State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_SB0720gms

 
                            State of Illinois
                         OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
                      Springfield, Illinois  62706
      George H. Ryan
      GOVERNOR
                                                      July 18, 2001
      To the Honorable Members of
        The Illinois Senate
      92nd General Assembly
          Pursuant to Article IV, Section 9  (b)  of  the  Illinois
      Constitution  of  1970,  I hereby veto and return Senate Bill
      720 entitled, "AN ACT in relation to broadcasting."
          Senate Bill 720 purports to create the Broadcast Industry
      Free Market Act.  However, this legislation actually attempts
      to  interfere  with  the  free-market   conditions   of   the
      broadcasting industry.  This Act provides that no television,
      radio,   or   cable  station  may  require  an  employee,  or
      prospective  employee,  to  agree  as  a  condition   of   an
      employment  contract, to refrain from obtaining employment in
      a specific geographic area for  a  specific  period  of  time
      after termination of employment.
          Supporters  of  Senate  Bill 720 are attempting to direct
      the  outcome  of  independent  broadcast  industry   contract
      negotiations  and  would awkwardly push the State of Illinois
      into the role of private party contract  negotiator.   It  is
      inappropriate  for  the  State  of Illinois to dictate to any
      employee or employer the negotiated terms of their employment
      arrangement.  In all other industries, including  the  sports
      and  entertainment  industries,  limitations  as  to  whether
      employees  can pursue future employment with a competitor are
      determined by the demands of the market place and competitive
      bargaining rather than the dictates of State government.
          Furthermore, Senate Bill 720 would not  be  effective  in
      meeting  its  goals  of  thorough  prohibition of non-compete
      clauses since Illinois State law holds  authority  only  over
      those   agreements   finalized   within   this  State.   Many
      broadcasting companies have  offices  outside  the  State  of
      Illinois   and  could  simply  require  that  all  employment
      contracts be entered in non-Illinois locations and  thus  not
      subject to this proposed legislation.
          Finally,  Senate  Bill  720  as  it is currently drafted,
      attempts to effect current broadcast industry contracts.   By
      enacting  this legislation in its present form it would force
      broadcast companies to rewrite contracts  that  have  already
      been negotiated and executed.  Such an undertaking would be a
      violation   of   both   the   United   States   and  Illinois
      Constitutions.  The Contract Clause of  the  United    States
      Constitution  commands  that  "{n}o State shall...pass any...
      Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts."  U.S. Const. Art.
      I, Par. 10, c1. 1.  The  Illinois  Constitution  echoes  this
      dictate:    "No...law    impairing    the    obligation    of
      contracts...shall be passed."  Ill. Const., 1970 Art. 1, Par.
      16.    The  United  State Supreme Court has held that where a
      state statute impairs a contractual relationship, it is  void
      for violating the contract Clause unless the statute passes a
      two-part  test:  it must be both "reasonable and necessary to
      serve an important public purpose."  United States Trust Co.,
      431 U.S. at 25, 97 S. Ct. at 1519.  Senate Bill 720 does  not
      meet the requirements of this test.
          For  these  reasons, I hereby veto and return Senate Bill
      720.
                                             Sincerely,
                                             George H. Ryan
                                             GOVERNOR

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