Illinois 2023-2024 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB2360 Compare Versions

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11 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2360 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Rachel Ventura SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.530 ILCS 105/5.990 new35 ILCS 5/506.7 new 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new Creates the Judicial Campaign Reform Act and amends the Election Code, the State Finance Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, and the Clerks of Courts Act. Creates a voluntary program of public financing of election campaigns for the offices of judges of the Illinois Supreme Court and Appellate Courts, administered by the State Board of Elections. Establishes funding mechanisms and provides penalties for violations. Sets mandatory contribution limits with respect to all judicial election campaigns. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2025. LRB103 28352 BMS 54732 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2360 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Rachel Ventura SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.530 ILCS 105/5.990 new35 ILCS 5/506.7 new 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new New Act 10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new 10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new 10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5 30 ILCS 105/5.990 new 35 ILCS 5/506.7 new 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new Creates the Judicial Campaign Reform Act and amends the Election Code, the State Finance Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, and the Clerks of Courts Act. Creates a voluntary program of public financing of election campaigns for the offices of judges of the Illinois Supreme Court and Appellate Courts, administered by the State Board of Elections. Establishes funding mechanisms and provides penalties for violations. Sets mandatory contribution limits with respect to all judicial election campaigns. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2025. LRB103 28352 BMS 54732 b LRB103 28352 BMS 54732 b A BILL FOR
22 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2360 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Rachel Ventura SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
33 New Act10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.530 ILCS 105/5.990 new35 ILCS 5/506.7 new 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new New Act 10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new 10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new 10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5 30 ILCS 105/5.990 new 35 ILCS 5/506.7 new 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new
44 New Act
55 10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new
66 10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new
77 10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new
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1010 10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new
1111 10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new
1212 10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5
1313 30 ILCS 105/5.990 new
1414 35 ILCS 5/506.7 new
1515 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509
1616 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new
1717 Creates the Judicial Campaign Reform Act and amends the Election Code, the State Finance Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, and the Clerks of Courts Act. Creates a voluntary program of public financing of election campaigns for the offices of judges of the Illinois Supreme Court and Appellate Courts, administered by the State Board of Elections. Establishes funding mechanisms and provides penalties for violations. Sets mandatory contribution limits with respect to all judicial election campaigns. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2025.
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2323 1 AN ACT concerning judicial elections.
2424 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
2525 3 represented in the General Assembly:
2626 4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
2727 5 Judicial Campaign Reform Act.
2828 6 Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
2929 7 "Allowable contribution" means a qualifying contribution,
3030 8 a seed money contribution, or a personal contribution
3131 9 authorized by this Act.
3232 10 "Board" or "State Board" means the State Board of
3333 11 Elections.
3434 12 "Candidate" means any person seeking election to the
3535 13 office of Judge of the Illinois Supreme Court or Judge of the
3636 14 Illinois Appellate Court.
3737 15 "Campaign" includes the primary election campaign period
3838 16 and the general election campaign period.
3939 17 "General election campaign period" means the period
4040 18 beginning on the day after the general primary election and
4141 19 ending on the day of the general election.
4242 20 "Electioneering communication expenditure" means an
4343 21 expenditure for electioneering communications as that term is
4444 22 defined in Article 9 of the Election Code.
4545 23 "Eligible candidate" means a candidate who qualifies for
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4949 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2360 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Rachel Ventura SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
5050 New Act10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.530 ILCS 105/5.990 new35 ILCS 5/506.7 new 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new New Act 10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new 10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new 10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new 10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5 30 ILCS 105/5.990 new 35 ILCS 5/506.7 new 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new
5151 New Act
5252 10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new
5353 10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new
5454 10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new
5555 10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new
5656 10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new
5757 10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new
5858 10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new
5959 10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5
6060 30 ILCS 105/5.990 new
6161 35 ILCS 5/506.7 new
6262 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509
6363 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new
6464 Creates the Judicial Campaign Reform Act and amends the Election Code, the State Finance Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, and the Clerks of Courts Act. Creates a voluntary program of public financing of election campaigns for the offices of judges of the Illinois Supreme Court and Appellate Courts, administered by the State Board of Elections. Establishes funding mechanisms and provides penalties for violations. Sets mandatory contribution limits with respect to all judicial election campaigns. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2025.
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7474 10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new
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7676 10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new
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7878 10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new
7979 10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new
8080 10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new
8181 10 ILCS 5/9-1.5 from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5
8282 30 ILCS 105/5.990 new
8383 35 ILCS 5/506.7 new
8484 35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509
8585 705 ILCS 105/27.15 new
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104104 1 public financing by collecting the required number of
105105 2 qualifying contributions, making all required reports and
106106 3 disclosures, and being certified by the State Board as being
107107 4 in compliance with this Act.
108108 5 "Excess expenditure amount" means the amount of
109109 6 expenditures made by a nonparticipating candidate in excess of
110110 7 the public financing benefit available to an eligible
111111 8 candidate for the same office that the nonparticipating
112112 9 candidate seeks.
113113 10 "Excess qualifying contribution amount" means the amount
114114 11 of qualifying contributions accepted by a candidate beyond the
115115 12 number or dollar amount of contributions required to qualify a
116116 13 candidate for a public financing benefit.
117117 14 "Exploratory period" means the period that begins one year
118118 15 before the general primary election date and ends on the day
119119 16 before the beginning of the primary election campaign.
120120 17 "Fair election debit card" means a debit card issued by
121121 18 the State Treasurer in accordance with Section 65 entitling a
122122 19 candidate and agents of the candidate designated by the
123123 20 candidate to draw money from an account maintained by the
124124 21 State Treasurer to make expenditures authorized by law.
125125 22 "Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund" means a
126126 23 special fund created in the State treasury and to be used,
127127 24 subject to appropriation, by the State Board of Elections for
128128 25 the funding of campaigns for participating candidates.
129129 26 "Immediate family", when used with reference to a
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140140 1 candidate, includes the candidate's spouse, parents, and
141141 2 children.
142142 3 "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a person
143143 4 expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly
144144 5 identified candidate that is made without cooperation or
145145 6 consultation with a candidate, or any political committee or
146146 7 agent of a candidate, and that is not made in concert with, or
147147 8 at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or any
148148 9 political committee or agent of a candidate.
149149 10 "Nonparticipating candidate" means a candidate who does
150150 11 not apply for a public financing benefit or who otherwise is
151151 12 ineligible or fails to qualify for a public financing benefit
152152 13 under this Act.
153153 14 "Personal funds" means funds contributed by a candidate or
154154 15 a member of a candidate's immediate family.
155155 16 "Primary election campaign period" means the period
156156 17 beginning 30 days after the last day prescribed by law for
157157 18 filing nomination papers and ending on the day of the general
158158 19 primary election.
159159 20 "Public financing qualifying period" means the period
160160 21 beginning on July 1 of an odd-numbered year and ending on the
161161 22 day before the beginning of the primary election campaign
162162 23 period for the office of Judge of the Illinois Supreme Court or
163163 24 Judge of the Illinois Appellate Court.
164164 25 "Qualifying contribution" means a contribution between $5
165165 26 and $25 to a candidate made by a resident, at least 18 years
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176176 1 old, of the district in which the candidate seeks office and
177177 2 made during the public financing qualifying period that is
178178 3 acknowledged by written receipt identifying the contributor.
179179 4 An individual may make only one qualifying contribution per
180180 5 candidate.
181181 6 "Qualifying report" is a list of all individual qualifying
182182 7 contributions.
183183 8 "Seed money contribution" means a contribution in an
184184 9 amount of not more than $100 made to a candidate during the
185185 10 exploratory period or the public financing qualifying period
186186 11 or a contribution made to a candidate consisting of personal
187187 12 funds of that candidate in an amount not more than the amount
188188 13 authorized under Section 30 during the exploratory period or
189189 14 the public financing qualifying period.
190190 15 Section 10. Qualification; certification.
191191 16 (a) Before a candidate for nomination in the general
192192 17 primary election may be certified as an eligible candidate to
193193 18 receive a public financing benefit for the primary election
194194 19 campaign period, the candidate must apply to the State Board
195195 20 for a public financing benefit and file a sworn statement that
196196 21 the candidate has complied and will comply with all
197197 22 requirements of this Act throughout the applicable campaign,
198198 23 including the general primary election and the general
199199 24 election. A candidate must file the application and statement
200200 25 no later than the beginning of the primary election campaign.
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211211 1 (b) The Board shall certify a candidate as an eligible
212212 2 candidate for receipt of public financing for a primary
213213 3 election if the candidate complies with subsection (a) and
214214 4 receives a number of qualifying contributions at least equal
215215 5 to 0.15% of the number of ballots cast in the judicial district
216216 6 in the last gubernatorial election from individual qualifying
217217 7 contributors before the close of the public financing
218218 8 qualifying period. The State Board may require candidates to
219219 9 file lists of qualifying contributions in electronic format.
220220 10 If so required, the State Board shall either (i) provide,
221221 11 without charge, all software necessary to comply with this
222222 12 requirement or (ii) ensure that the necessary software is
223223 13 commonly available to the public at minimal cost.
224224 14 (c) The State Board shall verify a candidate's compliance
225225 15 with the requirements of subsection (b) by any verification
226226 16 and sampling techniques that the State Board considers
227227 17 appropriate.
228228 18 (d) Each candidate shall acknowledge each qualifying
229229 19 contribution by a receipt to the contributor that contains the
230230 20 contributor's name and home address. A candidate shall file a
231231 21 qualifying report with the State Board of Elections.
232232 22 (e) A qualifying contribution may be used only for the
233233 23 purpose of making an expenditure authorized by law.
234234 24 Section 15. Time of application; general election.
235235 25 (a) Before a candidate may be certified as eligible for
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246246 1 receipt of public financing for a general election, the
247247 2 candidate must apply to the Board and file a sworn statement
248248 3 that the candidate has fulfilled all the requirements of this
249249 4 Act during the primary election campaign period, has won the
250250 5 nomination in the general primary, and will comply with the
251251 6 requirements of this Act during the general election campaign
252252 7 period. The application must be filed no later than the 7th day
253253 8 after the date of the general primary election.
254254 9 (b) The Board shall certify a candidate as an eligible
255255 10 candidate for receipt of public financing for a general
256256 11 election campaign period if the candidate complies with
257257 12 subsection (a) and the candidate was an eligible candidate
258258 13 during the primary election campaign period.
259259 14 (c) If more than one candidate files an application for
260260 15 the general election, the Board shall accept applications from
261261 16 all candidates who comply with subsection (a) but shall
262262 17 postpone the declaration of eligibility for the general
263263 18 election until after the general primary results are
264264 19 certified. After the results have been certified, if the
265265 20 nominee filed an application under subsection (a), the Board
266266 21 shall declare that candidate eligible for the general
267267 22 election.
268268 23 Section 20. Agreement by candidate. An eligible candidate
269269 24 who accepts a public financing benefit under this Act during
270270 25 the primary election campaign period must agree to comply with
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281281 1 all requirements of this Act throughout the general election
282282 2 campaign period as a precondition to receipt of public
283283 3 financing. An eligible candidate who accepts a public
284284 4 financing benefit during a primary election campaign period
285285 5 may not elect to accept private contributions in violation of
286286 6 this Act during the corresponding general election campaign
287287 7 period.
288288 8 Section 25. Requirements placed upon eligible candidates.
289289 9 (a) An eligible candidate may not accept private
290290 10 contributions other than seed money contributions and
291291 11 qualifying contributions.
292292 12 (b) In addition to reports required to be filed under the
293293 13 Election Code, a candidate who receives a public financing
294294 14 benefit must furnish complete financial records, including
295295 15 records of seed money contributions, qualifying contributions,
296296 16 and expenditures on the last day of each month.
297297 17 (c) In addition to adhering to requirements imposed under
298298 18 the Election Code, a candidate who receives a public financing
299299 19 benefit must maintain records of all contributions of at least
300300 20 $5, including seed money contributions and qualifying
301301 21 contributions. These records shall contain the full name of
302302 22 the contributor and the contributor's full home address.
303303 23 (d) The failure to record or provide the information
304304 24 specified in subsection (c) disqualifies a contribution from
305305 25 counting as a qualifying contribution.
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316316 1 (e) No eligible candidate and no person acting on a
317317 2 candidate's behalf may accept any contribution that is not
318318 3 recorded in accordance with subsection (c) in a candidate's
319319 4 campaign account.
320320 5 (f) No eligible candidate may accept more than $25 in cash
321321 6 from any contributor.
322322 7 Section 30. Personal funds of candidates.
323323 8 (a) The personal funds of an eligible candidate
324324 9 contributed as seed money contributions may not exceed an
325325 10 aggregate amount of $10,000. For the purpose of this Section,
326326 11 "personal funds" includes funds from the candidate's immediate
327327 12 family.
328328 13 (b) No eligible candidate may make any expenditure derived
329329 14 from personal funds after the close of the public financing
330330 15 qualifying period.
331331 16 (c) Eligible candidates shall not loan personal funds to
332332 17 their campaign.
333333 18 Section 35. Seed money contributions.
334334 19 (a) An eligible candidate may accept seed money
335335 20 contributions from any individual or political committee
336336 21 before the end of the public financing qualifying period, so
337337 22 long as the total contributions from one contributor, except
338338 23 personal funds and qualifying contributions otherwise
339339 24 permitted under this Act, do not exceed $100 and the aggregate
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350350 1 contributions, including personal funds, but not including
351351 2 qualifying contributions, do not exceed $30,000.
352352 3 (b) An eligible candidate shall make expenditures from
353353 4 seed money contributions only during the exploratory period
354354 5 and the public financing qualifying period.
355355 6 Section 40. Excess contributions. An amount equivalent to
356356 7 the excess contributions shall be deducted by the Board from
357357 8 the candidate's public financing benefit. A candidate shall
358358 9 return to the Board all seed money and personal contributions,
359359 10 including in-kind contributions, that exceed the limits
360360 11 prescribed in Section 35 within 48 hours after the end of the
361361 12 exploratory period. The Board shall deposit all contributions
362362 13 returned under this Section into the Illinois Judicial
363363 14 Election Democracy Trust Fund.
364364 15 Section 45. Certification by candidate; line of credit.
365365 16 (a) To apply for a public financing benefit, a candidate
366366 17 must certify to the State Board that the candidate has
367367 18 complied and will comply, throughout the applicable campaign,
368368 19 with all requirements of this Act and that all disclosures
369369 20 required at the time of application have been made. The
370370 21 candidate must present evidence of the requisite number of
371371 22 qualifying contributions received by the candidate. The
372372 23 candidate's request for certification must be signed by the
373373 24 candidate and the treasurer of the candidate's political
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384384 1 committee.
385385 2 (b) The Board shall distribute to each eligible candidate
386386 3 at the general primary election a line of credit for public
387387 4 financing promptly after the candidate demonstrates his or her
388388 5 eligibility and, in any event, not later than 5 days after the
389389 6 end of the public financing qualifying period; however, no
390390 7 candidate may use a line of credit distributed under this
391391 8 subsection until the beginning of the primary election
392392 9 campaign period.
393393 10 (c) The Board must distribute to each eligible candidate
394394 11 in the general election a line of credit for public financing
395395 12 not later than the earlier of (i) 48 hours after the official
396396 13 canvass and proclamation under Section 22-7 of the Election
397397 14 Code or (ii) 21 days after the date of the general primary
398398 15 election. No candidate may receive a line of credit until all
399399 16 candidates for Judge of the Illinois Supreme Court who apply
400400 17 and qualify for a public financing benefit have been certified
401401 18 as eligible candidates.
402402 19 (d) If any candidate who receives a public financing
403403 20 benefit violates the requirements of this Act, the candidate
404404 21 shall be subject to the penalties and enforcement outlined in
405405 22 Section 70. The Board shall deposit all repayments received
406406 23 under this subsection into the Illinois Judicial Election
407407 24 Democracy Trust Fund.
408408 25 Section 50. Public financing benefits.
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419419 1 (a) The State Board must provide to each eligible
420420 2 candidate who qualifies to receive a public financing benefit
421421 3 for the primary or general election campaign period separate
422422 4 lines of credit for the primary and general election campaign
423423 5 periods in the amounts specified in this Section subject to
424424 6 any required adjustment under Section 40, 55, 60, or 80. An
425425 7 eligible candidate may use this credit to finance any lawful
426426 8 expenditures during the primary and general election campaign
427427 9 periods. An eligible candidate may not use this credit to
428428 10 repay any loan in violation of this Act or any other applicable
429429 11 law.
430430 12 (b)(1) The total public financing benefit available to
431431 13 eligible candidates for the office of Judge of the
432432 14 Illinois Supreme Court for the primary and general
433433 15 elections shall be $750,000, subject to adjustment by
434434 16 subsection (e) of this Section.
435435 17 (2) The total public financing benefit available to
436436 18 eligible candidates for the office of Judge of the
437437 19 Illinois Appellate Court for the primary and general
438438 20 elections shall be $250,000, subject to adjustment by
439439 21 subsection (e) of this Section.
440440 22 (c) Matching funds that become available due to Section 55
441441 23 or Section 60 are not counted toward the public financing
442442 24 benefit. Eligible candidates may decide the allocation of
443443 25 their benefit between the primary election campaign period and
444444 26 the general election campaign period, however, no candidate
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455455 1 may allocate less than 20% or more than 80% during the primary
456456 2 election campaign period, nor may a candidate allocate more
457457 3 than 80% during the general election campaign period. Any
458458 4 portion of the benefit allocated but unspent or uncommitted
459459 5 for expenses at the close of the primary election campaign
460460 6 period is forfeited and may not be spent during the general
461461 7 election campaign period.
462462 8 (d)(1) An eligible candidate who is unopposed, other
463463 9 than by write-in candidates, in a primary election shall
464464 10 receive a public financing allocation of $50,000 for the
465465 11 primary election campaign period.
466466 12 (2) Instead of the benefit in subsection (b), an
467467 13 eligible candidate who is unopposed, other than by
468468 14 write-in candidates, in a general election shall receive a
469469 15 public financing allocation of $75,000 for the general
470470 16 election campaign period.
471471 17 (e) Beginning on April 1, 2009 and every 2 years
472472 18 thereafter, the Board shall modify the public financing
473473 19 benefits provided for in subsection (b) to adjust for the
474474 20 change in the Consumer Price Index, All Items, U. S. City
475475 21 Average, published by the United States Department of Labor
476476 22 for the preceding 2-year period ending on December 31.
477477 23 Section 55. Reports on financial activity.
478478 24 (a) In addition to other reports required by law, all
479479 25 candidates in the general primary election or the general
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490490 1 election who receive contributions or make or obligate to make
491491 2 expenditures in an amount more than 5% greater than the public
492492 3 financing benefit applicable to an eligible candidate for the
493493 4 same office shall file a report with the Board itemizing the
494494 5 total contributions received and expenditures made or
495495 6 obligated to be made by the candidate as of the date of the
496496 7 report. The Board shall transmit copies of the report to all
497497 8 candidates for that office and make the report available to
498498 9 the public in the manner of semi-annual disclosure reports.
499499 10 After filing that initial report, the candidate shall file
500500 11 additional reports after the candidate makes or obligates to
501501 12 make each additional $1,000 of expenditures. If the
502502 13 contributions are received or the expenditures are made or
503503 14 obligated to be made more than 6 weeks before the date of the
504504 15 general primary election or general election at which the name
505505 16 of the candidate appears on the ballot, the reports must be
506506 17 made by the date 6 weeks before the next election. If the
507507 18 contributions are received or the expenditures are made or
508508 19 obligated to be made within 6 weeks before the date of the
509509 20 general primary election or general election at which the name
510510 21 of the candidate appears on the ballot, the reports must be
511511 22 made within 24 hours after each instance in which a
512512 23 contribution is received or an expenditure is made or
513513 24 obligated to be made.
514514 25 (b) Upon receipt of the information, the Board shall
515515 26 immediately notify all opposing eligible candidates. If an
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526526 1 opposing candidate makes expenditures or becomes obligated to
527527 2 make expenditures that exceed the public financing benefit, an
528528 3 eligible candidate may request matching funds up to the amount
529529 4 by which the expenditures or obligations of the opposing
530530 5 candidate exceed the public financing benefit. If an eligible
531531 6 candidate requests these matching funds, the Board shall
532532 7 immediately credit his or her account with an additional line
533533 8 of credit equivalent to the request, however, the sum total of
534534 9 matching funds credited to the candidate in the primary
535535 10 election campaign period and the general election campaign
536536 11 period for independent expenditures, electioneering
537537 12 communication expenses under Section 60, and nonparticipating
538538 13 expenses may not exceed the value of the public financing
539539 14 benefit. Any matching funds requested but not spent or
540540 15 committed at the conclusion of the primary election campaign
541541 16 period are forfeited and may not be spent during the general
542542 17 election campaign period.
543543 18 Section 60. Independent expenditures and electioneering
544544 19 communications.
545545 20 (a) If any person makes, or becomes obligated to make, by
546546 21 oral or written agreement an independent expenditure or
547547 22 electioneering communications in excess of $3,000 with respect
548548 23 to a candidate in a general primary or general election, that
549549 24 person shall file with the Board a notice of such expenditure
550550 25 or obligation to make such an expenditure. Any such person
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561561 1 must file reports of the expenditures or obligations to make
562562 2 the expenditures on the last day of the month that immediately
563563 3 follows the date of the expenditure or the obligation to make
564564 4 the expenditure, except that, within 6 weeks before the date
565565 5 of the general primary election or general election, the
566566 6 person must file the reports within 24 hours after each such
567567 7 expenditure or communication is made or obligated to be made.
568568 8 Any such person must file additional reports after each
569569 9 additional $1,000 of expenditures are made or obligated to be
570570 10 made.
571571 11 (b) If the aggregate of independent expenditures and
572572 12 electioneering communication expenditures against an eligible
573573 13 candidate or for the opponents of that candidate exceed 10% of
574574 14 the public financing benefit for that office in any campaign
575575 15 an eligible candidate may request matching funds of up to the
576576 16 amount of the independent expenditure or electioneering
577577 17 communication expense. If a candidate requests matching funds,
578578 18 the Board must immediately credit that candidate's account
579579 19 with an additional line of credit equivalent to the amount
580580 20 requested, however, the sum total of matching funds credited
581581 21 to the candidate in the primary election campaign period and
582582 22 the general election campaign period for independent
583583 23 expenditures, electioneering communication expenses, and
584584 24 nonparticipating expenses under Section 55 may not exceed the
585585 25 value of the public financing benefit. Any matching funds
586586 26 requested but not spent or committed at the conclusion of the
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597597 1 primary election campaign period are forfeited and may not be
598598 2 spent during the general election campaign period.
599599 3 Section 65. Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust
600600 4 Fund.
601601 5 (a) All moneys collected under Sections 40, 45, and 70 of
602602 6 this Act shall be deposited into the Illinois Judicial
603603 7 Election Democracy Trust Fund and may be used by the State
604604 8 Board of Elections for the purposes of this Act. The State
605605 9 Treasurer, in consultation with the Board, shall contract with
606606 10 a debit card issuer to permit eligible candidates and their
607607 11 agents to draw upon moneys appropriated from the Trust Fund
608608 12 through an account with the card issuer.
609609 13 (b) Upon a determination of a candidate's eligibility for
610610 14 a public financing benefit as provided for in subsection (a)
611611 15 of Section 45, the State Treasurer must issue to the eligible
612612 16 candidate a debit card, known as the fair election debit card,
613613 17 entitling the candidate and agents of the candidate designated
614614 18 by the candidate to draw money from an account to make
615615 19 expenditures on behalf of the candidate.
616616 20 (c) No eligible candidate or agent of an eligible
617617 21 candidate may make any expenditure by any means other than
618618 22 through the use of the fair election debit card. No such
619619 23 candidate or agent may use a fair election debit card to obtain
620620 24 cash, except that cash amounts of $100 or less may be drawn on
621621 25 the fair election debit card and used to make expenditures of
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632632 1 no more than $25 each. A candidate must maintain records of all
633633 2 such expenditures and must report the expenditures to the
634634 3 State Board in accordance with Section 25.
635635 4 (d) The State Board of Elections may draw upon funds in the
636636 5 Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund to support the
637637 6 administration of the program. These funds may be used only to
638638 7 pay costs to the State Board that are directly associated with
639639 8 the administration of the program, including, but not limited
640640 9 to, ensuring compliance with this Act and promoting the income
641641 10 tax checkoff. These administrative reimbursements shall be
642642 11 limited to 1% of the Trust Fund balance in fiscal years when
643643 12 there is no eligible seat on the ballot or 5% of the Trust Fund
644644 13 balance in fiscal years when there is an eligible seat on
645645 14 either a primary or general election ballot.
646646 15 Section 70. Penalties; enforcement.
647647 16 (a) If an eligible candidate makes expenditures that
648648 17 exceed the public financing benefit allocated to the candidate
649649 18 for any campaign, the Board shall require the candidate to
650650 19 forfeit to the Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund
651651 20 an amount equal to not more than 10 times and not less than 2
652652 21 times the amount by which the expenditures exceeded the
653653 22 allocation.
654654 23 (b) The Board shall require any eligible candidate who
655655 24 accepts contributions in excess of any limitation set by this
656656 25 Act to forfeit to the Illinois Judicial Election Democracy
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667667 1 Trust Fund an amount equal to not more than 10 times and not
668668 2 less than 2 times the amount by which the contributions exceed
669669 3 the applicable limitation.
670670 4 (c) If the Board finds that there is reasonable cause to
671671 5 believe that a candidate has made excess expenditures or has
672672 6 accepted excess contributions in violation of the Act, the
673673 7 Board must attempt for a period of not more than 14 days after
674674 8 its finding to correct the matter by informal methods of
675675 9 conference and conciliation and to enter into a settlement and
676676 10 conciliation agreement with the candidate involved. A
677677 11 settlement and conciliation agreement made under this
678678 12 subsection is a public record. Unless violated, a settlement
679679 13 and conciliation agreement is a bar to any civil action under
680680 14 subsection (d).
681681 15 (d) If the Board has reasonable cause to believe that a
682682 16 candidate has made excess expenditures or has accepted excess
683683 17 contributions and the Board is unable to correct the matter by
684684 18 informal methods within the time prescribed in subsection (c),
685685 19 the Board must make a public finding of reasonable cause in the
686686 20 matter. After making a public finding, the Board may bring an
687687 21 action in the circuit court to impose a forfeiture under
688688 22 subsection (a) or (b).
689689 23 (e) If an elector believes that a candidate has violated
690690 24 this Act and the elector is entitled to vote for or against the
691691 25 candidate in the election in connection with which the
692692 26 violation is alleged to have occurred, the elector may file a
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703703 1 complaint with the Board requesting it to take remedial
704704 2 action. If the Board refuses to take remedial action or,
705705 3 within 30 days after the filing of a complaint, fails to take
706706 4 remedial action, the elector may commence a civil action in an
707707 5 appropriate circuit court requesting the court to impose a
708708 6 forfeiture under subsection (a) or (b).
709709 7 (f) The Board and the circuit court must expedite all
710710 8 proceedings under this Section so that all complaints brought
711711 9 before an election are resolved, to the extent possible,
712712 10 before the election is held.
713713 11 (g) If a complaint brought under this Section is resolved
714714 12 against the complainant and is found to have been brought in
715715 13 bad faith and without reasonable basis therefor, the circuit
716716 14 court may assess costs, including reasonable attorney fees,
717717 15 against the complainant.
718718 16 Section 75. Prohibited acts.
719719 17 (a) If an eligible candidate or agent of an eligible
720720 18 candidate knowingly accepts more contributions than the
721721 19 candidate is entitled to receive or makes expenditures
722722 20 exceeding the amount of the public financing benefit received
723723 21 by the candidate, the candidate or agent is guilty of a Class 3
724724 22 felony.
725725 23 (b) If a candidate who receives a public financing
726726 24 benefit, or an agent of that candidate, knowingly makes an
727727 25 expenditure by means other than those allowed by this Act, the
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738738 1 candidate or agent is guilty of a Class 3 felony.
739739 2 (c) If, in connection with the receipt or expenditure of a
740740 3 public financing benefit for an election campaign, any person
741741 4 knowingly provides false information to the Board, or
742742 5 knowingly conceals or withholds information from the Board,
743743 6 that person is guilty of a Class 3 felony.
744744 7 Section 90. Deposits into Illinois Judicial Election
745745 8 Democracy Trust Fund.
746746 9 (a) The Department of Revenue shall transfer to the
747747 10 Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund any amounts
748748 11 contributed to the Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust
749749 12 Fund collected pursuant to Section 506.7 of the Illinois
750750 13 Income Tax Act.
751751 14 (b) The Treasurer shall deposit into the Illinois Judicial
752752 15 Election Democracy Trust Fund all amounts collected by the
753753 16 clerks of courts under Section 27.10 of the Clerks of Courts
754754 17 Acts and transferred to the Treasurer.
755755 18 Section 105. Voluntary contributions. Individuals and
756756 19 other entities may make direct voluntary contributions to the
757757 20 Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund. However,
758758 21 contributions may not exceed $1,000 per calendar year.
759759 22 Section 110. Fund operational. The Illinois Judicial
760760 23 Election Democracy Trust Fund shall become operational when
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771771 1 the Fund has attained $5,000,000.
772772 2 Section 115. Severability. The provisions of this Act are
773773 3 severable. If any provision of this Act is held invalid by a
774774 4 court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity does not
775775 5 affect other provisions of the Act that can be given effect
776776 6 without the invalid provision.
777777 7 Section 900. The Election Code is amended by adding
778778 8 Article 7B and by changing Section 9-1.5 as follows:
779779 9 (10 ILCS 5/Art. 7B heading new)
780780 10 ARTICLE 7B.
781781 11 JUDICIAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS
782782 12 (10 ILCS 5/7B-5 new)
783783 13 Sec. 7B-5. Definitions. As used in this Article:
784784 14 "Association" means any group, club, meeting, collective,
785785 15 membership organization, or collection of persons other than a
786786 16 corporation or labor organization, or any entity organized
787787 17 under Sections 501 or 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, except
788788 18 that an association does not include a political committee
789789 19 organized under Article 9 that qualifies as a judicial fund
790790 20 under this Article.
791791 21 "Board" means the State Board of Elections.
792792 22 "Candidate" or "judicial candidate" means any person who
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803803 1 seeks nomination for election to, election to, or retention in
804804 2 judicial office, whether or not the person is nominated,
805805 3 elected, or retained. A person seeks nomination for election,
806806 4 election, or retention if he or she (i) takes the action
807807 5 necessary under the laws of this State to attempt to qualify
808808 6 for nomination for election to, election to, or retention in
809809 7 judicial office or (ii) receives contributions or makes
810810 8 expenditures, or gives consent for any other person to receive
811811 9 contributions or make expenditures, with a view to bringing
812812 10 about his or her nomination for election to, election to, or
813813 11 retention in judicial office.
814814 12 "Clearly identified" means that:
815815 13 (A) the name, voice, image, or likeness of a candidate
816816 14 appears; or
817817 15 (B) the identity of the candidate is apparent by
818818 16 unambiguous reference.
819819 17 "Contribution" means:
820820 18 (A) any contribution as that term is defined in
821821 19 Article 9, or
822822 20 (B) a payment for any activity in support of or in
823823 21 opposition to any judicial candidate or for electioneering
824824 22 communications in relation to any judicial candidate if
825825 23 such activity or communications is conducted in concert or
826826 24 cooperation with the political committee of any judicial
827827 25 candidate.
828828 26 (C) "Contribution" does not include:
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839839 1 (i) Communications on any subject by a corporation
840840 2 to its stockholders and executive or administrative
841841 3 personnel and their families, by a labor organization
842842 4 to its members and their families, or by an
843843 5 association to its members and their families.
844844 6 (ii) Nonpartisan registration and get-out-the-vote
845845 7 campaigns by a corporation aimed at its stockholders
846846 8 and executive or administrative personnel and their
847847 9 families, by a labor organization aimed at its members
848848 10 and their families, or by an association aimed at its
849849 11 members and their families.
850850 12 (iii) The establishment, administration, and
851851 13 solicitation of contributions to a separate segregated
852852 14 fund to be used for political purposes by a
853853 15 corporation, labor organization, or association.
854854 16 (iv) A secured loan of money by a national or State
855855 17 bank made in accordance with the applicable banking
856856 18 laws and regulations and in the ordinary course of
857857 19 business, if the security for the loan, if provided by
858858 20 a person other than the candidate or his or her
859859 21 committee, would qualify as a contribution or
860860 22 expenditure.
861861 23 (v) A distribution of funds from the Illinois
862862 24 Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund.
863863 25 "Corporation" includes a limited liability company,
864864 26 partnership, professional practice, cooperative, or sole
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875875 1 proprietorship, whether organized on a for-profit or nonprofit
876876 2 basis.
877877 3 "Election" means:
878878 4 (A) a general primary election or general election, or
879879 5 (B) a retention election as that term is used in
880880 6 Article 7A.
881881 7 "Election period" means:
882882 8 (A) the period beginning one year before the date of
883883 9 any general primary election for a judicial office and
884884 10 ending the day of the general primary election;
885885 11 (B) the period beginning on the day after the general
886886 12 primary election for a judicial office and ending 90 days
887887 13 after the general election for that judicial office; or
888888 14 (C) the period beginning on the date on which a
889889 15 sitting judge declares for retention and ending 90 days
890890 16 after the retention election.
891891 17 "Expenditure" means:
892892 18 (A) any expenditure as that term is defined in Article
893893 19 9, or
894894 20 (B) any contract, promise, or agreement, whether
895895 21 written or oral, to make an expenditure in concert or
896896 22 cooperation with the political committee of a judicial
897897 23 candidate, regardless of when the funds are actually
898898 24 disbursed.
899899 25 "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a
900900 26 person:
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911911 1 (A) expressly advocating the election or defeat of a
912912 2 clearly identified candidate or engaging in electioneering
913913 3 communications in relation to a candidate; and
914914 4 (B) that is not made in concert or cooperation with or
915915 5 at the request or suggestion of the candidate, the
916916 6 candidate's designated political committee, or agents of
917917 7 the candidate or committee.
918918 8 "Judicial fund" means any political committee organized
919919 9 under Article 9 that receives contributions only from donors
920920 10 aggregating not more than the amount designated in Section
921921 11 7B-15.
922922 12 "Labor organization" means any organization of any kind or
923923 13 any agency or employee representation committee or plan in
924924 14 which employees participate and that exists for the purpose,
925925 15 in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning
926926 16 grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of
927927 17 employment, or conditions of work.
928928 18 "Natural person" means any one human being.
929929 19 "Person" includes an individual, trust, partnership,
930930 20 committee, association, corporation, labor organization, or
931931 21 any other organization or group of persons, including a
932932 22 political committee organized under Article 9.
933933 23 (10 ILCS 5/7B-10 new)
934934 24 Sec. 7B-10. Designated political committee.
935935 25 (a) Each candidate shall designate in writing one and only
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946946 1 one judicial fund to serve as the political committee of the
947947 2 candidate. The designation is irrevocable for the duration of
948948 3 the candidacy and shall be filed with the State Board of
949949 4 Election.
950950 5 (b) The name of the designated committee shall include the
951951 6 name of the candidate who designated the committee under
952952 7 subsection (a). No political committee that is not a
953953 8 designated committee may include the name of that candidate in
954954 9 its name.
955955 10 (c) All designations required to be filed under this
956956 11 Article shall be filed with the Board. The Board shall retain
957957 12 these designations and make them available for public
958958 13 inspection and copying in the same manner as statements of
959959 14 organization required under Article 9.
960960 15 (10 ILCS 5/7B-15 new)
961961 16 Sec. 7B-15. Limitation on contributions.
962962 17 (a) No person shall make contributions to a
963963 18 candidate-designated political committee, except that:
964964 19 (1) Natural persons may contribute no more than $2,000
965965 20 per election period.
966966 21 (2) Judicial funds established by a State political
967967 22 party may contribute not more than $20,000 during the
968968 23 election period that includes the general election; all
969969 24 committees established by a State political party, under
970970 25 State or federal law, shall be considered as one committee
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981981 1 for the purpose of this Section.
982982 2 (3) Any other judicial fund may contribute no more
983983 3 than $5,000 during an election period.
984984 4 (4) A corporation, labor organization, or association
985985 5 may contribute from its own treasuries no more than $2,000
986986 6 during each election period. All contributions from
987987 7 associated entities, including political committees for
988988 8 which the corporation, labor organization, or association
989989 9 is the sponsoring entity, shall be aggregated for the
990990 10 purposes of this Section.
991991 11 (b) No contributor may contribute in aggregate more than
992992 12 $20,000 to judicial funds during any election period.
993993 13 (c) On January 1 of every odd-numbered year, the State
994994 14 Board of Election shall adjust the limits established in
995995 15 subsection (a) for inflation as determined by the Consumer
996996 16 Price Index for All Urban Consumers as determined by the
997997 17 United States Department of Labor and rounded to the nearest
998998 18 $100.
999999 19 (d) In any instance where (i) a corporation and any of its
10001000 20 subsidiaries, branches, divisions, departments, or local
10011001 21 units; (ii) a labor organization and any of its subsidiaries,
10021002 22 branches, divisions, departments, or local units; or (iii) an
10031003 23 association or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, branches,
10041004 24 divisions, departments, or local units contribute to a
10051005 25 candidate's political committee, all such contributions shall
10061006 26 be treated as from a single donor for the purposes of
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10171017 1 subsection (a).
10181018 2 (e) For the purposes of the limitations provided by
10191019 3 subsection (a), a candidate's designated political committee
10201020 4 and any other committee directly or indirectly established,
10211021 5 financed, maintained, or controlled by that candidate, or
10221022 6 working in concert or cooperation with the candidate's
10231023 7 designated committee, shall be considered to be a single
10241024 8 political committee.
10251025 9 (f) With respect to expenditures:
10261026 10 (1) Expenditures made by any person in concert or
10271027 11 cooperation with, or at the request or suggestion of, a
10281028 12 candidate, his or her designated committee, or their
10291029 13 agents shall be considered a contribution to the
10301030 14 candidate's designated committee and, together with all
10311031 15 other contributions from that same source, are subject to
10321032 16 the limits of this Section.
10331033 17 (2) The financing by any person of the dissemination,
10341034 18 distribution, or republication, in whole or in part, of
10351035 19 any broadcast or any written, graphic, or other form of
10361036 20 campaign materials prepared by the candidate, his or her
10371037 21 campaign committee, or their designated agents shall be
10381038 22 considered to be a contribution to the candidate's
10391039 23 designated committee for the purposes of this subsection
10401040 24 and, together with all other contributions from that same
10411041 25 source, are subject to the limits of this Section.
10421042 26 (g) For the purposes of the limitations designated by this
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10531053 1 Section, all contributions made by a person, either directly
10541054 2 or indirectly, to a particular candidate's designated
10551055 3 committee, including contributions that are in any way
10561056 4 earmarked or otherwise directed through an intermediary or
10571057 5 conduit to the candidate, shall be treated as contributions
10581058 6 from the person to the candidate-designated committee. The
10591059 7 intermediary or conduit shall report the original source and
10601060 8 the intended recipient of the contribution to the Board and to
10611061 9 the intended recipient.
10621062 10 (h) No candidate or political committee shall knowingly
10631063 11 accept any contribution or make any expenditure in violation
10641064 12 of the provisions of this Section. No officer or employee of a
10651065 13 political committee shall knowingly accept a contribution made
10661066 14 for the benefit or use of a candidate or knowingly make any
10671067 15 expenditure in support of or opposition to a candidate or for
10681068 16 electioneering communications in relation to a candidate in
10691069 17 violation of any limitation designated for contributions and
10701070 18 expenditures under this Section.
10711071 19 (10 ILCS 5/7B-25 new)
10721072 20 Sec. 7B-25. Prohibition of anonymous contributions and
10731073 21 contributions in the name of another.
10741074 22 (a) No person shall make a contribution in the name of
10751075 23 another person or knowingly permit his or her name to be used
10761076 24 to effect such a contribution.
10771077 25 (b) No person shall knowingly accept a contribution made
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10881088 1 by one person in the name of another person.
10891089 2 (c) No person shall knowingly accept reimbursement from
10901090 3 another person for a contribution made in his or her own name.
10911091 4 (d) No person shall make an anonymous contribution.
10921092 5 (e) No person shall knowingly accept any anonymous
10931093 6 contribution.
10941094 7 (f) No person shall predicate (i) any benefit, including,
10951095 8 but not limited to, employment decisions including hiring,
10961096 9 promotions, bonus compensation, and transfers, or (ii) any
10971097 10 other gift, transfer, or emolument upon (1) the decision by
10981098 11 the recipient of that benefit to donate or not to donate to a
10991099 12 candidate or (2) the amount of any such donation.
11001100 13 (g) Anonymous contributions shall escheat to the State of
11011101 14 Illinois. Any political committee that receives such a
11021102 15 contribution shall forward it immediately to the State
11031103 16 Treasurer.
11041104 17 (h) Immediately upon discovery that it has received
11051105 18 contributions given in the name of another, the recipient
11061106 19 shall redesignate the contributions according to their true
11071107 20 origin. A committee may retain such contributions only once
11081108 21 the true origin of the donation has been reported, subject to
11091109 22 any other provisions of this Article, unless the committee
11101110 23 knew that the true donor was disguising his or her identity at
11111111 24 the time of the original receipt. If the committee knew at the
11121112 25 time of original receipt that the true donor was disguising
11131113 26 his or her identify, the funds shall escheat to the State and
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11241124 1 the Board shall assess an additional penalty of at least
11251125 2 $1,000 and not more than $5,000 for a first violation and of at
11261126 3 least $3,000 and not more than $10,000 for second and
11271127 4 subsequent violations.
11281128 5 (10 ILCS 5/7B-30 new)
11291129 6 Sec. 7B-30. Complaints.
11301130 7 (a) The Board may receive complaints alleging that a
11311131 8 violation of this Article has occurred. The Board may bring
11321132 9 complaints and investigations on its own initiative when the
11331133 10 Board has reason to believe that a violation of this Article
11341134 11 has occurred.
11351135 12 (b) Upon receipt of a complaint, the Board shall hold a
11361136 13 closed preliminary hearing to determine whether or not the
11371137 14 complaint appears to have been filed on justifiable grounds.
11381138 15 The closed preliminary hearing shall be conducted as soon as
11391139 16 practicable after affording reasonable notice, a copy of the
11401140 17 complaint, and an opportunity to testify at the hearing to
11411141 18 both the person making the complaint and the person against
11421142 19 whom the complaint is directed. If the Board determines that
11431143 20 the complaint has not been filed on justifiable grounds, it
11441144 21 shall dismiss the complaint without further hearing.
11451145 22 (c) The Board shall have the authority to adopt procedural
11461146 23 rules governing the filing and hearing of complaints under
11471147 24 this Section that are not inconsistent with this Article.
11481148 25 (d) In addition to any other penalties authorized by this
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11591159 1 Section, the State Board of Elections, any political
11601160 2 committee, or any person may apply to the circuit court for a
11611161 3 temporary restraining order or a preliminary or permanent
11621162 4 injunction against a political committee, judicial fund, or
11631163 5 entity, whether registered with the Board under this Article
11641164 6 or not, to cease the expenditure of funds and to cease
11651165 7 operations until the committee, judicial fund, or entity is in
11661166 8 compliance with this Article.
11671167 9 (10 ILCS 5/7B-35 new)
11681168 10 Sec. 7B-35. Penalties. In addition to any other penalties
11691169 11 established by this Article or other law:
11701170 12 (1) All contributions in violation of this Article
11711171 13 escheat to the State;
11721172 14 (2) Any person who knowingly violates any of the
11731173 15 provisions of this Article shall be fined the greater of
11741174 16 $10,000 or three times the value of the illegal
11751175 17 contribution or expenditure; and
11761176 18 (3) The Board shall provide a written basis for any
11771177 19 decision issued under this Article. If the Board fails to
11781178 20 make a final determination, or if a majority of the Board
11791179 21 is unable to agree on a final determination, within 90
11801180 22 days after the filing of the complaint, then the
11811181 23 complainant, within 180 days after the filing of the
11821182 24 complaint, may bring a cause of action in any circuit
11831183 25 court of the State for de novo review.
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11941194 1 (10 ILCS 5/9-1.5) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.5)
11951195 2 Sec. 9-1.5. Expenditure.
11961196 3 (A) "Expenditure" means:
11971197 4 (1) a payment, distribution, purchase, loan, advance,
11981198 5 deposit, gift of money, or anything of value, in
11991199 6 connection with the nomination for election, election, or
12001200 7 retention of any person to or in public office or in
12011201 8 connection with any question of public policy;
12021202 9 (2) a payment, distribution, purchase, loan, advance,
12031203 10 deposit, gift of money, or anything of value that
12041204 11 constitutes an electioneering communication made in
12051205 12 concert or cooperation with or at the request, suggestion,
12061206 13 or knowledge of a candidate, a political committee, or any
12071207 14 of their agents; or
12081208 15 (3) a transfer of funds by a political committee to
12091209 16 another political committee.
12101210 17 (B) "Expenditure" does not include:
12111211 18 (a) the use of real or personal property and the cost
12121212 19 of invitations, food, and beverages, voluntarily provided
12131213 20 by an individual in rendering voluntary personal services
12141214 21 on the individual's residential premises for
12151215 22 candidate-related activities; provided the value of the
12161216 23 service provided does not exceed an aggregate of $150 in a
12171217 24 reporting period; or
12181218 25 (b) the sale of any food or beverage by a vendor for
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12291229 1 use in a candidate's campaign at a charge less than the
12301230 2 normal comparable charge, if such charge for use in a
12311231 3 candidate's campaign is at least equal to the cost of such
12321232 4 food or beverage to the vendor.
12331233 5 (4) a payment for electioneering communications.
12341234 6 (Source: P.A. 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)
12351235 7 Section 905. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
12361236 8 Section 5.990 as follows:
12371237 9 (30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)
12381238 10 Sec. 5.990. The Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust
12391239 11 Fund.
12401240 12 Section 910. The Illinois Income Tax Act is amended by
12411241 13 changing Section 509 and by adding Section 506.7 as follows:
12421242 14 (35 ILCS 5/506.7 new)
12431243 15 Sec. 506.7. Designation of tax to the Illinois Judicial
12441244 16 Election Democracy Trust Fund. The Department shall print on
12451245 17 its standard individual income tax form a provision indicating
12461246 18 that if the taxpayer wishes to contribute to the Illinois
12471247 19 Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund, as authorized by this
12481248 20 amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, he or she may do
12491249 21 so by stating the amount of the contribution (not less than $1)
12501250 22 on the return and that the contribution will reduce the
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12611261 1 taxpayer's refund or increase the amount of payment to
12621262 2 accompany the return. Failure to remit any amount of the
12631263 3 increased payment shall reduce the contribution accordingly.
12641264 4 This Section does not apply to any amended return. This tax
12651265 5 checkoff applies to income tax forms for taxable years 2025
12661266 6 and thereafter.
12671267 7 (35 ILCS 5/509) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-509)
12681268 8 Sec. 509. Tax checkoff explanations.
12691269 9 (a) All individual income tax return forms shall contain
12701270 10 appropriate explanations and spaces to enable the taxpayers to
12711271 11 designate contributions to the funds to which contributions
12721272 12 may be made under this Article 5.
12731273 13 (b) Each form shall contain a statement that the
12741274 14 contributions will reduce the taxpayer's refund or increase
12751275 15 the amount of payment to accompany the return. Failure to
12761276 16 remit any amount of increased payment shall reduce the
12771277 17 contribution accordingly.
12781278 18 (c) If, on October 1 of any year, the total contributions
12791279 19 to any one of the funds made under this Article 5, except the
12801280 20 Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund, do not equal
12811281 21 $100,000 or more, the explanations and spaces for designating
12821282 22 contributions to the fund shall be removed from the individual
12831283 23 income tax return forms for the following and all subsequent
12841284 24 years and all subsequent contributions to the fund shall be
12851285 25 refunded to the taxpayer. This contribution requirement does
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12961296 1 not apply to the Diabetes Research Checkoff Fund checkoff
12971297 2 contained in Section 507GG of this Act.
12981298 3 (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
12991299 4 Department shall include the Hunger Relief Fund checkoff
13001300 5 established under Section 507SS on the individual income tax
13011301 6 form for the taxable year beginning on January 1, 2012. If, on
13021302 7 October 1, 2013, or on October 1 of any subsequent year, the
13031303 8 total contributions to the Hunger Relief Fund checkoff do not
13041304 9 equal $100,000 or more, the explanations and spaces for
13051305 10 designating contributions to the fund shall be removed from
13061306 11 the individual income tax return forms for the following and
13071307 12 all subsequent years and all subsequent contributions to the
13081308 13 fund shall be refunded to the taxpayer.
13091309 14 (Source: P.A. 96-328, eff. 8-11-09; 97-1117, eff. 8-27-12.)
13101310 15 Section 915. The Clerks of Courts Act is amended by adding
13111311 16 Section 27.15 as follows:
13121312 17 (705 ILCS 105/27.15 new)
13131313 18 Sec. 27.15. Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust
13141314 19 Fund. The clerk shall transfer $1 from each filing or
13151315 20 appearance fee paid in accordance with Section 27.1, 27.1a,
13161316 21 27.2, or 27.2a to the State Treasurer for deposit into the
13171317 22 Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund. To defray
13181318 23 that expense, the county board may, by resolution, require the
13191319 24 clerk of the circuit court in the county to charge and collect
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13301330 1 an Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund fee of not
13311331 2 more than $1, which shall be paid at the time that any filing
13321332 3 or appearance fee is paid. The fee shall be collected in the
13331333 4 manner in which all other fees or costs are collected. Each
13341334 5 clerk shall commence the charges and collection upon receipt
13351335 6 of written notice from the chairman of the county board
13361336 7 together with a certified copy of the board's resolution. The
13371337 8 clerk shall file the resolution of record in his or her office.
13381338 9 The fee shall be in addition to all other fees and charges of
13391339 10 the clerks shall be assessable as costs, and may be waived only
13401340 11 if the judge specifically provides for the waiver of the
13411341 12 Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund fee. The fees
13421342 13 shall be remitted monthly by the clerk for deposit into the
13431343 14 Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund.
13441344 15 Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
13451345 16 1, 2025.
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