SB1721 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 08134 RTM 18180 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1721

Introduced 2/5/2025, by Sen. Li Arellano, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 235/2

from Ch. 85, par. 902

Amends the Public Funds Investment Act. Provides that any public agency may invest any public funds in broad-based index funds that track the performance of a large group of stocks picked to represent the broader market.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning finance.

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

Section 5. The Public Funds Investment Act is amended by changing Section 2 as follows:

(30 ILCS 235/2) (from Ch. 85, par. 902)

Sec. 2. Authorized investments.

(a) Any public agency may invest any public funds as follows:

(1) in bonds, notes, certificates of indebtedness, treasury bills or other securities now or hereafter issued, which are guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America as to principal and interest;

(2) in bonds, notes, debentures, or other similar obligations of the United States of America, its agencies, and its instrumentalities;

(3) in interest-bearing savings accounts, interest-bearing certificates of deposit or interest-bearing time deposits or any other investments constituting direct obligations of any bank as defined by the Illinois Banking Act;

(4) in short-term obligations of corporations organized in the United States with assets exceeding $500,000,000 if (i) such obligations are rated at the time of purchase at one of the 3 highest classifications established by at least 2 standard rating services and which mature not later than 270 days from the date of purchase, (ii) such purchases do not exceed 10% of the corporation's outstanding obligations, and (iii) no more than one-third of the public agency's funds may be invested in short-term obligations of corporations under this paragraph (4);

(4.5) in obligations of corporations organized in the United States with assets exceeding $500,000,000 if (i) such obligations are rated at the time of purchase at one of the 3 highest classifications established by at least 2 standard rating services and which mature more than 270 days but less than 10 years from the date of purchase, (ii) such purchases do not exceed 10% of the corporation's outstanding obligations, and (iii) no more than one-third of the public agency's funds may be invested in obligations of corporations under this paragraph (4.5); or

(5) in money market mutual funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, provided that the portfolio of any such money market mutual fund is limited to obligations described in paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection and to agreements to repurchase such obligations; or .

(6) in broad-based index funds that track the performance of a large group of stocks picked to represent the broader market.

(a-1) In addition to any other investments authorized under this Act, a municipality, park district, forest preserve district, conservation district, county, or other governmental unit may invest its public funds in interest bearing bonds of any county, township, city, village, incorporated town, municipal corporation, or school district, of the State of Illinois, of any other state, or of any political subdivision or agency of the State of Illinois or of any other state, whether the interest earned thereon is taxable or tax-exempt under federal law. The bonds shall be registered in the name of the municipality, park district, forest preserve district, conservation district, county, or other governmental unit, or held under a custodial agreement at a bank. The bonds shall be rated at the time of purchase within the 4 highest general classifications established by a rating service of nationally recognized expertise in rating bonds of states and their political subdivisions.

(b) Investments may be made only in banks which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Any public agency may invest any public funds in short term discount obligations of the Federal National Mortgage Association or in shares or other forms of securities legally issuable by savings banks or savings and loan associations incorporated under the laws of this State or any other state or under the laws of the United States. Investments may be made only in those savings banks or savings and loan associations the shares, or investment certificates of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Any such securities may be purchased at the offering or market price thereof at the time of such purchase. All such securities so purchased shall mature or be redeemable on a date or dates prior to the time when, in the judgment of such governing authority, the public funds so invested will be required for expenditure by such public agency or its governing authority. The expressed judgment of any such governing authority as to the time when any public funds will be required for expenditure or be redeemable is final and conclusive. Any public agency may invest any public funds in dividend-bearing share accounts, share certificate accounts or class of share accounts of a credit union chartered under the laws of this State or the laws of the United States; provided, however, the principal office of any such credit union must be located within the State of Illinois. Investments may be made only in those credit unions the accounts of which are insured by applicable law.

(c) For purposes of this Section, the term "agencies of the United States of America" includes: (i) the federal land banks, federal intermediate credit banks, banks for cooperative, federal farm credit banks, or any other entity authorized to issue debt obligations under the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.) and Acts amendatory thereto; (ii) the federal home loan banks and the federal home loan mortgage corporation; and (iii) any other agency created by Act of Congress.

(d) Except for pecuniary interests permitted under subsection (f) of Section 3-14-4 of the Illinois Municipal Code or under Section 3.2 of the Public Officer Prohibited Practices Act, no person acting as treasurer or financial officer or who is employed in any similar capacity by or for a public agency may do any of the following:

(1) have any interest, directly or indirectly, in any investments in which the agency is authorized to invest.

(2) have any interest, directly or indirectly, in the sellers, sponsors, or managers of those investments.

(3) receive, in any manner, compensation of any kind from any investments in which the agency is authorized to invest.

(e) Any public agency may also invest any public funds in a Public Treasurers' Investment Pool created under Section 17 of the State Treasurer Act. Any public agency may also invest any public funds in a fund managed, operated, and administered by a bank, subsidiary of a bank, or subsidiary of a bank holding company or use the services of such an entity to hold and invest or advise regarding the investment of any public funds.

(f) To the extent a public agency has custody of funds not owned by it or another public agency and does not otherwise have authority to invest such funds, the public agency may invest such funds as if they were its own. Such funds must be released to the appropriate person at the earliest reasonable time, but in no case exceeding 31 days, after the private person becomes entitled to the receipt of them. All earnings accruing on any investments or deposits made pursuant to the provisions of this Act shall be credited to the public agency by or for which such investments or deposits were made, except as provided otherwise in Section 4.1 of the State Finance Act or the Local Governmental Tax Collection Act, and except where by specific statutory provisions such earnings are directed to be credited to and paid to a particular fund.

(g) A public agency may purchase or invest in repurchase agreements of government securities having the meaning set out in the Government Securities Act of 1986, as now or hereafter amended or succeeded, subject to the provisions of said Act and the regulations issued thereunder. The government securities, unless registered or inscribed in the name of the public agency, shall be purchased through banks or trust companies authorized to do business in the State of Illinois.

(h) Except for repurchase agreements of government securities which are subject to the Government Securities Act of 1986, as now or hereafter amended or succeeded, no public agency may purchase or invest in instruments which constitute repurchase agreements, and no financial institution may enter into such an agreement with or on behalf of any public agency unless the instrument and the transaction meet the following requirements:

(1) The securities, unless registered or inscribed in the name of the public agency, are purchased through banks or trust companies authorized to do business in the State of Illinois.

(2) An authorized public officer after ascertaining which firm will give the most favorable rate of interest, directs the custodial bank to "purchase" specified securities from a designated institution. The "custodial bank" is the bank or trust company, or agency of government, which acts for the public agency in connection with repurchase agreements involving the investment of funds by the public agency. The State Treasurer may act as custodial bank for public agencies executing repurchase agreements. To the extent the Treasurer acts in this capacity, he is hereby authorized to pass through to such public agencies any charges assessed by the Federal Reserve Bank.

(3) A custodial bank must be a member bank of the Federal Reserve System or maintain accounts with member banks. All transfers of book-entry securities must be accomplished on a Reserve Bank's computer records through a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. These securities must be credited to the public agency on the records of the custodial bank and the transaction must be confirmed in writing to the public agency by the custodial bank.

(4) Trading partners shall be limited to banks or trust companies authorized to do business in the State of Illinois or to registered primary reporting dealers.

(5) The security interest must be perfected.

(6) The public agency enters into a written master repurchase agreement which outlines the basic responsibilities and liabilities of both buyer and seller.

(7) Agreements shall be for periods of 330 days or less.

(8) The authorized public officer of the public agency informs the custodial bank in writing of the maturity details of the repurchase agreement.

(9) The custodial bank must take delivery of and maintain the securities in its custody for the account of the public agency and confirm the transaction in writing to the public agency. The Custodial Undertaking shall provide that the custodian takes possession of the securities exclusively for the public agency; that the securities are free of any claims against the trading partner; and any claims by the custodian are subordinate to the public agency's claims to rights to those securities.

(10) The obligations purchased by a public agency may only be sold or presented for redemption or payment by the fiscal agent bank or trust company holding the obligations upon the written instruction of the public agency or officer authorized to make such investments.

(11) The custodial bank shall be liable to the public agency for any monetary loss suffered by the public agency due to the failure of the custodial bank to take and maintain possession of such securities.

(i) Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions on investment in instruments constituting repurchase agreements the Illinois Housing Development Authority may invest in, and any financial institution with capital of at least $250,000,000 may act as custodian for, instruments that constitute repurchase agreements, provided that the Illinois Housing Development Authority, in making each such investment, complies with the safety and soundness guidelines for engaging in repurchase transactions applicable to federally insured banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations or other depository institutions as set forth in the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council Policy Statement Regarding Repurchase Agreements and any regulations issued, or which may be issued by the supervisory federal authority pertaining thereto and any amendments thereto; provided further that the securities shall be either (i) direct general obligations of, or obligations the payment of the principal of and/or interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America or (ii) any obligations of any agency, corporation or subsidiary thereof controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the United States Government pursuant to authority granted by the Congress of the United States and provided further that the security interest must be perfected by either the Illinois Housing Development Authority, its custodian or its agent receiving possession of the securities either physically or transferred through a nationally recognized book entry system.

(j) In addition to all other investments authorized under this Section, a community college district may invest public funds in any mutual funds that invest primarily in corporate investment grade or global government short term bonds. Purchases of mutual funds that invest primarily in global government short term bonds shall be limited to funds with assets of at least $100 million and that are rated at the time of purchase as one of the 10 highest classifications established by a recognized rating service. The investments shall be subject to approval by the local community college board of trustees. Each community college board of trustees shall develop a policy regarding the percentage of the college's investment portfolio that can be invested in such funds.

(k) In addition to all other investments authorized under this Section, a public agency may adopt an ordinance or resolution to allow for investment of public funds in other instruments not specifically listed in this Section provided that those investments comply with (i) any other law that authorizes public agencies to invest funds and (ii) the investment policy adopted by the public agency under Section 2.5 of this Act.

Nothing in this Section shall be construed to authorize an intergovernmental risk management entity to accept the deposit of public funds except for risk management purposes.

(Source: P.A. 102-285, eff. 8-6-21; 103-880, eff. 1-1-25.)