With public corruption scandals at never-before seen levels in Illinois, lawmakers had an opportunity during the Fall Veto Session to enact meaningful ethics reforms to address glaring instances of public abuse of power.
Since January, House Republicans have filed 26 different ethics reform bills. While these robust, common-sense measures languished in the House Rules Committee and were denied consideration, majority party lawmakers filed two watered-down measures in the middle of the night leading into the final day of session, and limited floor action to only these two bills.
The approved measures do nothing to prohibit lawmakers from also serving as paid lobbyists. They do nothing to prevent committee chairpersons from blocking bills his or her campaign donors don’t like. They also do not prevent committee chairpersons to lobby agencies whose budgets they control, or prohibit legislators who resign from office after being arrested on federal corruption charges, from having significant voting power over selecting his or her successor.
House Republicans stood united and voted against adjourning Veto Session, asking that lawmakers remain in Springfield until meaningful ethics reforms were approved and sent to the governor. Members of the Democratic Caucus instead voted to go home without passing anything substantive to improve ethical conduct in the legislature.
House Republicans ethics legislation filed as of November 14, 2019
| Bill Number | Description | Status /Vote/Notes |
| HB 165 (Bennett) | Two-year revolving door ban | Assigned to Judiciary-Civil Committee
Assigned to Constitutional Law Subcommittee Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 332 (Wehrli) | Prohibits legislators from acting as attorneys in tax appeals cases | Assigned to Judiciary-Civil Committee
Assigned to Constitutional Law Subcommittee Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 361 (Wehrli) | False or incomplete statements of economic interests subject to $150,000 fine
Provides fines for intentional failure to complete ethics or sexual harassment training Fine up to $115,000 for each fraudulent obtaining of moneys reserved for minority, women, or disabled veteran-owned businesses Fine up to $1 million for bribery | Assigned to Judiciary-Civil Committee
Assigned to Constitutional Law Subcommittee Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 363 (Butler) | No political fundraisers on Session days unless the legislative district is located in Sangamon County | Assigned to Judiciary-Civil Committee
Assigned to Constitutional Law Subcommittee Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 818 (Murphy) | Members of the G.A. who leave office prior to the end of any month are only paid for the days they were in office (rather than for the entire month) | Assigned to Executive Committee
Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 878 (McDermed) | Prohibits legislators from serving as the chairperson for a statewide political party (see also Butler) | Assigned to the Judiciary-Civil Committee
Assigned to the Constitutional Law Subcommittee Lost in Subcommittee 2-3-0 |
| HB 879 (McDermed) | One-year revolving door ban | Assigned to Judiciary-Civil Committee
Assigned to Constitutional Law Subcommittee Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 2418 (Butler) | Prohibits legislators from serving as the chairperson for a statewide political party (see also McDermed) | Assigned to Executive Committee
Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 2447 (Caulkins) | Statements of economic interests from members of the G.A. must include interests related to the marijuana industry | Assigned to Executive Committee
Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 2596 (Durkin) | Members of the G.A. shall consult with their ethics officer if they believe a possible conflict of interest exists | Assigned to Executive Committee
Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 2688 (McDermed) | Provides for specified rights of complainants under the State Officials and Ethics Act | Assigned to Executive Committee
Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 2842 (Hammond) | Provides that the Secretary of State shall compile a list of persons whose statements of economic interests are late and deduct any unpaid late filing fees | Assigned to Executive Committee
Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 3139 (Halbrook) | Extends provisions of county ethics laws to State’s Attorneys and Assistant State’s Attorneys | Assigned to Executive Committee
Re-referred to Rules |
| HB 3940 (Butler) | Changes the definition of “gambling device” to include sweepstakes machines, which would make them illegal in IL | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3946 (Demmer) | Requires registration for persons lobbying units of local government and school districts (rather than only persons lobbying State government) | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3947 (Demmer) | Prohibits lobbying for compensation by a member of the G.A., their spouse, or immediate family member living with them; violations are official misconduct – a Class 3 felony (see also Righter) | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3954 (Durkin) | Adds same requirements as judges for statements of economic interest | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3955 (Durkin) | State agencies must keep records of requests regarding state agency contracts from a member of the G.A. and establish a web page | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3956 (Skillicorn) | Requires a five-year moratorium on the “revolving door policy” of former members of the G.A. becoming lobbyists (see also Bailey) | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3957 (Skillicorn) | Prevents a member of the G.A. from concurrently serving as a legislator and a tax attorney | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3958 (Skillicorn) | Prohibits members of the G.A. from conducting any lobbying activity | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3963 (Butler) | Prohibits members of the State Board of Elections or their spouse from serving as an officer of a political committee or directing its actions or funds (see also Batinick) | Referred to Rules |
| HB 3964 (Batinick) | Prohibits members of the State Board of Elections from contributing to or serving on a political committee (see also Butler) | Referred to Rules |
| HR 588 (Durkin) | A bill with 5 bipartisan sponsors must be discharged from Rules and called for a vote in committee | Referred to Rules |
| HJR 87 (McCombie) | Creates an Ethics Reform Task Force to address corruption within Illinois government | Assigned to Executive Committee |
| HJRCA 36 (Durkin) | G.A. member vacancies are filled by a special election, must be a member of the same party | Referred to Rules |
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