HB2914ham002 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Thaddeus Jones

Filed: 3/28/2019

10100HB2914ham002 LRB101 09876 AWJ 58298 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2914

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2914 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by adding Section 8-1-19 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/8-1-19 new)

Sec. 8-1-19. Legal expenses cap.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a municipality may not incur legal expenses in excess of $1,000,000 for a single lawsuit against or by the municipality in a single fiscal year unless the electors of the municipality approve a greater amount of legal expenses after a referendum under subsection (b).

(b) Upon the adoption of an ordinance by the city council of the municipality requesting a referendum to incur additional legal expenses for a lawsuit, a referendum, subject to the requirements of Section 16-7 of the Election Code, shall be placed on the ballot for all electors residing in the municipality at the next general election in substantially the following form:

May the (name of municipality) expend more than the $1,000,000 statutory cap on legal expenses for the (current/next) fiscal year regarding (description of lawsuit)?

The votes shall be recorded as "Yes" or "No".

(c) This Section does not apply to salaries and benefits paid to attorneys and paralegals who are full-time or part-time employees a municipality.

(d) "Legal expenses" do not include a civil judgment or a settlement in a civil action.".