HB1266 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 03979 BDA 14003 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB1266

Introduced 1/28/2025, by Rep. John M. Cabello

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act
30 ILCS 5/6-2 new

Creates the Department of Government Efficiency Act. Establishes the Department of Government Efficiency in the Office of the Auditor General for certain purposes. Provides that the Office of the Auditor General shall provide administrative and other support to the Department. Provides that the Department shall be led by a Board of Directors, chaired by a Chairperson elected annually at the first meeting of the year from among the directors. Lists 5 directors, including the Auditor General or the Auditor General's designee and 4 directors appointed by leaders of the General Assembly. Provides that the Board may appoint members of the Department who are experts in certain fields or with certain experience who shall serve under the Board. Provides that directors and members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose. Provides for powers of the Department, including advising the Office of the Auditor General regarding audits and investigations. Provides that the Board may request a State agency head to provide all information requested by the Board and possessed by the State agency to the Board. Provides that the Department may adopt rules. Provides that the Department shall issue quarterly reports to the Governor and the General Assembly, as well as other discretionary reports. Sets forth findings and a statement of purpose. Defines terms. Amends the Illinois State Auditing Act to provide that the Auditor General may consult with the Department of Government Efficiency regarding audits and investigations.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Department of Government Efficiency Act.

Section 5. Findings and purpose. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) The government of the State of Illinois lacks efficiency, which costs taxpayers money.

(2) The government of the State of Illinois has enacted at least some unnecessary or redundant laws, which make conducting business in this State more difficult than necessary.

(3) The government of the State of Illinois has adopted at least some unnecessary or redundant administrative rules, which make conducting business in this State more difficult than necessary.

(4) The government of the State of Illinois contains at least some parts of State agencies that are unnecessary or redundant, which costs taxpayers money.

Therefore, the General Assembly directs the establishment of a Department of Government Efficiency to provide advice to policymakers to help save taxpayers in this State money and to help make conducting business in this State easier.

Section 10. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context requires otherwise:

"Board of Directors" or "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Department of Government Efficiency established under this Act.

"Chairperson" means the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Department of Government Efficiency established under this Act.

"Confidential information" means information that may not be publicly disclosed by State or federal law, rule, or regulation.

"Department" means the Department of Government Efficiency established in the Office of the Auditor General under this Act.

"Director" means a director on the Board of Directors of the Department of Government Efficiency established under this Act.

"Member" means a member of the Department of Government Efficiency established under this Act, as appointed by the Board of Directors under Section 25 of this Act.

"State agency" means:

(1) each officer, board, commission, and agency created by the Constitution in the executive branch of State government;

(2) each officer, department, board, commission, agency, institution, authority, university, and body politic and corporate in the executive branch of State government;

(3) each administrative unit or corporate outgrowth in the executive branch of State government that is created by or pursuant to statute;

(4) each administrative unit or corporate outgrowth of an entity described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3); and

(5) each administrative unit or corporate outgrowth as may be created by executive order of the Governor.

"State agency head" means the director of a State agency or the individual or group of individuals in whom the ultimate legal authority for a State agency is vested by any provision of law.

"State leader" means a State agency head or a member of the General Assembly.

Section 15. Department of Government Efficiency.

(a) The Department of Government Efficiency is established in the Office of the Auditor General to serve as an advisory and consulting organization to provide recommendations or strategies for State leaders for the following purposes:

(1) regulatory rescissions;

(2) administrative reductions; and

(3) cost savings.

(b) The Office of the Auditor General shall provide administrative and other support to the Department.

(c) The Department may advise the Office of the Auditor General regarding audits and investigations under Section 30 of this Act for the purposes described in Section 5 and subsection (a) of this Section.

Section 20. Board of Directors.

(a) The Department shall be led by a Board of Directors, which shall be chaired by a Chairperson who shall be elected annually at the first meeting of the year from among the directors. The Board shall make decisions and take actions by majority vote. The directors on the Board shall be as follows:

(1) the Auditor General or the Auditor General's designee, who shall serve as Chairperson until the first meeting under this Act;

(2) one director, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(3) one director, appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(4) one director, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; and

(5) one director, appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(b) Each director appointed under paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (a) may serve for a period of 2 years and may be reappointed to the position or a new appointment may be made under subsection (a) of this Section. A director appointed under paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (a) may be discharged and removed by the Board. A director may resign before the end of the director's term. A vacancy may be filled by appointment under subsection (a) at any time.

(c) The Board shall convene and meet at the call of the Chairperson and shall meet as frequently as necessary to carry out its duties as required by this Act.

(d) The Board may obtain and review information from a State agency under subsection (a) of Section 30.

(e) The directors shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

Section 25. Members.

(a) The Board may appoint members in the Department who shall serve under the Board. Each member appointed shall be:

(1) an expert with training or experience as a corporate efficiency consultant, organizational effectiveness consultant, management consultant, or the equivalent;

(2) an expert with academic or teaching experience in government, economics, political science, or a similar discipline;

(3) an expert with significant experience with business management; or

(4) an expert with significant experience with government management.

(b) The members shall assist the Board in advising, consulting, and providing recommendations or strategies for State leaders. The members may assist the Board in advising the Office of the Auditor General regarding audits and investigations under Section 30, in reviewing information obtained by the Board under subsection (a) of Section 30, in drafting and publishing reports under Section 35, or in any other task assigned by the Board. The members serve at the will of the Board, and members may be discharged and removed by the Board without cause.

(c) One or more members shall convene and meet at the call of any director and shall meet as frequently as necessary to carry out duties as assigned by any director.

(d) The members of the Department shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

Section 30. Powers; audits and investigations; rulemaking.

(a) At the request of the Board, a State agency head shall provide all information requested by the Board and possessed by the State agency to the Board, except as otherwise prohibited by law.

(b) The Department may advise the Office of the Auditor General regarding audits and investigations of State agencies for the purposes described in Section 5 and subsection (a) of Section 15 of this Act.

(c) The Office of the Auditor General may consult with the Department under Section 6-2 of the Illinois State Auditing Act regarding audits and investigations of State agencies.

(d) The Department may adopt rules implementing this Act, including rules to provide for policies and procedures for the Board, policies and procedures for members, policies and procedures for reports, and other policies and procedures to otherwise accomplish the purposes of this Act.

Section 35. Reports. The Department shall identify issues and make recommendations by issuing quarterly reports to the Governor and the General Assembly. The Department may also address reports to a State agency head at the discretion of the Board. The substance of each report shall identify issues and make recommendations based on the purposes described in Section 5 and subsection (a) of Section 15 of this Act.

Section 40. The Illinois State Auditing Act is amended by adding Section 6-2 as follows:

(30 ILCS 5/6-2 new)

Sec. 6-2. Department of Government Efficiency. The Auditor General may consult with the Department of Government Efficiency established in the Office of the Auditor General under the Department of Government Efficiency Act regarding audits and investigations under this Act.