99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB5579

 

Introduced , by Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 312/3-101  from Ch. 102, par. 203-101
5 ILCS 420/4A-103  from Ch. 127, par. 604A-103
5 ILCS 420/4A-108
5 ILCS 430/20-23
5 ILCS 430/25-23
5 ILCS 430/30-10

    Amends the Illinois Notary Public Act. Provides that provisions requiring a notary public to officially sign every notary certificate and affix the rubber stamp seal clearly and legibly using black ink, so that it is capable of photographic reproduction, as well as a provision concerning illegibility, shall apply beyond July 1, 2013. Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides that the required statement of economic interests to be filed with the Secretary of State shall be filed electronically, unless otherwise required by statute (rather than by typewriting or hand printing). Provides for the review of statements of economic interest and disclosure forms by ethics officers within 30 days after the deadline for filing with the Secretary of State (rather than prior to filing). Provides that a statement of economic interest shall be considered filed for the purposes of late fees and penalties on the date it is uploaded by the filer to the Internet-based system of filing. Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act to make conforming changes.


LRB099 20141 RJF 44582 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5579LRB099 20141 RJF 44582 b

1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Notary Public Act is amended by
5changing Section 3-101 as follows:
 
6    (5 ILCS 312/3-101)  (from Ch. 102, par. 203-101)
7    Sec. 3-101. Official Seal and Signature.
8    (a) Each notary public shall, upon receiving the commission
9from the county clerk, obtain an official rubber stamp seal
10with which the notary shall authenticate his official acts. The
11rubber stamp seal shall contain the following information:
12        (1) the words "Official Seal";
13        (2) the notary's official name;
14        (3) the words "Notary Public", "State of Illinois", and
15    "My commission expires____________(commission expiration
16    date)"; and
17        (4) a serrated or milled edge border in a rectangular
18    form not more than one inch in height by two and one-half
19    inches in length surrounding the information.
20    (b) At the time of the notarial act, a notary public shall
21officially sign every notary certificate and affix the rubber
22stamp seal clearly and legibly using black ink, so that it is
23capable of photographic reproduction. The illegibility of any

 

 

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1of the information required by this Section does not affect the
2validity of a transaction.
3    This subsection does not apply on or after July 1, 2013.
4(Source: P.A. 95-988, eff. 6-1-09.)
 
5    Section 10. The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act is amended
6by changing Sections 4A-103 and 4A-108 as follows:
 
7    (5 ILCS 420/4A-103)  (from Ch. 127, par. 604A-103)
8    Sec. 4A-103. The statement of economic interests required
9by this Article to be filed with the Secretary of State shall
10be filed electronically, unless otherwise required by statute
11filled in by typewriting or hand printing, and shall be
12verified, dated, and signed by the person making the statement
13and shall contain substantially the following:
14
STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTEREST
15
(TYPE OR HAND PRINT)
16.............................................................
17(name)
18.............................................................
19(each office or position of employment for which this statement
20is filed)
21.............................................................
22(full mailing address)
23GENERAL DIRECTIONS:
24    The interest (if constructively controlled by the person

 

 

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1making the statement) of a spouse or any other party, shall be
2considered to be the same as the interest of the person making
3the statement.
4    Campaign receipts shall not be included in this statement.
5    If additional space is needed, please attach supplemental
6listing.
7    1. List the name and instrument of ownership in any entity
8doing business in the State of Illinois, in which the ownership
9interest held by the person at the date of filing is in excess
10of $5,000 fair market value or from which dividends in excess
11of $1,200 were derived during the preceding calendar year. (In
12the case of real estate, location thereof shall be listed by
13street address, or if none, then by legal description.) No time
14or demand deposit in a financial institution, nor any debt
15instrument need be listed.
16Business EntityInstrument of Ownership
17..............................................................
18..............................................................
19..............................................................
20..............................................................
21    2. List the name, address and type of practice of any
22professional organization in which the person making the
23statement was an officer, director, associate, partner or
24proprietor or served in any advisory capacity, from which
25income in excess of $1,200 was derived during the preceding
26calendar year.

 

 

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1NameAddressType of Practice
2.............................................................
3.............................................................
4.............................................................
5    3. List the nature of professional services rendered (other
6than to the State of Illinois) to each entity from which income
7exceeding $5,000 was received for professional services
8rendered during the preceding calendar year by the person
9making the statement.
10.............................................................
11.............................................................
12    4. List the identity (including the address or legal
13description of real estate) of any capital asset from which a
14capital gain of $5,000 or more was realized during the
15preceding calendar year.
16.............................................................
17.............................................................
18    5. List the identity of any compensated lobbyist with whom
19the person making the statement maintains a close economic
20association, including the name of the lobbyist and specifying
21the legislative matter or matters which are the object of the
22lobbying activity, and describing the general type of economic
23activity of the client or principal on whose behalf that person
24is lobbying.
25LobbyistLegislative MatterClient or Principal
26.............................................................

 

 

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1.............................................................
2    6. List the name of any entity doing business in the State
3of Illinois from which income in excess of $1,200 was derived
4during the preceding calendar year other than for professional
5services and the title or description of any position held in
6that entity. (In the case of real estate, location thereof
7shall be listed by street address, or if none, then by legal
8description). No time or demand deposit in a financial
9institution nor any debt instrument need be listed.
10EntityPosition Held
11..............................................................
12..............................................................
13..............................................................
14    7. List the name of any unit of government which employed
15the person making the statement during the preceding calendar
16year other than the unit or units of government in relation to
17which the person is required to file.
18.............................................................
19.............................................................
20    8. List the name of any entity from which a gift or gifts,
21or honorarium or honoraria, valued singly or in the aggregate
22in excess of $500, was received during the preceding calendar
23year.
24.............................................................
25VERIFICATION:
26    "I declare that this statement of economic interests

 

 

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1(including any accompanying schedules and statements) has been
2examined by me and to the best of my knowledge and belief is a
3true, correct and complete statement of my economic interests
4as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. I
5understand that the penalty for willfully filing a false or
6incomplete statement shall be a fine not to exceed $1,000 or
7imprisonment in a penal institution other than the penitentiary
8not to exceed one year, or both fine and imprisonment."
9................  ..........................................
10(date of filing)   (signature of person making the statement)
11(Source: P.A. 95-173, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
12    (5 ILCS 420/4A-108)
13    Sec. 4A-108. Internet-based systems of filing.
14    (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or any
15other law, the Secretary of State and county clerks are
16authorized to institute an Internet-based system for the filing
17of statements of economic interests in their offices. With
18respect to county clerk systems, the determination to institute
19such a system shall be in the sole discretion of the county
20clerk and shall meet the requirements set out in this Section.
21With respect to a Secretary of State system, the determination
22to institute such a system shall be in the sole discretion of
23the Secretary of State and shall meet the requirements set out
24in this Section and those Sections of the State Officials and
25Employees Ethics Act requiring ethics officer review within 30

 

 

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1days after the deadline for filing with the Secretary of State
2prior to filing. The system shall be capable of allowing an
3ethics officer to review approve a statement of economic
4interests and shall include a means to amend a statement of
5economic interests. When this Section does not modify or remove
6the requirements set forth elsewhere in this Article, those
7requirements shall apply to any system of Internet-based filing
8authorized by this Section. When this Section does modify or
9remove the requirements set forth elsewhere in this Article,
10the provisions of this Section shall apply to any system of
11Internet-based filing authorized by this Section.
12    (b) In any system of Internet-based filing of statements of
13economic interests instituted by the Secretary of State or a
14county clerk:
15        (1) Any filing of an Internet-based statement of
16    economic interests shall be the equivalent of the filing of
17    a verified, written statement of economic interests as
18    required by Section 4A-101 and the equivalent of the filing
19    of a verified, dated, and signed statement of economic
20    interests as required by Section 4A-104.
21        (2) The Secretary of State and county clerks who
22    institute a system of Internet-based filing of statements
23    of economic interests shall establish a password-protected
24    website to receive the filings of such statements. A
25    website established under this Section shall set forth and
26    provide a means of responding to the items set forth in

 

 

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1    Section 4A-102 that are required of a person who files a
2    statement of economic interests with that officer. A
3    website established under this Section shall set forth and
4    provide a means of generating a printable receipt page
5    acknowledging filing.
6        (3) The times for the filing of statements of economic
7    interests set forth in Section 4A-105 shall be followed in
8    any system of Internet-based filing of statements of
9    economic interests; provided that a candidate for elective
10    office who is required to file a statement of economic
11    interests in relation to his or her candidacy pursuant to
12    Section 4A-105(a) shall not use the Internet to file his or
13    her statement of economic interests but shall file his or
14    her statement of economic interests in a written or printed
15    form and shall receive a written or printed receipt for his
16    or her filing.
17        (4) In the first year of the implementation of a system
18    of Internet-based filing of statements of economic
19    interests, each person required to file such a statement is
20    to be notified in writing of his or her obligation to file
21    his or her statement of economic interests by way of the
22    Internet-based system. If access to the web site requires a
23    code or password, this information shall be included in the
24    notice prescribed by this paragraph.
25        (5) When a person required to file a statement of
26    economic interests has supplied the Secretary of State or a

 

 

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1    county clerk, as applicable, with an email address for the
2    purpose of receiving notices under this Article by email, a
3    notice sent by email to the supplied email address shall be
4    the equivalent of a notice sent by first class mail, as set
5    forth in Section 4A-106. A person who has supplied such an
6    email address shall notify the Secretary of State or county
7    clerk, as applicable, when his or her email address changes
8    or if he or she no longer wishes to receive notices by
9    email.
10        (6) If any person who is required to file a statement
11    of economic interests and who has chosen to receive notices
12    by email fails to file his or her statement by May 10, then
13    the Secretary of State or county clerk, as applicable,
14    shall send an additional email notice on that date,
15    informing the person that he or she has not filed and
16    describing the penalties for late filing and failing to
17    file. This notice shall be in addition to other notices
18    provided for in this Article.
19        (7) The Secretary of State and each county clerk who
20    institutes a system of Internet-based filing of statements
21    of economic interests may also institute an Internet-based
22    process for the filing of the list of names and addresses
23    of persons required to file statements of economic
24    interests by the chief administrative officers that must
25    file such information with the Secretary of State or county
26    clerk, as applicable, pursuant to Section 4A-106. Whenever

 

 

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1    the Secretary of State or a county clerk institutes such a
2    system under this paragraph, every chief administrative
3    officer must use the system to file this information.
4        (8) The Secretary of State and any county clerk who
5    institutes a system of Internet-based filing of statements
6    of economic interests shall post the contents of such
7    statements filed with him or her available for inspection
8    and copying on a publicly accessible website. Such postings
9    shall not include the addresses or signatures of the
10    filers.
11        (9) A statement of economic interest shall be
12    considered filed for the purposes of late fees and
13    penalties on the date it is uploaded by the filer to the
14    Internet-based system of filing.
15(Source: P.A. 99-108, eff. 7-22-15.)
 
16    Section 15. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act is
17amended by changing Sections 20-23, 25-23, and 30-10 as
18follows:
 
19    (5 ILCS 430/20-23)
20    Sec. 20-23. Ethics Officers. Each officer and the head of
21each State agency under the jurisdiction of the Executive
22Ethics Commission shall designate an Ethics Officer for the
23office or State agency. The board of each Regional Transit
24Board shall designate an Ethics Officer. Ethics Officers shall:

 

 

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1        (1) act as liaisons between the State agency or
2    Regional Transit Board and the appropriate Executive
3    Inspector General and between the State agency or Regional
4    Transit Board and the Executive Ethics Commission;
5        (2) review statements of economic interest and
6    disclosure forms of officers, senior employees, and
7    contract monitors within 30 days after the deadline for
8    filing before they are filed with the Secretary of State;
9    and
10        (3) provide guidance to officers and employees in the
11    interpretation and implementation of this Act, which the
12    officer or employee may in good faith rely upon. Such
13    guidance shall be based, wherever possible, upon legal
14    precedent in court decisions, opinions of the Attorney
15    General, and the findings and opinions of the Executive
16    Ethics Commission.
17(Source: P.A. 96-1528, eff. 7-1-11.)
 
18    (5 ILCS 430/25-23)
19    Sec. 25-23. Ethics Officers. The President and Minority
20Leader of the Senate and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the
21House of Representatives shall each appoint an ethics officer
22for the members and employees of his or her legislative caucus.
23No later than January 1, 2004, the head of each State agency
24under the jurisdiction of the Legislative Ethics Commission,
25other than the General Assembly, shall designate an ethics

 

 

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1officer for the State agency. Ethics Officers shall:
2        (1) act as liaisons between the State agency and the
3    Legislative Inspector General and between the State agency
4    and the Legislative Ethics Commission;
5        (2) review statements of economic interest and
6    disclosure forms of officers, senior employees, and
7    contract monitors within 30 days after the deadline for
8    filing before they are filed with the Secretary of State;
9    and
10        (3) provide guidance to officers and employees in the
11    interpretation and implementation of this Act, which the
12    officer or employee may in good faith rely upon. Such
13    guidance shall be based, wherever possible, upon legal
14    precedent in court decisions, opinions of the Attorney
15    General, and the findings and opinions of the Legislative
16    Ethics Commission.
17(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)
 
18    (5 ILCS 430/30-10)
19    Sec. 30-10. Ethics Officer. The Auditor General shall
20designate an Ethics Officer for the office of the Auditor
21General. The ethics officer shall:
22        (1) act as liaison between the Office of the Auditor
23    General and the Inspector General appointed under this
24    Article;
25        (2) review statements of economic interest and

 

 

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1    disclosure forms of officers, senior employees, and
2    contract monitors within 30 days after the deadline for
3    filing before they are filed with the Secretary of State;
4    and
5        (3) provide guidance to officers and employees in the
6    interpretation and implementation of this Act, which the
7    officer or employee may in good faith rely upon. Such
8    guidance shall be based, whenever possible, upon legal
9    precedent in court decisions and opinions of the Attorney
10    General.
11(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03.)