HB0995eng 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0995 Engrossed LRB103 03454 RJT 48460 b

AN ACT concerning education.

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 Educational Credit for Election Judges Act.

Section 5. Definition. As used in this Act, "institution of higher education" means the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, a public community college that is included in the definition of "community colleges" under Section 1-2 of the Public Community College Act, or any institution that receives funds under Section 35 of the Higher Education Student Assistance Act.

Section 10. Policy. Before June 1, 2024, each institution of higher education shall adopt a policy regarding its awarding of academic credit or a non-credit alternative for election judges. The policy shall apply to any individual who has been an election judge while enrolled in the institution of higher education.

Section 15. Policy review. Each institution of higher education shall submit its policy for awarding academic credit or a non-credit alternative for election judges to the Board of Higher Education or the Illinois Community College Board, as appropriate, before June 30, 2024 and within 60 days after any changes to the policy thereafter.

Section 90. The Election Code is amended by changing Section 13-10 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/13-10) (from Ch. 46, par. 13-10)

Sec. 13-10. The compensation of the judges of all primaries and all elections, except judges supervising vote by mail ballots as provided in Section 19-12.2 of this Act, in counties of less than 600,000 inhabitants shall be fixed by the respective county boards or boards of election commissioners in all counties and municipalities, but in no case shall such compensation be less than $35 per day. The compensation of judges of all primaries and all elections not under the jurisdiction of the county clerk, except judges supervising vote by mail balloting as provided in Section 19-12.2 of this Act, in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or more shall be not less than $60 per day. The compensation of judges of all primaries and all elections under the jurisdiction of the county clerk, except judges supervising vote by mail balloting as provided in Section 19-12.2 of this Act, in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or more shall be not less than $60 per day. The compensation of judges of all primaries and all elections, except judges supervising vote by mail ballots as provided in Section 19-12.2 of this Act, in counties having a population of at least 600,000 but less than 2,000,000 inhabitants shall be not less than $45 per day as fixed by the county board of election commissioners of each such county. In addition to their per day compensation and notwithstanding the limitations thereon stated herein, the judges of election, in all counties with a population of less than 600,000, shall be paid $3 each for each 100 voters or portion thereof, in excess of 200 voters voting for candidates in the election district or precinct wherein the judge is serving, whether a primary or an election is being held. However, no such extra compensation shall be paid to the judges of election in any precinct in which no paper ballots are counted by such judges of election. The 2 judges of election in counties having a population of less than 600,000 who deliver the returns to the county clerk shall each be allowed and paid a sum to be determined by the election authority for such services and an additional sum per mile to be determined by the election authority for every mile necessarily travelled in going to and returning from the office or place to which they deliver the returns. The compensation for mileage shall be consistent with current rates paid for mileage to employees of the county.

However, all judges who have been certified by the County Clerk or Board of Election Commissioners as having satisfactorily completed, within the 2 years preceding the day of election, the training course for judges of election, as provided in Sections 13-2.1, 13-2.2 and 14-4.1 of this Act, shall receive additional compensation of not less than $10 per day in counties of less than 600,000 inhabitants, the additional compensation of not less than $10 per day in counties having a population of at least 600,000 but less than 2,000,000 inhabitants as fixed by the county board of election commissioners of each such county, and additional compensation of not less than $20 per day in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or more for primaries and elections not under the jurisdiction of the county clerk, and additional compensation of not less than $20 per day in counties having a population of 2,000,000 or more for primaries and elections under the jurisdiction of the county clerk.

In precincts in which there are tally judges, the compensation of the tally judges shall be 2/3 of that of the judges of election and each holdover judge shall be paid the compensation of a judge of election plus that of a tally judge.

Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1998, the portion of an election judge's daily compensation reimbursed by the State Board of Elections is increased by $15. The increase provided by this amendatory Act of 1998 must be used to increase each judge's compensation and may not be used by the county to reduce its portion of a judge's compensation.

Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, the portion of an election judge's daily compensation reimbursement by the State Board of Elections is increased by an additional $20. The increase provided by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly must be used to increase each judge's compensation and may not be used by the election authority or election jurisdiction to reduce its portion of a judge's compensation.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, an election judge receiving academic credit pursuant to the Educational Credit for Election Judges Act may not receive any compensation under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 98-1171, eff. 6-1-15.)