SB2836 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 17498 RTM 30924 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2836

Introduced 1/13/2026, by Sen. Adriane Johnson

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

50 ILCS 310/1	from Ch. 85, par. 701
50 ILCS 310/2	from Ch. 85, par. 702
50 ILCS 310/3	from Ch. 85, par. 703
50 ILCS 310/6	from Ch. 85, par. 706
60 ILCS 1/80-20

Amends the Governmental Account Audit Act. Modifies the audit procedures for governmental units under the Act for the governmental units fiscal years 2028 and after, including: (1) modifying the definitions of "audit report" and "report", and adds a definition for "annual financial report"; (2) requiring the governing body of each governmental unit to conduct an audit every 2 years (rather than annually) of the accounts of the unit to be made by an auditor or auditors, and modifying the requirements of the audits; (3) allowing an exception for a governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $1,400,000 for any fiscal year, with the amount to increase or decrease by a percentage equal to the Consumer Price Index-U as reported on January 1 of each year, to provide a 4-year audit report and annual financial report or annual financial report under specified requirements (rather than a governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $850,000 for any fiscal year providing a 4-year audit report and annual financial report or annual financial report under specified requirements); and (4) modifying the requirements for signing, copying, and filing completed reports. Amends the Township Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

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 5. The Governmental Account Audit Act is amended by changing Sections 1, 2, 3, and 6 as follows:

(50 ILCS 310/1) (from Ch. 85, par. 701)

Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates:

"Governmental unit" or "unit" includes all municipal corporations in and political subdivisions of this State that appropriate more than $5,000 for a fiscal year, with the amount to increase or decrease by the amount of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as reported on January 1 of each year, except the following:

(1) School districts.

(2) Cities, villages, and incorporated towns subject to the Municipal Auditing Law, as contained in the Illinois Municipal Code, and cities that file a report with the Comptroller under Section 3.1-35-115 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

(3) Counties with a population of 1,000,000 or more.

(4) Counties subject to the County Auditing Law.

(5) Any other municipal corporations in or political subdivisions of this State, the accounts of which are required by law to be audited by or under the direction of the Auditor General.

(6) (Blank).

(7) A drainage district, established under the Illinois Drainage Code (70 ILCS 605), that did not receive or expend any moneys during the immediately preceding fiscal year or obtains approval for assessments and expenditures through the circuit court.

(8) Public housing authorities that submit financial reports to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"Governing body" means the board or other body or officers having authority to levy taxes, make appropriations, authorize the expenditure of public funds or approve claims for any governmental unit.

"Comptroller" means the Comptroller of the State of Illinois.

"Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor.

"Annual financial report" means, for governmental unit fiscal years 2028 and after, the statement filed in lieu of an audit report containing information required by the Comptroller on forms devised by the Comptroller in such manner as to not require professional accounting services for its preparation.

"Audit report" means:

(1) for governmental unit fiscal years before fiscal year 2028, the written report of the auditor and all appended statements and schedules relating to that report, presenting or recording the findings of an examination or audit of the financial transactions, affairs, or conditions of a governmental unit; and .

(2) for governmental unit fiscal years 2028 and after, the written report of the auditor or auditors and all appended statements and schedules relating thereto, presenting or recording the findings of an examination or audit of the financial transactions, affairs, or conditions of a governmental unit, which includes all of the accounts and funds of a governmental unit.

"Auditor" means a licensed certified public accountant, as that term is defined in Section 0.03 of the Illinois Public Accounting Act, or the substantial equivalent of a licensed CPA, as provided under Section 5.2 of the Illinois Public Accounting Act, who performs an audit of governmental unit financial statements and records and expresses an assurance or disclaims an opinion on the audited financial statements.

"Consumer Price Index-U" means the index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor that measures the average change in prices of goods and services purchased by all urban consumers, United States city average, all items, 1982-84 = 100.

"Report" includes, for governmental unit fiscal years before fiscal year 2028, both audit reports and reports filed instead of an audit report by a governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $850,000 during any fiscal year to which the reports relate.

"Generally accepted accounting principles" means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

"Generally accepted auditing standards" means auditing standards generally accepted in the United States.

(Source: P.A. 100-837, eff. 8-13-18; 101-419, eff. 1-1-20.)

(50 ILCS 310/2) (from Ch. 85, par. 702)

Sec. 2. (a) This subsection applies to governmental unit fiscal years before fiscal year 2028. Except as otherwise provided in Section 3, the governing body of each governmental unit shall cause an audit of the accounts of the unit to be made by an auditor or auditors. Such audit shall be performed annually and shall cover the immediately preceding fiscal year of the governmental unit. The audit shall include all the accounts and funds of the governmental unit, including the accounts of any officer of the governmental unit who receives fees or handles funds of the unit or who spends money of the unit. The audit shall begin as soon as possible after the close of the last fiscal year to which it pertains, and shall be completed and the audit report filed with the Comptroller within 180 days after the close of such fiscal year unless an extension of time is granted by the Comptroller in writing. An audit report which fails to meet the requirements of this Act shall be rejected by the Comptroller and returned to the governing body of the governmental unit for corrective action. The auditor or auditors performing the audit shall submit not less than 3 copies of the audit report to the governing body of the governmental unit being audited.

All audits to be filed with the Comptroller under this Section must be submitted electronically and the Comptroller must post the audit reports on the Internet no later than 45 days after they are received. If the governmental unit provides the Comptroller's Office with sufficient evidence that the audit report cannot be filed electronically, the Comptroller may waive this requirement. The Comptroller must also post a list of governmental units that are not in compliance with the reporting requirements set forth in this Section.

Any financial report under this Section shall include the name of the purchasing agent who oversees all competitively bid contracts. If there is no purchasing agent, the name of the person responsible for oversight of all competitively bid contracts shall be listed.

(b) This subsection applies to governmental unit fiscal years 2028 and after. Except as otherwise provided in Section 3, the governing body of each governmental unit shall cause an audit of the accounts of the unit to be made by an auditor or auditors. Such audit shall be performed once every 2 years and shall cover the 2 immediately preceding fiscal years of the governmental unit, unless the latest audit report filed with the Comptroller contains an adverse or disclaimer of opinion. If the audit report contains an adverse or disclaimer of opinion, then the governmental unit shall file an audit report annually until the audit report shows no adverse or disclaimer of opinion. The audit shall include all the accounts and funds of the governmental unit, including the accounts of any officer of the governmental unit who receives fees or handles funds of the unit or who spends money of the unit. The audit shall begin as soon as possible after the close of the last fiscal year to which it pertains, and shall be completed and the audit report filed with the Comptroller within 180 days after the close of such fiscal year unless an extension of time is granted by the Comptroller in writing. An audit report which fails to meet the requirements of this Act shall be rejected by the Comptroller and returned to the governing body of the governmental unit for corrective action. The auditor or auditors performing the audit shall submit not less than 3 copies of the audit report to the governing body of the governmental unit being audited.

All audits to be filed with the Comptroller under this Section must be submitted electronically and the Comptroller must post the audit reports on the Internet no later than 45 days after they are received. If the governmental unit provides the Comptroller's Office with sufficient evidence that the audit report cannot be filed electronically, the Comptroller may waive this requirement. The Comptroller must also post a list of governmental units that are not in compliance with the reporting requirements set forth in this Section.

Any financial report under this Section shall include the name of the purchasing agent who oversees all competitively bid contracts. If there is no purchasing agent, the name of the person responsible for oversight of all competitively bid contracts shall be listed.

(Source: P.A. 101-419, eff. 1-1-20.)

(50 ILCS 310/3) (from Ch. 85, par. 703)

Sec. 3. (a) This subsection applies to governmental unit fiscal years before fiscal year 2028. Any governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $850,000 for any fiscal year shall, in lieu of complying with the requirements of Section 2 for audits and audit reports, beginning with fiscal year 2016, either: (i) cause an audit of the accounts of the unit to be made once every 4 years and file with the Comptroller an annual financial report containing information required by the Comptroller, or (ii) file with the Comptroller an annual financial report containing information required by the Comptroller, a copy of which has been provided to each member of that governmental unit's board of elected officials, presented either in person or by a live phone or web connection during a public meeting, and approved by a 3/5 majority vote. In addition, a governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $850,000 may file with the Comptroller any audit reports which may have been prepared under any other law. Any governmental unit receiving revenue of $850,000 or more for any fiscal year shall, in addition to complying with the requirements of Section 2 for audits and audit reports, file with the Comptroller the annual financial report required by this Section. Such annual financial reports shall be on forms so designed by the Comptroller as not to require professional accounting services for its preparation. All reports to be filed with the Comptroller under this Section must be submitted electronically and the Comptroller must post the reports on the Internet no later than 45 days after they are received. If the governmental unit provides the Comptroller's Office with sufficient evidence that the report cannot be filed electronically, the Comptroller may waive this requirement. The Comptroller must also post a list of governmental units that are not in compliance with the reporting requirements set forth in this Section.

Any financial report under this Section shall include the name of the purchasing agent who oversees all competitively bid contracts. If there is no purchasing agent, the name of the person responsible for oversight of all competitively bid contracts shall be listed.

(b) This subsection applies to governmental unit fiscal years 2028 and after. Any governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $1,400,000 for any fiscal year, with the amount to increase or decrease by a percentage equal to the Consumer Price Index-U as reported on January 1 of each year, shall, in lieu of complying with the requirements of Section 2, either: (i) cause an audit of the accounts of the unit to be made once every 4 years and must file with the Comptroller an annual financial report containing information required by the Comptroller; or (ii) file with the Comptroller an annual financial report containing information required by the Comptroller, a copy of which has been provided to each member of that governmental unit's board of elected officials, presented either in person or by a live phone or web connection during a public meeting, and approved by a three-fifths majority vote. In addition, a governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $1,400,000, with the amount to increase or decrease by a percentage equal to the Consumer Price Index-U as reported on January 1 of each year, may file with the Comptroller any audit reports which may have been prepared under any other law. Any governmental unit receiving revenue of $1,400,000 or more for any fiscal year, with the amount to increase or decrease by a percentage equal to the Consumer Price Index-U as reported on January 1 of each year, shall, in addition to complying with the requirements of Section 2 for audits and audit reports, file with the Comptroller the annual financial report required by this Section. All reports to be filed with the Comptroller under this Section must be submitted electronically and the Comptroller must post the reports on the Internet no later than 45 days after they are received. If the governmental unit provides the Comptroller's Office with sufficient evidence that the report cannot be filed electronically, the Comptroller may waive this requirement. The Comptroller must also post a list of governmental units that are not in compliance with the reporting requirements set forth in this Section.

Any financial report under this Section shall include the name of the purchasing agent who oversees all competitively bid contracts. If there is no purchasing agent, the name of the person responsible for oversight of all competitively bid contracts shall be listed.

(Source: P.A. 97-890, eff. 8-2-12; 97-1142, eff. 12-28-12; 98-1019, eff. 7-1-15.)

(50 ILCS 310/6) (from Ch. 85, par. 706)

Sec. 6. (a) This subsection applies to governmental unit fiscal years before fiscal year 2028. When the audit is completed the auditor making such audit shall make and sign at least 3 copies of the report of the audit and immediately file them with the governmental unit audited. Governmental units receiving revenue of $850,000 or more for any fiscal year shall immediately make one copy of the audit report and one copy of the financial report required by Section 3 of this Act a part of its public record. Governmental units receiving revenue of less than $850,000 shall immediately make one copy of the audit report, or one copy of the report authorized by Section 3 of this Act to be filed instead of the audit report, a part of its public record. These copies shall be open to public inspection. In addition, the governmental unit shall file one copy of the report with the Comptroller and with the county clerk of the county in which the principal office of the governmental unit is located. A governmental unit may, in filing its audit report with the Comptroller, transmit with such report any comment or explanation that it wishes to make concerning the report.

(b) This subsection applies to governmental unit fiscal years 2028 and after. When the audit is completed, the auditor making such audit shall make and sign at least 3 copies of the report of the audit and immediately file them with the governmental unit audited. Governmental units shall immediately make one copy of the audit report or one copy of the annual financial report a part of its public record as required by Section 3 of this Act. These copies shall be open to public inspection. In addition, the governmental unit shall file one copy of the report with the Comptroller and with the county clerk of the county in which the principal office of the governmental unit is located. A governmental unit may, in filing its audit report with the Comptroller, transmit with such report any comment or explanation that it wishes to make concerning the report.

(Source: P.A. 101-419, eff. 1-1-20.)

Section 10. The Township Code is amended by changing Section 80-20 as follows:

(60 ILCS 1/80-20)

Sec. 80-20. Independent audit of accounts.

(a) All accounts audited under this Article (and those rejected, if any) shall be delivered with the certificate of the trustees (or a majority of them) to the township clerk, who shall keep them on file for the inspection of any of the inhabitants of the township. They shall also be produced by the township clerk at the next annual meeting and shall be read at the meeting by the clerk.

(b) In townships that receive revenue of more than $1,400,000 for any fiscal year, with the amount to increase or decrease by a percentage equal to the Consumer Price Index-U as reported on January 1 of each year $850,000 or more during any fiscal year, exclusive of road funds, the township board shall have the accounts and all records of the township thoroughly audited by a certified public accountant within 6 months after the close of each fiscal year. The board shall have a copy of the accountant's report and recommendations filed with the township clerk and another copy filed with the county clerk for public inspection.

(c) In townships that receive revenue of less than $1,400,000 for any fiscal year, with the amount to increase or decrease by a percentage equal to the Consumer Price Index-U as reported on January 1 of each year $850,000 during any fiscal year, exclusive of road funds, the township board shall have the accounts and all records of the township audited and inspected by an independent auditing committee composed of 3 township electors chosen by the board. The audit shall be completed within 6 months after the close of each fiscal year. A copy of the auditing committee's report and recommendations shall be filed with the township clerk and another copy shall be filed with the county clerk for public inspection. The auditing committee shall not contain any member of the township board or any person related to a trustee. Members of the auditing committee shall be proficient in accounting principles and practices and shall be compensated at a rate determined by the township board but not to exceed $50 per day. In addition to the other audit requirements imposed by law, in townships subject to this subsection, the township board shall have the accounts and all records of the township thoroughly audited by a certified public accountant within 6 months after (i) the end of each term of office of the township supervisor and (ii) a vacancy occurs in the office of township supervisor. A copy of the accountant's report and recommendations shall be filed with the township clerk and another copy shall be filed with the county clerk for public inspection.

As used in this Section, "Consumer Price Index-U" means the index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor that measures the average change in prices of goods and services purchased by all urban consumers, United States city average, all items, 1982-84 = 100.

(Source: P.A. 92-582, eff. 7-1-02.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.