96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB3454

 

Introduced 2/10/2010, by Sen. Bill Brady

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Whistleblower Hotline Act. Requires the Auditor General to establish a 24-hour statewide hotline to report suspected misconduct, malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, or violations of rules, regulations, or laws by State officials or employees. Requires the Auditor General to refer allegations to appropriate law enforcement, investigatory, or prosecutorial entities. Allegations may not be anonymous. Provides for promotion of the hotline. Authorizes rewards, subject to appropriation, and provides for confidentiality. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning whistleblowers.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Whistleblower Hotline Act.
 
6     Section 5. Hotline established. The Auditor General shall
7 establish and maintain a 24-hour statewide toll-free hotline.
8 The purpose of the hotline is to allow any persons to report
9 suspected misconduct, malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance,
10 or violations of rules, regulations, or laws by State officials
11 or employees.
 
12     Section 10. Hotline information. The Hotline number shall
13 be prominently posted at all State offices and facilities. All
14 State officers and agencies shall cooperate with the Auditor
15 General to promote and market the availability of the hotline
16 and its purpose. All State informational brochures must carry a
17 description of the hotline with the toll-free number.
 
18     Section 15. Allegations. Allegations may not be made
19 anonymously. Upon receipt of an allegation, the Auditor General
20 shall promptly refer the allegation to an appropriate venue for
21 further investigation. Referrals may be made to a United States

 

 

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1 Attorney, a State's Attorney, the Attorney General, an
2 Executive Inspector General, the Legislative Inspector
3 General, or any other appropriate law enforcement,
4 investigatory, or prosecutorial entity.
 
5     Section 20. Rewards. Subject to appropriation and based
6 upon standard evaluation and determination procedures
7 established by rule, the Auditor General shall pay a reward to
8 whistleblowers. For a successful criminal conviction, the
9 reward shall be the greater of $2,500 or the amount equal to
10 half of the criminal fine imposed. In the case of a successful
11 resolution of an allegation that does not require criminal
12 prosecution, the Auditor General may determine an appropriate
13 reward amount based upon standard evaluation and determination
14 procedures established by rule.
 
15     Section 25. Confidentiality. The identity of any
16 individual providing information or reporting any possible or
17 alleged misconduct, malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, or
18 violations of rules, regulations, or laws to the hotline shall
19 be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed without the
20 consent of that individual. The confidentiality granted by this
21 Section does not preclude the disclosure of the identity of a
22 person in any capacity other than as the source of an
23 allegation.
 

 

 

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1     Section 30. Rules. The Auditor General shall adopt rules
2 for the implementation and administration of this Act. Those
3 rules shall include, but need not be limited to, procedures for
4 evaluating allegations, for delegating the investigation of
5 allegations, and for evaluation and determination of rewards.
 
6     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
7 becoming law.