Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB1897

Deletes everything after the enacting clause. Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. With respect to the definition of "political", excludes activities in furtherance of a person's governmental or public service functions. With respect to the prohibition against the use of State funds for items promoting executive branch constitutional officers and General Assembly members, specifies that the prohibition is against promotional items not in furtherance of a person's official State duties or governmental and public service functions. Provides that the executive director and staff of the Legislative Ethics Commission and the staff of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General must be approved by at least 3 of the 4 legislative leaders. Provides that guidance provided to an ethics officer, General Assembly member, or 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 at the request of an ethics officer, member, or employee, and those requests for guidance, as to the interpretation or application of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. Amends the Election Code. With respect to the use of the funds of a political committee or other reporting organization, provides that none of the Campaign Finance Article's restrictions prohibits use to defray the customary and reasonable (now, ordinary and necessary) expenses of an officeholder in connection with the performance of governmental and public service functions (now, governmental duties). Amends the General Provisions, State Employees, and Judges Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a commissioner of an ethics commission is not an employee for purposes of the State Employees Article unless the person elects to participate. Provides that the retirement annuity or other benefit under the Code of a person who serves part-time as Legislative Inspector General, Special Legislative Inspector General, Executive Director or employee of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, or employee of the Legislative Ethics Commission shall not be subject to forfeiture, diminishment, suspension, or other impairment solely by virtue of that service and that the person does not participate in any pension fund or retirement system under the Code with respect to that service, unless the person is qualified to so participate and affirmatively elects to so participate. Provides that a person who serves part-time as Legislative Inspector General, Special Legislative Inspector General, Executive Director or employee of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, or employee of the Ethics Commission may participate in the State Employees Retirement System with respect to that service, but only if he or she affirmatively elects to participate in the System with respect to that service. Provides that certain provisions in the Judges Article concerning the suspension of the pension of a person who reenters State employment do not apply to a part-time Legislative Inspector General, Special Legislative Inspector General, Executive Director or employee of the Office of the Legislative Inspector General, or employee of the Legislative Ethics Commission who has not elected to participate under the State Employees Article with respect to that service. Defines a "part-time" position as one in which the person is not required to work at least 35 hours a week. Effective immediately.

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