HB4574 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 19027 WRO 32472 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4574

Introduced 2/3/2026, by Rep. Carol Ammons

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

60 ILCS 1/55-6 rep.
65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5	from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-10-5
65 ILCS 5/6-3-9	from Ch. 24, par. 6-3-9

Specifies that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Public Office Eligibility and Criminal Conviction Clarification Act. Amends the Township Code. Repeals a provision that makes a person ineligible to hold any office under the Code if the person, at the time required for taking the oath of office, has been convicted of a felony. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. In a provision concerning qualification for specified elective offices, deletes provisions which prohibit a person from taking the oath of office if the person has been convicted of a felony.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

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

Section 1. References to Act. This Act may be referred to as the Public Office Eligibility and Criminal Conviction Clarification Act.

(60 ILCS 1/55-6 rep.)

Section 5. The Township Code is amended by repealing Section 55-6.

Section 10. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by changing Sections 3.1-10-5 and 6-3-9 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5) (from Ch. 24, par. 3.1-10-5)

Sec. 3.1-10-5. Qualifications; elective office.

(a) A person is not eligible for an elective municipal office unless that person is a qualified elector of the municipality and has resided in the municipality at least one year next preceding the election or appointment, except as provided in Section 3.1-20-25, subsection (b) of Section 3.1-25-75, Section 5-2-2, or Section 5-2-11.

(b) A person is not eligible to take the oath of office for a municipal office if that person is, at the time required for taking the oath of office, in arrears in the payment of a tax or other indebtedness due to the municipality. or has been convicted in any court located in the United States of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony, unless such person is again restored to his or her rights of citizenship that may have been forfeited under Illinois law as a result of a conviction, which includes eligibility to hold elected municipal office, by the terms of a pardon for the offense, has received a restoration of rights by the Governor, or otherwise according to law. Any time after a judgment of conviction is rendered, a person convicted of an infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony may petition the Governor for a restoration of rights.

The changes made to this subsection by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly are declarative of existing law and apply to all persons elected at the April 4, 2017 consolidated election and to persons elected or appointed thereafter.

(b-5) (Blank).

(c) A person is not eligible for the office of alderperson of a ward unless that person has resided in the ward that the person seeks to represent, and a person is not eligible for the office of trustee of a district unless that person has resided in the municipality, at least one year next preceding the election or appointment, except as provided in Section 3.1-20-25, subsection (b) of Section 3.1-25-75, Section 5-2-2, or Section 5-2-11.

(d) If a person (i) is a resident of a municipality immediately prior to the active duty military service of that person or that person's spouse, (ii) resides anywhere outside of the municipality during that active duty military service, and (iii) immediately upon completion of that active duty military service is again a resident of the municipality, then the time during which the person resides outside the municipality during the active duty military service is deemed to be time during which the person is a resident of the municipality for purposes of determining the residency requirement under subsection (a).

(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)

(65 ILCS 5/6-3-9) (from Ch. 24, par. 6-3-9)

Sec. 6-3-9. Qualifications of mayor, city clerk, city treasurer and alderpersons - eligibility for other office. No person shall be eligible to the office of mayor, city clerk, city treasurer or alderperson:

(1) Unless he is a qualified elector of the municipality and has resided therein at least one year next preceding his election or appointment; or

(2) Unless, in the case of alderpersons, he resides within the ward for which he is elected; or

(3) If he is in arrears in the payment of any tax or other indebtedness due to the city. ; or

(4) If he has been convicted in Illinois state courts or in courts of the United States of malfeasance in office, bribery, or other infamous crime.

No alderperson shall be eligible to any office, except that of acting mayor or mayor pro tem, the salary of which is payable out of the city treasury, if at the time of his appointment he is a member of the city council.

(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)