40 ILCS 5/1-110.6

(40 ILCS 5/1-110.6)

Sec. 1-110.6. Transactions prohibited by retirement systems; Republic of the Sudan.

(a) The Government of the United States has determined that Sudan is a nation that sponsors terrorism and genocide. The General Assembly finds that acts of terrorism have caused injury and death to Illinois and United States residents who serve in the United States military, and pose a significant threat to safety and health in Illinois. The General Assembly finds that public employees and their families, including police officers and firefighters, are more likely than others to be affected by acts of terrorism. The General Assembly finds that Sudan continues to solicit investment and commercial activities by forbidden entities, including private market funds. The General Assembly finds that investments in forbidden entities are inherently and unduly risky, not in the interests of public pensioners and Illinois taxpayers, and against public policy. The General Assembly finds that Sudan's capacity to sponsor terrorism and genocide depends on or is supported by the activities of forbidden entities. The General Assembly further finds and re-affirms that the people of the State, acting through their representatives, do not want to be associated with forbidden entities, genocide, and terrorism.

(b) For purposes of this Section:

"Business operations" means maintaining, selling, or leasing equipment, facilities, personnel, or any other apparatus of business or commerce in the Republic of the Sudan, including the ownership or possession of real or personal property located in the Republic of the Sudan.

"Certifying company" means a company that (1) directly provides asset management services or advice to a retirement system or (2) as directly authorized or requested by a retirement system (A) identifies particular investment options for consideration or approval; (B) chooses particular investment options; or (C) allocates particular amounts to be invested. If no company meets the criteria set forth in this paragraph, then "certifying company" shall mean the retirement system officer who, as designated by the board, executes the investment decisions made by the board, or, in the alternative, the company that the board authorizes to complete the certification as the agent of that officer.

"Company" is any entity capable of affecting commerce, including but not limited to (i) a government, government agency, natural person, legal person, sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, corporation, subsidiary, affiliate, franchisor, franchisee, joint venture, trade association, financial institution, utility, public franchise, provider of financial services, trust, or enterprise; and (ii) any association thereof.

"Division" means the Public Pension Division of the Department of Insurance.

"Forbidden entity" means any of the following:

(1) The government of the Republic of the Sudan and any of its agencies, including but not limited to political units and subdivisions;

(2) Any company that is wholly or partially managed or controlled by the government of the Republic of the Sudan and any of its agencies, including but not limited to political units and subdivisions;

(3) Any company (i) that is established or organized under the laws of the Republic of the Sudan or (ii) whose principal place of business is in the Republic of the Sudan;

(4) Any company (i) identified by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the United States Department of the Treasury as sponsoring terrorist activities in the Republic of the Sudan; or (ii) fined, penalized, or sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the United States Department of the Treasury for any violation of any United States rules and restrictions relating to the Republic of the Sudan that occurred at any time following the effective date of this Act;

(5) Any publicly traded company that is individually identified by an independent researching firm that specializes in global security risk and that has been retained by a certifying company as provided in subsection (c) of this Section as being a company that owns or controls property or assets located in, has employees or facilities located in, provides goods or services to, obtains goods or services from, has distribution agreements with, issues credits or loans to, purchases bonds or commercial paper issued by, or invests in (A) the Republic of the Sudan; or (B) any company domiciled in the Republic of the Sudan; and

(6) Any private market fund that fails to satisfy the requirements set forth in subsections (d) and (e) of this Section.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "forbidden entity" shall exclude (A) mutual funds that meet the requirements of item (iii) of paragraph (13) of Section 1-113.2 and (B) companies that transact business in the Republic of the Sudan under the law, license, or permit of the United States, including a license from the United States Department of the Treasury, and companies, except agencies of the Republic of the Sudan, who are certified as Non-Government Organizations by the United Nations, or who engage solely in (i) the provision of goods and services intended to relieve human suffering or to promote welfare, health, religious and spiritual activities, and education or humanitarian purposes; or (ii) journalistic activities.

"Private market fund" means any private equity fund, private equity fund of funds, venture capital fund, hedge fund, hedge fund of funds, real estate fund, or other investment vehicle that is not publicly traded.

"Republic of the Sudan" means those geographic areas of the Republic of Sudan that are subject to sanction or other restrictions placed on commercial activity imposed by the United States Government due to an executive or congressional declaration of genocide.

"Retirement system" means the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois, the Judges Retirement System of Illinois, the General Assembly Retirement System, the State Universities Retirement System, and the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois.

(c) A retirement system shall not transfer or disburse funds to, deposit into, acquire any bonds or commercial paper from, or otherwise loan to or invest in any entity unless, as provided in this Section, a certifying company certifies to the retirement system that, (1) with respect to investments in a publicly traded company, the certifying company has relied on information provided by an independent researching firm that specializes in global security risk and (2) 100% of the retirement system's assets for which the certifying company provides services or advice are not and have not been invested or reinvested in any forbidden entity at any time after 4 months after the effective date of this Section.

The certifying company shall make the certification required under this subsection (c) to a retirement system 6 months after the effective date of this Section and annually thereafter. A retirement system shall submit the certifications to the Division, and the Division shall notify the Director of Insurance if a retirement system fails to do so.

(d) With respect to a commitment or investment made pursuant to a written agreement executed prior to the effective date of this Section, each private market fund shall submit to the appropriate certifying company, at no additional cost to the retirement system:

(1) an affidavit sworn under oath in which an expressly authorized officer of the private market fund avers that the private market fund (A) does not own or control any property or asset located in the Republic of the Sudan and (B) does not conduct business operations in the Republic of the Sudan; or

(2) a certificate in which an expressly authorized officer of the private market fund certifies that the private market fund, based on reasonable due diligence, has determined that, other than direct or indirect investments in companies certified as Non-Government Organizations by the United Nations, the private market fund has no direct or indirect investment in any company (A) organized under the laws of the Republic of the Sudan; (B) whose principal place of business is in the Republic of the Sudan; or (C) that conducts business operations in the Republic of the Sudan. Such certificate shall be based upon the periodic reports received by the private market fund, and the private market fund shall agree that the certifying company, directly or through an agent, or the retirement system, as the case may be, may from time to time review the private market fund's certification process.

(e) With respect to a commitment or investment made pursuant to a written agreement executed after the effective date of this Section, each private market fund shall, at no additional cost to the retirement system:

(1) submit to the appropriate certifying company an affidavit or certificate consistent with the requirements pursuant to subsection (d) of this Section; or

(2) enter into an enforceable written agreement with the retirement system that provides for remedies consistent with those set forth in subsection (g) of this Section if any of the assets of the retirement system shall be transferred, loaned, or otherwise invested in any company that directly or indirectly (A) has facilities or employees in the Republic of the Sudan or (B) conducts business operations in the Republic of the Sudan.

(f) In addition to any other penalties and remedies available under the law of Illinois and the United States, any transaction, other than a transaction with a private market fund that is governed by subsections (g) and (h) of this Section, that violates the provisions of this Act shall be against public policy and voidable, at the sole discretion of the retirement system.

(g) If a private market fund fails to provide the affidavit or certification required in subsections (d) and (e) of this Section, then the retirement system shall, within 90 days, divest, or attempt in good faith to divest, the retirement system's interest in the private market fund, provided that the Board of the retirement system confirms through resolution that the divestment does not have a material and adverse impact on the retirement system. The retirement system shall immediately notify the Division, and the Division shall notify all other retirement systems, as soon as practicable, by posting the name of the private market fund on the Division's Internet website or through e-mail communications. No other retirement system may enter into any agreement under which the retirement system directly or indirectly invests in the private market fund unless the private market fund provides that retirement system with the affidavit or certification required in subsections (d) and (e) of this Section and complies with all other provisions of this Section.

(h) If a private market fund fails to fulfill its obligations under any agreement provided for in paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of this Section, the retirement system shall immediately take legal and other action to obtain satisfaction through all remedies and penalties available under the law and the agreement itself. The retirement system shall immediately notify the Division, and the Division shall notify all other retirement systems, as soon as practicable, by posting the name of the private market fund on the Division's Internet website or through e-mail communications, and no other retirement system may enter into any agreement under which the retirement system directly or indirectly invests in the private market fund.

(i) This Section shall have full force and effect during any period in which the Republic of the Sudan, or the officials of the government of that Republic, are subject to sanctions authorized under any statute or executive order of the United States or until such time as the State Department of the United States confirms in the federal register or through other means that the Republic of the Sudan is no longer subject to sanctions by the government of the United States.

(j) If any provision of this Section or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity of that provision or application does not affect other provisions or applications of this Section that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

(Source: P.A. 103-426, eff. 8-4-23.)