received (i) with respect to elections other than the general primary election, in the interim between the last date of the period covered by the last report filed under subsection (b) prior to the election or primary and the date of the election or primary (ii) with respect to general primary elections, in the period beginning January 1 of the year of the general primary election and prior to the date of the general primary election shall be filed with and must actually be received by the State Board of Elections within 2 business days after receipt of such contribution. A continuing political committee that does not support or oppose a candidate or public question on the ballot at a general primary election and does not make expenditures in excess of $500 on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate or public question on the ballot at the general primary election shall not be required to file the report prescribed in this subsection unless the committee makes an expenditure in excess of $500 on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate or public question on the ballot at the general primary election. The committee shall timely file the report required under this subsection beginning with the date the expenditure that triggered participation was made. The State Board shall allow filings of reports of contributions of more than $500 under this subsection (b-5) by political committees that are not required to file electronically to be made by facsimile transmission. For the purpose of this subsection, a contribution is considered received on the date the public official, candidate, or political committee (or equivalent person in the case of a reporting entity other than a political committee) actually receives it or, in the case of goods or services, 2 business days after the date the public official, candidate, committee, or other reporting entity receives the certification required under subsection (b) of Section 9-6. Failure to report each contribution is a separate violation of this subsection. In the final disposition of any matter by the Board on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, the Board may impose fines for violations of this subsection not to exceed 100% of the total amount of the contributions that were untimely reported, but in no case when a fine is imposed shall it be less than 10% of the total amount of the contributions that were untimely reported. When considering the amount of the fine to be imposed, the Board shall consider, but is not limited to, the following factors:

(1) whether in the Board's opinion the violation was committed inadvertently, negligently, knowingly, or intentionally;

(2) the number of days the contribution was reported late; and

(3) past violations of Sections 9-3 and 9-10 of this Article by the committee.

(c) In addition to such reports the treasurer of every political committee shall file semi-annual reports of campaign contributions and expenditures no later than July 20th, covering the period from January 1st through June 30th immediately preceding, and no later than January 20th, covering the period from July 1st through December 31st of the preceding calendar year. Reports of contributions and expenditures must be filed to cover the prescribed time periods even though no contributions or expenditures may have been received or made during the period. The Board shall assess a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a violation of this subsection, except that for State officers and candidates and political committees formed for statewide office, the civil penalty may not exceed $10,000. The fine, however, shall not exceed $500 for a first filing violation for filing less than 10 days after the deadline. There shall be no fine if the report is mailed and postmarked at least 72 hours prior to the filing deadline. For the purpose of this subsection, "statewide office" and "State officer" means the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer.

(c-5) A political committee that acts as either (i) a State and local political committee or (ii) a local political committee and that files reports electronically under Section 9-28 is not required to file copies of the reports with the appropriate county clerk if the county clerk has a system that permits access to, and duplication of, reports that are filed with the State Board of Elections. A State and local political committee or a local political committee shall file with the county clerk a copy of its statement of organization pursuant to Section 9-3.

(d) A copy of each report or statement filed under this Article shall be preserved by the person filing it for a period of two years from the date of filing.

(Source: P.A. 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 95-6, eff. 6-20-07; 95-957, eff. 1-1-09.)

Section 10. The General Assembly Compensation Act is amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

(25 ILCS 115/4) (from Ch. 63, par. 15.1)

Sec. 4. Office allowance. Beginning July 1, 2001, each member of the House of Representatives is authorized to approve the expenditure of not more than $61,000 per year and each member of the Senate is authorized to approve the expenditure of not more than $73,000 per year to pay for "personal services", "contractual services", "commodities", "printing", "travel", "operation of automotive equipment", "telecommunications services", as defined in the State Finance Act, and the compensation of one or more legislative assistants authorized pursuant to this Section, in connection with his or her legislative duties and not in connection with any political campaign. On July 1, 2002 and on July 1 of each year thereafter, the amount authorized per year under this Section for each member of the Senate and each member of the House of Representatives shall be increased by a percentage increase equivalent to the lesser of (i) the increase in the designated cost of living index or (ii) 5%. The designated cost of living index is the index known as the "Employment Cost Index, Wages and Salaries, By Occupation and Industry Groups: State and Local Government Workers: Public Administration" as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor for the calendar year immediately preceding the year of the respective July 1st increase date. The increase shall be added to the then current amount, and the adjusted amount so determined shall be the annual amount beginning July 1 of the increase year until July 1 of the next year. No increase under this provision shall be less than zero.

A member may purchase office equipment if the member certifies to the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House, as applicable, that the purchase price, whether paid in lump sum or installments, amounts to less than would be charged for renting or leasing the equipment over its anticipated useful life. All such equipment must be purchased through the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House, as applicable, for proper identification and verification of purchase.

Each member of the General Assembly is authorized to employ one or more legislative assistants, who shall be solely under the direction and control of that member, for the purpose of assisting the member in the performance of his or her official duties. A legislative assistant may be employed pursuant to this Section as a full-time employee, part-time employee, or contractual employee, at the discretion of the member. If employed as a State employee, a legislative assistant shall receive employment benefits on the same terms and conditions that apply to other employees of the General Assembly. Each member shall adopt and implement personnel policies for legislative assistants under his or her direction and control relating to work time requirements, documentation for reimbursement for travel on official State business, compensation, and the earning and accrual of State benefits for those legislative assistants who may be eligible to receive those benefits. The policies shall also require legislative assistants to periodically submit time sheets documenting, in quarter-hour increments, the time spent each day on official State business. The policies shall require the time sheets to be submitted on paper, electronically, or both and to be maintained in either paper or electronic format by the applicable fiscal office for a period of at least 2 years. Contractual employees may satisfy the time sheets requirement by complying with the terms of their contract, which shall provide for a means of compliance with this requirement. A member may satisfy the requirements of this paragraph by adopting and implementing the personnel policies promulgated by that member's legislative leader under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act with respect to that member's legislative assistants.

As used in this Section the term "personal services" shall include contributions of the State under the Federal Insurance Contribution Act and under Article 14 of the Illinois Pension Code. As used in this Section the term "contractual services" shall not include improvements to real property unless those improvements are the obligation of the lessee under the lease agreement. Beginning July 1, 1989, as used in the Section, the term "travel" shall be limited to travel in connection with a member's legislative duties and not in connection with any political campaign. Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, as used in this Section, the term "printing" includes, but is not limited to, newsletters, brochures, certificates, congratulatory mailings, greeting or welcome messages, anniversary or birthday cards, and congratulations for prominent achievement cards. As used in this Section, the term "printing" includes fees for non-substantive resolutions charged by the Clerk of the House of Representatives under subsection (c-5) of Section 1 of the Legislative Materials Act. No newsletter or brochure that is paid for, in whole or in part, with funds provided under this Section may be printed or mailed during a period beginning on the 45th day before December 15 of the year preceding a general primary election and ending the day after the general primary election and during a period beginning September 1 of the year of a general election and ending the day after the general election, except that such a newsletter or brochure may be mailed during those times if it is mailed to a constituent in response to that constituent's inquiry concerning the needs of that constituent or questions raised by that constituent. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to authorize expenditures for lodging and meals while a member is in attendance at sessions of the General Assembly.

Any utility bill for service provided to a member's district office for a period including portions of 2 consecutive fiscal years may be paid from funds appropriated for such expenditure in either fiscal year.

If a vacancy occurs in the office of Senator or Representative in the General Assembly, any office equipment in the possession of the vacating member shall transfer to the member's successor; if the successor does not want such equipment, it shall be transferred to the Secretary of the Senate or Clerk of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, and if not wanted by other members of the General Assembly then to the Department of Central Management Services for treatment as surplus property under the State Property Control Act. Each member, on or before June 30th of each year, shall conduct an inventory of all equipment purchased pursuant to this Act. Such inventory shall be filed with the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House, as the case may be. Whenever a vacancy occurs, the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House, as the case may be, shall conduct an inventory of equipment purchased.

In the event that a member leaves office during his or her term, any unexpended or unobligated portion of the allowance granted under this Section shall lapse. The vacating member's successor shall be granted an allowance in an amount, rounded to the nearest dollar, computed by dividing the annual allowance by 365 and multiplying the quotient by the number of days remaining in the fiscal year.

From any appropriation for the purposes of this Section for a fiscal year which overlaps 2 General Assemblies, no more than 1/2 of the annual allowance per member may be spent or encumbered by any member of either the outgoing or incoming General Assembly, except that any member of the incoming General Assembly who was a member of the outgoing General Assembly may encumber or spend any portion of his annual allowance within the fiscal year.

The appropriation for the annual allowances permitted by this Section shall be included in an appropriation to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives for their respective members. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall voucher for payment individual members' expenditures from their annual office allowances to the State Comptroller, subject to the authority of the Comptroller under Section 9 of the State Comptroller Act.

(Source: P.A. 95-6, eff. 6-20-07.)

Section 15. The Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984 is amended by changing Section 9-2.5 as follows:

(25 ILCS 130/9-2.5)

Sec. 9-2.5. Newsletters and brochures. The Legislative Printing Unit may not print for any member of the General Assembly any newsletters or brochures during the period beginning on the 45th day before December 15 of the year preceding a general primary election and ending the day after the general primary election and during a period beginning September 1 of the year of a general election and ending the day after the general election. A member of the General Assembly may not mail, during a period beginning on the 45th day before December 15 of the year preceding a general primary election and ending the day after the general primary election and during a period beginning September 1 of the year of a general election and ending the day after the general election, any newsletters or brochures that were printed, at any time, by the Legislative Printing Unit, except that such a newsletter or brochure may be mailed during those times if it is mailed to a constituent in response to that constituent's inquiry concerning the needs of that constituent or questions raised by that constituent.

(Source: P.A. 95-6, eff. 6-20-07.)

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