HB4573 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 13103 JAM 27465 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB4573

Introduced , by Rep. Elizabeth Coulson

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

5 ILCS 430/20-10
5 ILCS 430/20-20
5 ILCS 430/20-50
5 ILCS 430/20-95
5 ILCS 430/25-10
5 ILCS 430/25-20
5 ILCS 430/25-50
5 ILCS 430/25-95
5 ILCS 430/30-5
5 ILCS 430/Art. 60 heading new
5 ILCS 430/60-5 new
20 ILCS 3005/1	from Ch. 127, par. 411

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget Act. With respect to Inspectors General and Ethics Commissions, makes changes concerning: removal; budgets; monitoring of State hiring; initiation of investigations; anonymous allegations; disclosure of summary reports; and consolidation of offices.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning government.

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

Section 5. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act is amended by changing Sections 20-10, 20-20, 20-50, 20-95, 25-10, 25-20, 25-50, 25-95, and 30-5 and by adding the heading of Article 60 and Section 60-5 as follows:

(5 ILCS 430/20-10)

Sec. 20-10. Offices of Executive Inspectors General.

(a) Five independent Offices of the Executive Inspector General are created, one each for the Governor, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Comptroller, and the Treasurer. Each Office shall be under the direction and supervision of an Executive Inspector General and shall be a fully independent office with separate appropriations.

(b) The Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer shall each appoint an Executive Inspector General, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability. Appointments shall be made by and with the advice and consent of the Senate by three-fifths of the elected members concurring by record vote. Any nomination not acted upon by the Senate within 60 session days of the receipt thereof shall be deemed to have received the advice and consent of the Senate. If, during a recess of the Senate, there is a vacancy in an office of Executive Inspector General, the appointing authority shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the Senate when the appointing authority shall make a nomination to fill that office. No person rejected for an office of Executive Inspector General shall, except by the Senate's request, be nominated again for that office at the same session of the Senate or be appointed to that office during a recess of that Senate.

Nothing in this Article precludes the appointment by the Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, or Treasurer of any other inspector general required or permitted by law. The Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer each may appoint an existing inspector general as the Executive Inspector General required by this Article, provided that such an inspector general is not prohibited by law, rule, jurisdiction, qualification, or interest from serving as the Executive Inspector General required by this Article. An appointing authority may not appoint a relative as an Executive Inspector General.

Each Executive Inspector General shall have the following qualifications:

(1) has not been convicted of any felony under the laws of this State, another State, or the United States;

(2) has earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education; and

(3) has 5 or more years of cumulative service (A) with a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, at least 2 years of which have been in a progressive investigatory capacity; (B) as a federal, State, or local prosecutor; (C) as a senior manager or executive of a federal, State, or local agency; (D) as a member, an officer, or a State or federal judge; or (E) representing any combination of (A) through (D).

The term of each initial Executive Inspector General shall commence upon qualification and shall run through June 30, 2008. The initial appointments shall be made within 60 days after the effective date of this Act.

After the initial term, each Executive Inspector General shall serve for 5-year terms commencing on July 1 of the year of appointment and running through June 30 of the fifth following year. An Executive Inspector General may be reappointed to one or more subsequent terms.

A vacancy occurring other than at the end of a term shall be filled by the appointing authority only for the balance of the term of the Executive Inspector General whose office is vacant.

Terms shall run regardless of whether the position is filled.

(c) The Executive Inspector General appointed by the Attorney General shall have jurisdiction over the Attorney General and all officers and employees of, and vendors and others doing business with, State agencies within the jurisdiction of the Attorney General. The Executive Inspector General appointed by the Secretary of State shall have jurisdiction over the Secretary of State and all officers and employees of, and vendors and others doing business with, State agencies within the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State. The Executive Inspector General appointed by the Comptroller shall have jurisdiction over the Comptroller and all officers and employees of, and vendors and others doing business with, State agencies within the jurisdiction of the Comptroller. The Executive Inspector General appointed by the Treasurer shall have jurisdiction over the Treasurer and all officers and employees of, and vendors and others doing business with, State agencies within the jurisdiction of the Treasurer. The Executive Inspector General appointed by the Governor shall have jurisdiction over the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and all officers and employees of, and vendors and others doing business with, executive branch State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Executive Ethics Commission and not within the jurisdiction of the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Comptroller, or the Treasurer.

The jurisdiction of each Executive Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, misconduct, nonfeasance, misfeasance, malfeasance, or violations of this Act or violations of other related laws and rules.

(d) The minimum compensation for each Executive Inspector General shall be determined by the Executive Ethics Commission. The actual compensation for each Executive Inspector General shall be determined by the appointing executive branch constitutional officer and must be at or above the minimum compensation level set by the Executive Ethics Commission.

(d-5) Subject to Section 20-45 of this Act, each Executive Inspector General has full authority to organize his or her Office of the Executive Inspector General, including the employment and determination of the compensation of staff, such as deputies, assistants, and other employees, as appropriations permit. Each Office of the Executive Inspector General must include an administrative and investigative unit dedicated solely to the proactive monitoring and review of the hiring practices and activities of the State agencies under the jurisdiction of that Executive Inspector General. Each Office of the Executive Inspector General shall be given full access to all hiring information of the State agencies under the jurisdiction of that Executive Inspector General. A separate appropriation shall be made for each Office of Executive Inspector General.

(e) No Executive Inspector General or employee of the Office of the Executive Inspector General may, during his or her term of appointment or employment:

(1) become a candidate for any elective office;

(2) hold any other elected or appointed public office except for appointments on governmental advisory boards or study commissions or as otherwise expressly authorized by law;

(3) be actively involved in the affairs of any political party or political organization; or

(4) actively participate in any campaign for any elective office.

In this subsection an appointed public office means a position authorized by law that is filled by an appointing authority as provided by law and does not include employment by hiring in the ordinary course of business.

(e-1) No Executive Inspector General or employee of the Office of the Executive Inspector General may, for one year after the termination of his or her appointment or employment:

(1) become a candidate for any elective office;

(2) hold any elected public office; or

(3) hold any appointed State, county, or local judicial office.

(e-2) The requirements of item (3) of subsection (e-1) may be waived by the Executive Ethics Commission.

(f) An Executive Inspector General may be removed only for cause and may be removed only after by the appointing constitutional officer certifies to the Senate the reasons for removal, the Senate conducts a public evidentiary hearing on the reasons, and a majority of the Senate subsequently votes to remove the Executive Inspector General. After . At the time of the removal, the appointing constitutional officer must report to the Executive Ethics Commission the justification for the removal.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

(5 ILCS 430/20-20)

Sec. 20-20. Duties of the Executive Inspectors General. In addition to duties otherwise assigned by law, each Executive Inspector General shall have the following duties:

(1) To receive and investigate allegations of violations of this Act. The Executive Inspector General may initiate investigations (i) in response to receive information received through the Office of any Executive Inspector General or through an ethics commission, (ii) . An investigation may be conducted only in response to information reported to the Executive Inspector General, or (iii) as provided in this Section and not upon his or her own prerogative. Allegations may not be made anonymously. An investigation may not be initiated more than one year after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a series of alleged violations except where there is reasonable cause to believe that fraudulent concealment has occurred. To constitute fraudulent concealment sufficient to toll this limitations period, there must be an affirmative act or representation calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that a violation has occurred. The Executive Inspector General shall have the discretion to determine the appropriate means of investigation as permitted by law.

(2) To request information relating to an investigation from any person when the Executive Inspector General deems that information necessary in conducting an investigation.

(3) To issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses for the purposes of testimony and production of documents and other items for inspection and copying and to make service of those subpoenas and subpoenas issued under item (7) of Section 20-15.

(4) To submit reports as required by this Act.

(5) To file pleadings in the name of the Executive Inspector General with the Executive Ethics Commission, through the Attorney General, as provided in this Article if the Attorney General finds that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred.

(6) To assist and coordinate the ethics officers for State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Executive Inspector General and to work with those ethics officers.

(7) To participate in or conduct, when appropriate, multi-jurisdictional investigations.

(8) To request, as the Executive Inspector General deems appropriate, from ethics officers of State agencies under his or her jurisdiction, reports or information on (i) the content of a State agency's ethics training program and (ii) the percentage of new officers and employees who have completed ethics training.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

(5 ILCS 430/20-50)

Sec. 20-50. Investigation reports; complaint procedure.

(a) If an Executive Inspector General, upon the conclusion of an investigation, determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the Executive Inspector General shall issue a summary report of the investigation. The report shall be delivered to the appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority and to the head of each State agency affected by or involved in the investigation, if appropriate.

(b) The summary report of the investigation shall include the following:

(1) A description of any allegations or other information received by the Executive Inspector General pertinent to the investigation.

(2) A description of any alleged misconduct discovered in the course of the investigation.

(3) Recommendations for any corrective or disciplinary action to be taken in response to any alleged misconduct described in the report, including but not limited to discharge.

(4) Other information the Executive Inspector General deems relevant to the investigation or resulting recommendations.

(b-5) Within 60 days after delivery of a summary report, the Executive Ethics Commission shall make the report public unless within that 60-day period the Executive Inspector General certifies to the Executive Ethics Commission that publication of the summary report will interfere with an ongoing investigation. When the Inspector General so certifies, the Executive Ethics Commission shall publish the report (i) within 6 months after the date of that certification, if the ongoing investigation does not involve a criminal matter, or (ii) within 2 years after the date of that certification, if the ongoing investigation involves a criminal matter. If the ongoing investigation involves a criminal matter, the Executive Inspector General, every 6 months until publication of the report, must certify to the Executive Ethics Commission that publication will interfere with the ongoing investigation.

The name of a State employee for whom discipline is recommended in a summary report required to be published under this subsection shall not be redacted from the report under this Act or the Freedom of Information Act if the employee is required to file a statement of economic interests under the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act or the employee is alleged to have violated Section 5-15, Section 5-45, or Article 10 of this Act. Regarding summary reports required to be published under this subsection that recommend discipline for any other State employee, the Executive Ethics Commission shall determine whether it is in the public interest to publish or redact the name of the State employee.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Inspector General may redact information in summary reports that would reveal the identity of witnesses, complainants, or informants before publication if the Inspector General determines that it is appropriate to protect their identity.

When the summary report is made public, the disciplinary decision and justification from the State agency should also be made public, along with any response from the employee if the employee wishes.

(c) Not less than 30 days after delivery of the summary report of an investigation under subsection (a), if the Executive Inspector General desires to file a petition for leave to file a complaint, the Executive Inspector General shall notify the Commission and the Attorney General. If the Attorney General determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the Executive Inspector General, represented by the Attorney General, may file with the Executive Ethics Commission a petition for leave to file a complaint. The petition shall set forth the alleged violation and the grounds that exist to support the petition. The petition for leave to file a complaint must be filed with the Commission within 18 months after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a series of alleged violations except where there is reasonable cause to believe that fraudulent concealment has occurred. To constitute fraudulent concealment sufficient to toll this limitations period, there must be an affirmative act or representation calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that a violation has occurred. If a petition for leave to file a complaint is not filed with the Commission within 6 months after notice by the Inspector General to the Commission and the Attorney General, then the Commission may set a meeting of the Commission at which the Attorney General shall appear and provide a status report to the Commission.

(d) A copy of the petition must be served on all respondents named in the complaint and on each respondent's ultimate jurisdictional authority in the same manner as process is served under the Code of Civil Procedure.

(e) A respondent may file objections to the petition for leave to file a complaint within 30 days after notice of the petition has been served on the respondent.

(f) The Commission shall meet, either in person or by telephone, in a closed session to review the sufficiency of the complaint. If the Commission finds that complaint is sufficient, the Commission shall grant the petition for leave to file the complaint. The Commission shall issue notice to the Executive Inspector General and all respondents of the Commission's ruling on the sufficiency of the complaint. If the complaint is deemed to sufficiently allege a violation of this Act, then the Commission shall notify the parties and shall include a hearing date scheduled within 4 weeks after the date of the notice, unless all of the parties consent to a later date. If the complaint is deemed not to sufficiently allege a violation, then the Commission shall send by certified mail, return receipt requested, a notice to the parties of the decision to dismiss the complaint.

(g) On the scheduled date the Commission shall conduct a closed meeting, either in person or, if the parties consent, by telephone, on the complaint and allow all parties the opportunity to present testimony and evidence. All such proceedings shall be transcribed.

(h) Within an appropriate time limit set by rules of the Executive Ethics Commission, the Commission shall (i) dismiss the complaint or (ii) issue a recommendation of discipline to the respondent and the respondent's ultimate jurisdictional authority or impose an administrative fine upon the respondent, or both.

(i) The proceedings on any complaint filed with the Commission shall be conducted pursuant to rules promulgated by the Commission.

(j) The Commission may designate hearing officers to conduct proceedings as determined by rule of the Commission.

(k) In all proceedings before the Commission, the standard of proof is by a preponderance of the evidence.

(l) When the Inspector General concludes that there is insufficient evidence that a violation has occurred, the Inspector General shall close the investigation. At the request of the subject of the investigation, the Inspector General shall provide a written statement to the subject of the investigation and to the Commission of the Inspector General's decision to close the investigation. Closure by the Inspector General does not bar the Inspector General from resuming the investigation if circumstances warrant.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

(5 ILCS 430/20-95)

Sec. 20-95. Exemptions.

(a) Documents generated by an ethics officer under this Act, except Section 5-50, are exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

(b) Summary reports published pursuant to subsection (b-5) of Section 20-50 are public records. Other Any allegations and related documents submitted to an Executive Inspector General and any pleadings and related documents brought before the Executive Ethics Commission are exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act so long as the Executive Ethics Commission does not make a finding of a violation of this Act. If the Executive Ethics Commission finds that a violation has occurred, the entire record of proceedings before the Commission, the decision and recommendation, and the mandatory report from the agency head or ultimate jurisdictional authority to the Executive Ethics Commission are not exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act but information contained therein that is otherwise exempt from the Freedom of Information Act must be redacted before disclosure as provided in Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act.

(c) Meetings of the Commission under Sections 20-5 and 20-15 of this Act are exempt from the provisions of the Open Meetings Act.

(d) Unless otherwise provided in this Act, all investigatory files and reports of the Office of an Executive Inspector General, other than quarterly reports, are confidential, are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, and shall not be divulged to any person or agency, except as necessary (i) to the appropriate law enforcement authority if the matter is referred pursuant to this Act, (ii) to the ultimate jurisdictional authority, (iii) to the Executive Ethics Commission; or (iv) to another Inspector General appointed pursuant to this Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

(5 ILCS 430/25-10)

Sec. 25-10. Office of Legislative Inspector General.

(a) The independent Office of the Legislative Inspector General is created. The Office shall be under the direction and supervision of the Legislative Inspector General and shall be a fully independent office with its own appropriation.

(b) The Legislative Inspector General shall be appointed without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability. The Legislative Ethics Commission shall diligently search out qualified candidates for Legislative Inspector General and shall make recommendations to the General Assembly.

The Legislative Inspector General shall be appointed by a joint resolution of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which may specify the date on which the appointment takes effect. A joint resolution, or other document as may be specified by the Joint Rules of the General Assembly, appointing the Legislative Inspector General must be certified by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate as having been adopted by the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house, respectively, and be filed with the Secretary of State. The appointment of the Legislative Inspector General takes effect on the day the appointment is completed by the General Assembly, unless the appointment specifies a later date on which it is to become effective.

The Legislative Inspector General shall have the following qualifications:

(1) has not been convicted of any felony under the laws of this State, another state, or the United States;

(2) has earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education; and

(3) has 5 or more years of cumulative service (A) with a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, at least 2 years of which have been in a progressive investigatory capacity; (B) as a federal, State, or local prosecutor; (C) as a senior manager or executive of a federal, State, or local agency; (D) as a member, an officer, or a State or federal judge; or (E) representing any combination of (A) through (D).

The Legislative Inspector General may not be a relative of a commissioner.

The term of the initial Legislative Inspector General shall commence upon qualification and shall run through June 30, 2008.

After the initial term, the Legislative Inspector General shall serve for 5-year terms commencing on July 1 of the year of appointment and running through June 30 of the fifth following year. The Legislative Inspector General may be reappointed to one or more subsequent terms.

A vacancy occurring other than at the end of a term shall be filled in the same manner as an appointment only for the balance of the term of the Legislative Inspector General whose office is vacant.

Terms shall run regardless of whether the position is filled.

(c) The Legislative Inspector General shall have jurisdiction over the members of the General Assembly and all State employees whose ultimate jurisdictional authority is (i) a legislative leader, (ii) the Senate Operations Commission, or (iii) the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services.

The jurisdiction of each Legislative Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, misconduct, nonfeasance, misfeasance, malfeasance, or violations of this Act or violations of other related laws and rules.

(d) The compensation of the Legislative Inspector General shall be the greater of an amount (i) determined by the Commission or (ii) by joint resolution of the General Assembly passed by a majority of members elected in each chamber.

(d-5) Subject to Section 25-45 of this Act, the Legislative Inspector General has full authority to organize the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, including the employment and determination of the compensation of staff, such as deputies, assistants, and other employees, as appropriations permit. Employment of staff is subject to the approval of at least 3 of the 4 legislative leaders.

The Office of the Legislative Inspector General must include an administrative and investigative unit dedicated solely to the proactive monitoring and review of the hiring practices and activities of the State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Legislative Inspector General. The Office of the Legislative Inspector General shall be given full access to all hiring information of the State agencies under his or her jurisdiction.

(e) No Legislative Inspector General or employee of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General may, during his or her term of appointment or employment:

(1) become a candidate for any elective office;

(2) hold any other elected or appointed public office except for appointments on governmental advisory boards or study commissions or as otherwise expressly authorized by law;

(3) be actively involved in the affairs of any political party or political organization; or

(4) actively participate in any campaign for any elective office.

In this subsection an appointed public office means a position authorized by law that is filled by an appointing authority as provided by law and does not include employment by hiring in the ordinary course of business.

(e-1) No Legislative Inspector General or employee of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General may, for one year after the termination of his or her appointment or employment:

(1) become a candidate for any elective office;

(2) hold any elected public office; or

(3) hold any appointed State, county, or local judicial office.

(e-2) The requirements of item (3) of subsection (e-1) may be waived by the Legislative Ethics Commission.

(f) The Commission may remove the Legislative Inspector General only for cause. At the time of the removal, the Commission must report to the General Assembly the justification for the removal.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03; 93-685, eff. 7-8-04.)

(5 ILCS 430/25-20)

Sec. 25-20. Duties of the Legislative Inspector General. In addition to duties otherwise assigned by law, the Legislative Inspector General shall have the following duties:

(1) To receive and investigate allegations of violations of this Act. The Legislative Inspector General may initiate investigations (i) in response to receive information received through the Office of the Legislative Inspector General or through an ethics commission or (ii) . An investigation may be conducted only in response to information reported to the Legislative Inspector General as provided in this Section and not upon his or her own prerogative. Allegations may not be made anonymously. An investigation may not be initiated more than one year after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a series of alleged violations except where there is reasonable cause to believe that fraudulent concealment has occurred. To constitute fraudulent concealment sufficient to toll this limitations period, there must be an affirmative act or representation calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that a violation has occurred. The Legislative Inspector General shall have the discretion to determine the appropriate means of investigation as permitted by law.

(2) To request information relating to an investigation from any person when the Legislative Inspector General deems that information necessary in conducting an investigation.

(3) To issue subpoenas, with the advance approval of the Commission, to compel the attendance of witnesses for the purposes of testimony and production of documents and other items for inspection and copying and to make service of those subpoenas and subpoenas issued under item (7) of Section 25-15.

(4) To submit reports as required by this Act.

(5) To file pleadings in the name of the Legislative Inspector General with the Legislative Ethics Commission, through the Attorney General, as provided in this Article if the Attorney General finds that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred.

(6) To assist and coordinate the ethics officers for State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Legislative Inspector General and to work with those ethics officers.

(7) To participate in or conduct, when appropriate, multi-jurisdictional investigations.

(8) To request, as the Legislative Inspector General deems appropriate, from ethics officers of State agencies under his or her jurisdiction, reports or information on (i) the content of a State agency's ethics training program and (ii) the percentage of new officers and employees who have completed ethics training.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

(5 ILCS 430/25-50)

Sec. 25-50. Investigation reports; complaint procedure.

(a) If the Legislative Inspector General, upon the conclusion of an investigation, determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the Legislative Inspector General shall issue a summary report of the investigation. The report shall be delivered to the appropriate ultimate jurisdictional authority and to the head of each State agency affected by or involved in the investigation, if appropriate.

(b) The summary report of the investigation shall include the following:

(1) A description of any allegations or other information received by the Legislative Inspector General pertinent to the investigation.

(2) A description of any alleged misconduct discovered in the course of the investigation.

(3) Recommendations for any corrective or disciplinary action to be taken in response to any alleged misconduct described in the report, including but not limited to discharge.

(4) Other information the Legislative Inspector General deems relevant to the investigation or resulting recommendations.

(b-5) Within 60 days after delivery of a summary report, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall make the report public unless within that 60-day period the Legislative Inspector General certifies to the Legislative Ethics Commission that publication of the summary report will interfere with an ongoing investigation. When the Inspector General so certifies, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall publish the report (i) within 6 months after the date of that certification, if the ongoing investigation does not involve a criminal matter, or (ii) within 2 years after the date of that certification, if the ongoing investigation involves a criminal matter. If the ongoing investigation involves a criminal matter, the Legislative Inspector General, every 6 months until publication of the report, must certify to the Legislative Ethics Commission that publication will interfere with the ongoing investigation.

The name of a State employee for whom discipline is recommended in a summary report required to be published under this subsection shall not be redacted from the report under this Act or the Freedom of Information Act if the employee is required to file a statement of economic interests under the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act or the employee is alleged to have violated Section 5-15, Section 5-45, or Article 10 of this Act. Regarding summary reports required to be published under this subsection that recommend discipline for any other State employee, the Legislative Ethics Commission shall determine whether it is in the public interest to publish or redact the name of the State employee.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Inspector General may redact information in summary reports that would reveal the identity of witnesses, complainants, or informants before publication if the Inspector General determines that it is appropriate to protect their identity.

When the summary report is made public, the disciplinary decision and justification from the State agency should also be made public, along with any response from the employee if the employee wishes.

(c) Not less than 30 days after delivery of the summary report of an investigation under subsection (a), if the Legislative Inspector General desires to file a petition for leave to file a complaint, the Legislative Inspector General shall notify the Commission and the Attorney General. If the Attorney General determines that reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation has occurred, then the Legislative Inspector General, represented by the Attorney General, may file with the Legislative Ethics Commission a petition for leave to file a complaint. The petition shall set forth the alleged violation and the grounds that exist to support the petition. The petition for leave to file a complaint must be filed with the Commission within 18 months after the most recent act of the alleged violation or of a series of alleged violations except where there is reasonable cause to believe that fraudulent concealment has occurred. To constitute fraudulent concealment sufficient to toll this limitations period, there must be an affirmative act or representation calculated to prevent discovery of the fact that a violation has occurred. If a petition for leave to file a complaint is not filed with the Commission within 6 months after notice by the Inspector General to the Commission and the Attorney General, then the Commission may set a meeting of the Commission at which the Attorney General shall appear and provide a status report to the Commission.

(d) A copy of the petition must be served on all respondents named in the complaint and on each respondent's ultimate jurisdictional authority in the same manner as process is served under the Code of Civil Procedure.

(e) A respondent may file objections to the petition for leave to file a complaint within 30 days after notice of the petition has been served on the respondent.

(f) The Commission shall meet, either in person or by telephone, in a closed session to review the sufficiency of the complaint. If the Commission finds that complaint is sufficient, the Commission shall grant the petition for leave to file the complaint. The Commission shall issue notice to the Legislative Inspector General and all respondents of the Commission's ruling on the sufficiency of the complaint. If the complaint is deemed to sufficiently allege a violation of this Act, then the Commission shall notify the parties and shall include a hearing date scheduled within 4 weeks after the date of the notice, unless all of the parties consent to a later date. If the complaint is deemed not to sufficiently allege a violation, then the Commission shall send by certified mail, return receipt requested, a notice to the parties of the decision to dismiss the complaint.

(g) On the scheduled date the Commission shall conduct a closed meeting, either in person or, if the parties consent, by telephone, on the complaint and allow all parties the opportunity to present testimony and evidence. All such proceedings shall be transcribed.

(h) Within an appropriate time limit set by rules of the Legislative Ethics Commission, the Commission shall (i) dismiss the complaint or (ii) issue a recommendation of discipline to the respondent and the respondent's ultimate jurisdictional authority or impose an administrative fine upon the respondent, or both.

(i) The proceedings on any complaint filed with the Commission shall be conducted pursuant to rules promulgated by the Commission.

(j) The Commission may designate hearing officers to conduct proceedings as determined by rule of the Commission.

(k) In all proceedings before the Commission, the standard of proof is by a preponderance of the evidence.

(l) When the Inspector General concludes that there is insufficient evidence that a violation has occurred, the Inspector General shall close the investigation. At the request of the subject of the investigation, the Inspector General shall provide a written statement to the subject of the investigation and to the Commission of the Inspector General's decision to close the investigation. Closure by the Inspector General does not bar the Inspector General from resuming the investigation if circumstances warrant.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

(5 ILCS 430/25-95)

Sec. 25-95. Exemptions.

(a) Documents generated by an ethics officer under this Act, except Section 5-50, are exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

(a-5) Requests from ethics officers, members, and State employees to the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, a Special Legislative Inspector General, the Legislative Ethics Commission, an ethics officer, or a person designated by a legislative leader for guidance on matters involving the interpretation or application of this Act or rules promulgated under this Act are exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. Guidance provided to an ethics officer, member, or State employee at the request of an ethics officer, member, or State employee by the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, a Special Legislative Inspector General, the Legislative Ethics Commission, an ethics officer, or a person designated by a legislative leader on matters involving the interpretation or application of this Act or rules promulgated under this Act is exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

(b) Summary reports published pursuant to subsection (b-5) of Section 25-50 are public records. Other Any allegations and related documents submitted to the Legislative Inspector General and any pleadings and related documents brought before the Legislative Ethics Commission are exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act so long as the Legislative Ethics Commission does not make a finding of a violation of this Act. If the Legislative Ethics Commission finds that a violation has occurred, the entire record of proceedings before the Commission, the decision and recommendation, and the mandatory report from the agency head or ultimate jurisdictional authority to the Legislative Ethics Commission are not exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act but information contained therein that is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act must be redacted before disclosure as provided in Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act.

(c) Meetings of the Commission under Sections 25-5 and 25-15 of this Act are exempt from the provisions of the Open Meetings Act.

(d) Unless otherwise provided in this Act, all investigatory files and reports of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, other than quarterly reports, are confidential, are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, and shall not be divulged to any person or agency, except as necessary (i) to the appropriate law enforcement authority if the matter is referred pursuant to this Act, (ii) to the ultimate jurisdictional authority, or (iii) to the Legislative Ethics Commission.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03; 93-685, eff. 7-8-04.)

(5 ILCS 430/30-5)

Sec. 30-5. Appointment of Inspector General.

(a) The Auditor General shall appoint an Inspector General (i) to investigate allegations of violations of Articles 5 and 10 by State officers and employees under his or her jurisdiction, (ii) to proactively monitor and review the hiring practices and activities of the Office of the Auditor General, and (iii) and (ii) to perform other duties and exercise other powers assigned to the Inspectors General by this or any other Act. The Inspector General shall be appointed within 6 months after the effective date of this Act.

(b) The Auditor General shall provide by rule for the operation of his or her Inspector General. It is declared to be in the public interest, safety, and welfare that the Auditor General adopt emergency rules under the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to initially perform his or her duties under this subsection.

(c) The Auditor General may appoint an existing inspector general as the Inspector General required by this Article, provided that such an inspector general is not prohibited by law, rule, jurisdiction, qualification, or interest from serving as the Inspector General required by this Article.

The Auditor General may not appoint a relative as the Inspector General required by this Article.

(d) The Inspector General appointed by the Auditor General may be removed by the Auditor General only for cause after the Auditor General certifies to the Senate the reasons for removal, the Senate conducts a public evidentiary hearing on the reasons, and the Senate subsequently votes to remove the Inspector General.

(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)

(5 ILCS 430/Art. 60 heading new)

ARTICLE 60. OTHER PROVISIONS

(5 ILCS 430/60-5 new)

Sec. 60-5. Consolidation study. By December 31, 2009, the Executive Inspectors General, the Legislative Inspector General, and the Auditor General's Inspector General jointly shall study and report to the General Assembly upon the feasibility and advisability of the consolidation of their offices into one Office of the Ethics Inspector General.

Section 10. The Governor's Office of Management and Budget Act is amended by changing Section 1 as follows:

(20 ILCS 3005/1) (from Ch. 127, par. 411)

Sec. 1. Definitions.

"Capital expenditure" means money spent for replacing, remodeling, expanding, or acquiring facilities, buildings or land owned directly by the State through any State department, authority, public corporation of the State, State college or university, or any other public agency created by the State, but not units of local government or school districts.

"Director" means the Director of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget.

"Office" means the Governor's Office of Management and Budget.

"State Agency," whether used in the singular or plural, means all Departments, Officers, Commissions, Boards, Institutions and bodies, politic and corporate of the State, including the Offices of Clerk of the Supreme Court and Clerks of the Appellate Courts; except it shall not mean the several Courts of the State, nor the Legislature, its Committees or Commissions, nor the Constitutionally elected State Officers, nor the Executive Ethics Commission, nor the Offices of Executive Inspectors General.

(Source: P.A. 93-25, eff. 6-20-03.)