SB2131 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 17291 SMS 22771 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2131

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Mike Simmons

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/25-6

from Ch. 46, par. 25-6

Amends the Election Code. Provides that when a vacancy occurs in the office of State Senator or State Representative in the General Assembly, the legislative or representative committee of that legislative or representative district that fills the vacancy shall provide members of the public within the district with notice of the vacancy and the replacement process. Provides that the committee shall also provide members of the public with notice of an impending vote to fill the vacancy within at least 6 days prior to such vote. Provides that any meeting held by a legislative or representative committee for purposes of filling a vacancy in the General Assembly shall be open to the public and subject to the requirements of the Open Meetings Act and shall also be recorded and broadcast by electronic means for public consumption. Provides requirements for appointments that may be filled by the Governor.

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 Section 25-6 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/25-6) (from Ch. 46, par. 25-6)

Sec. 25-6. (a) When a vacancy occurs in the office of State Senator or Representative in the General Assembly, the vacancy shall be filled within 30 days by appointment of the legislative or representative committee of that legislative or representative district of the political party of which the incumbent was a candidate at the time of his election. The appointee shall be a member of the same political party as the person he succeeds was at the time of his election, and shall be otherwise eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly.

(b) When a vacancy occurs in the office of a legislator elected other than as a candidate of a political party, the vacancy shall be filled within 30 days of such occurrence by appointment of the Governor. The appointee shall not be a member of a political party, and shall be otherwise eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly. Provided, however, the appropriate body of the General Assembly may, by resolution, allow a legislator elected other than as a candidate of a political party to affiliate with a political party for his term of office in the General Assembly. A vacancy occurring in the office of any such legislator who affiliates with a political party pursuant to resolution shall be filled within 30 days of such occurrence by appointment of the appropriate legislative or representative committee of that legislative or representative district of the political party with which the legislator so affiliates. The appointee shall be a member of the political party with which the incumbent affiliated.

(c) For purposes of this Section, a person is a member of a political party for 23 months after (i) signing a candidate petition, as to the political party whose nomination is sought; (ii) signing a statement of candidacy, as to the political party where nomination or election is sought; (iii) signing a Petition of Political Party Formation, as to the proposed political party; (iv) applying for and receiving a primary ballot, as to the political party whose ballot is received; or (v) becoming a candidate for election to or accepting appointment to the office of ward, township, precinct or state central committeeperson.

(d) In making appointments under this Section, each committeeperson of the appropriate legislative or representative committee shall be entitled to one vote for each vote that was received, in that portion of the legislative or representative district which he represents on the committee, by the Senator or Representative whose seat is vacant at the general election at which that legislator was elected to the seat which has been vacated and a majority of the total number of votes received in such election by the Senator or Representative whose seat is vacant is required for the appointment of his successor; provided, however, that in making appointments in legislative or representative districts comprising only one county or part of a county other than a county containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, each committeeperson shall be entitled to cast only one vote.

(e) Appointments made under this Section shall be in writing and shall be signed by members of the legislative or representative committee whose total votes are sufficient to make the appointments or by the Governor, as the case may be. Such appointments shall be filed with the Secretary of State and with the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate, whichever is appropriate.

(f) An appointment made under this Section shall be for the remainder of the term, except that, if the appointment is to fill a vacancy in the office of State Senator and the vacancy occurs with more than 28 months remaining in the term, the term of the appointment shall expire at the time of the next general election at which time a Senator shall be elected for a new term commencing on the determination of the results of the election and ending on the second Wednesday of January in the second odd-numbered year next occurring. Whenever a Senator has been appointed to fill a vacancy and was thereafter elected to that office, the term of service under the authority of the election shall be considered a new term of service, separate from the term of service rendered under the authority of the appointment.

(g) When a vacancy occurs in the office of State Senator or State Representative in the General Assembly, the legislative or representative committee of that legislative or representative district that fills the vacancy shall provide members of the public within the district with notice of the vacancy and the replacement process, including providing such notice on any website or social media account associated with the committee and contact information for the committee with which interested members of the public may apply for appointment. The committee shall also provide members of the public with notice of an impending vote to fill the vacancy within at least 6 days prior to such vote.

(h) Any meeting held by a legislative or representative committee for purposes of filling a vacancy in the General Assembly shall be open to the public and subject to the requirements of the Open Meetings Act and shall also be recorded and broadcast by electronic means for public consumption.

(i) For any vacancy in the office of State Senator or State Representative that may be filled through appointment by the Governor, the Governor shall comply with the requirements of subsection (g) and (h) to the extent practicable in his or her appointment of such person.

(Source: P.A. 100-1027, eff. 1-1-19.)