HB4266 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 35591 CES 65664 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4266

Introduced 1/16/2024, by Rep. Maurice A. West, II - Katie Stuart - Ryan Spain, Dagmara Avelar, Lindsey LaPointe, et al.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

25 ILCS 170/5

Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. Directs the Secretary of State to grant a waiver of the lobbyist registration fee for any not-for-profit entity with an annual budget of less than $5,000,000 that is classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including a waiver for any lobbyist that exclusively lobbies on behalf of such an entity.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 5. The Lobbyist Registration Act is amended by changing Section 5 as follows:

(25 ILCS 170/5)

Sec. 5. Lobbyist registration and disclosure. Every natural person and every entity required to register under this Act shall before any service is performed which requires the natural person or entity to register, but in any event not later than 2 business days after being employed or retained, file in the Office of the Secretary of State a statement in a format prescribed by the Secretary of State containing the following information with respect to each person or entity employing, retaining, or benefitting from the services of the natural person or entity required to register:

(a) The registrant's name, permanent address, e-mail address, if any, fax number, if any, business telephone number, and temporary address, if the registrant has a temporary address while lobbying.

(a-5) If the registrant is an entity, the information required under subsection (a) for each natural person associated with the registrant who will be lobbying, regardless of whether lobbying is a significant part of his or her duties.

(b) The name and address of the client or clients employing or retaining the registrant to perform such services or on whose behalf the registrant appears. If the client employing or retaining the registrant is a client registrant, the statement shall also include the name and address of the client or clients of the client registrant on whose behalf the registrant will be or anticipates performing services.

(b-5) If the registrant employs or retains a sub-registrant, the statement shall include the name and address of the sub-registrant and identify the client or clients of the registrant on whose behalf the sub-registrant will be or is anticipated to be performing services.

(b-7) If the registrant retains a consultant, the statement shall include the name and address of the consultant and identify the client or clients and each executive and legislative branch agency for which the consultant is to provide advisory services.

(c) For those identified under subsections (b), (b-5), and (b-7), a brief description of the executive, legislative, or administrative action in reference to which such service is to be rendered.

(c-5) Each executive and legislative branch agency of the State and each unit of local government the registrant expects to lobby during the registration period.

(c-6) The nature of the client's business, by indicating all of the following categories that apply: (1) banking and financial services, (2) manufacturing, (3) education, (4) environment, (5) healthcare, (6) insurance, (7) community interests, (8) labor, (9) public relations or advertising, (10) marketing or sales, (11) hospitality, (12) engineering, (13) information or technology products or services, (14) social services, (15) public utilities, (16) racing or wagering, (17) real estate or construction, (18) telecommunications, (19) trade or professional association, (20) travel or tourism, (21) transportation, (22) agriculture, and (23) other (setting forth the nature of that other business).

(d) A confirmation that the registrant has a sexual harassment policy as required by Section 4.7, that such policy shall be made available to any individual within 2 business days upon written request (including electronic requests), that any person may contact the authorized agent of the registrant to report allegations of sexual harassment, and that the registrant recognizes the Inspector General has jurisdiction to review any allegations of sexual harassment alleged against the registrant or lobbyists hired by the registrant.

(e) (Blank).

(f) Each elected or appointed public office in this State to be held by the registrant at any time during the registration period.

Every natural person and every entity required to register under this Act shall annually submit the registration required by this Section on or before each January 31. The registrant has a continuing duty to report any substantial change or addition to the information contained in the registration. A registrant who retains a consultant shall file an amended registration before any consulting services are performed, but in any event not later than 2 business days after the consultant is retained, setting forth the information required in subsections (b-7) and (c) of this Section.

The Secretary of State shall make all filed statements and amendments to statements publicly available by means of a searchable database that is accessible through the World Wide Web. The Secretary of State shall provide all software necessary to comply with this provision to all natural persons and entities required to file. The Secretary of State shall implement a plan to provide computer access and assistance to natural persons and entities required to file electronically.

All natural persons and entities required to register under this Act shall remit a single, annual, and nonrefundable $300 registration fee. The Secretary of State shall grant a waiver of this registration fee to any not-for-profit entity with an annual budget of less than $5,000,000 that is classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including a waiver of that fee for any lobbyist that exclusively lobbies on behalf of that entity.

Each natural person required to register under this Act shall submit, on an annual basis, a picture of the registrant. A registrant may, in lieu of submitting a picture on an annual basis, authorize the Secretary of State to use any photo identification available in any database maintained by the Secretary of State for other purposes. Each registration fee collected for registrations shall be deposited into the Lobbyist Registration Administration Fund for administration and enforcement of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 101-595, eff. 12-5-19; 102-664, eff. 1-1-22.)