Public Act 0588 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2380 Enrolled LRB098 08303 JDS 38406 b

Public Act 098-0588

AN ACT concerning government.

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

Section 5. The Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act is amended by adding Section 4.3 as follows:

(30 ILCS 705/4.3 new)

Sec. 4.3. Prohibition on use of grant funds for prohibited political activities.

(a) For the purposes of this Section, "prohibited political activity" has the meaning established in Section 1-5 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.

(b) Grantees and employees of grantees shall not knowingly use grant funds, or goods or services purchased with grant funds, to engage, either directly or indirectly, in a prohibited political activity.

(c) Grantees and employees of grantees shall not be knowingly compensated from grant funds for time spent engaging in a prohibited political activity.

(d) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit any 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organization receiving a grant from the State from engaging in any federally permissible activity regarding advocacy, indirect and direct lobbying, and political activity, provided that the specific funds acquired by a grant from the State shall not be knowingly used for those activities that are permitted by federal law but prohibited by this Section.

(e) A grantee who knowingly violates this Section is guilty of a business offense and is subject to a fine of up to $5,000.