Public Act 098-0631
 
SB0221 EnrolledLRB098 05400 KTG 35434 b

    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act is
amended by changing Section 25-10 as follows:
 
    (5 ILCS 430/25-10)
    Sec. 25-10. Office of Legislative Inspector General.
    (a) The independent Office of the Legislative Inspector
General is created. The Office shall be under the direction and
supervision of the Legislative Inspector General and shall be a
fully independent office with its own appropriation.
    (b) The Legislative Inspector General shall be appointed
without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis
of integrity and demonstrated ability. The Legislative Ethics
Commission shall diligently search out qualified candidates
for Legislative Inspector General and shall make
recommendations to the General Assembly.
    The Legislative Inspector General shall be appointed by a
joint resolution of the Senate and the House of
Representatives, which may specify the date on which the
appointment takes effect. A joint resolution, or other document
as may be specified by the Joint Rules of the General Assembly,
appointing the Legislative Inspector General must be certified
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
President of the Senate as having been adopted by the
affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each
house, respectively, and be filed with the Secretary of State.
The appointment of the Legislative Inspector General takes
effect on the day the appointment is completed by the General
Assembly, unless the appointment specifies a later date on
which it is to become effective.
    The Legislative Inspector General shall have the following
qualifications:
        (1) has not been convicted of any felony under the laws
    of this State, another state, or the United States;
        (2) has earned a baccalaureate degree from an
    institution of higher education; and
        (3) has 5 or more years of cumulative service (A) with
    a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, at least
    2 years of which have been in a progressive investigatory
    capacity; (B) as a federal, State, or local prosecutor; (C)
    as a senior manager or executive of a federal, State, or
    local agency; (D) as a member, an officer, or a State or
    federal judge; or (E) representing any combination of (A)
    through (D).
    The Legislative Inspector General may not be a relative of
a commissioner.
    The term of the initial Legislative Inspector General shall
commence upon qualification and shall run through June 30,
2008.
    After the initial term, the Legislative Inspector General
shall serve for 5-year terms commencing on July 1 of the year
of appointment and running through June 30 of the fifth
following year. The Legislative Inspector General may be
reappointed to one or more subsequent terms.
    A vacancy occurring other than at the end of a term shall
be filled in the same manner as an appointment only for the
balance of the term of the Legislative Inspector General whose
office is vacant. If the Office is vacant, or if a Legislative
Inspector General resigns, the Commission shall designate an
Acting Legislative Inspector General who shall serve until the
vacancy is filled. The Commission shall file the designation in
writing with the Secretary of State.
    Terms shall run regardless of whether the position is
filled.
    (c) The Legislative Inspector General shall have
jurisdiction over the members of the General Assembly and all
State employees whose ultimate jurisdictional authority is (i)
a legislative leader, (ii) the Senate Operations Commission, or
(iii) the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services.
    The jurisdiction of each Legislative Inspector General is
to investigate allegations of fraud, waste, abuse,
mismanagement, misconduct, nonfeasance, misfeasance,
malfeasance, or violations of this Act or violations of other
related laws and rules.
    (d) The compensation of the Legislative Inspector General
shall be the greater of an amount (i) determined by the
Commission or (ii) by joint resolution of the General Assembly
passed by a majority of members elected in each chamber.
Subject to Section 25-45 of this Act, the Legislative Inspector
General has full authority to organize the Office of the
Legislative Inspector General, including the employment and
determination of the compensation of staff, such as deputies,
assistants, and other employees, as appropriations permit.
Employment of staff is subject to the approval of at least 3 of
the 4 legislative leaders.
    (e) No Legislative Inspector General or employee of the
Office of the Legislative Inspector General may, during his or
her term of appointment or employment:
        (1) become a candidate for any elective office;
        (2) hold any other elected or appointed public office
    except for appointments on governmental advisory boards or
    study commissions or as otherwise expressly authorized by
    law;
        (3) be actively involved in the affairs of any
    political party or political organization; or
        (4) actively participate in any campaign for any
    elective office.
    In this subsection an appointed public office means a
position authorized by law that is filled by an appointing
authority as provided by law and does not include employment by
hiring in the ordinary course of business.
    (e-1) No Legislative Inspector General or employee of the
Office of the Legislative Inspector General may, for one year
after the termination of his or her appointment or employment:
        (1) become a candidate for any elective office;
        (2) hold any elected public office; or
        (3) hold any appointed State, county, or local judicial
    office.
    (e-2) The requirements of item (3) of subsection (e-1) may
be waived by the Legislative Ethics Commission.
    (f) The Commission may remove the Legislative Inspector
General only for cause. At the time of the removal, the
Commission must report to the General Assembly the
justification for the removal.
(Source: P.A. 93-617, eff. 12-9-03; 93-685, eff. 7-8-04.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.