Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois Senate Bill SB1355 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1355 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act Creates the Public Official Conflict of Interest and Natural Resource Misuse Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any public official, for personal gain, to offer, propose, or allow the use or allocation of a city's natural resource as a condition for settlement or compensation for damage caused to a resident's personal property, with a Class 3 felony that includes a fine not to exceed $250,000 and restitution to the resident, as well as removal from office in the case the public official is an elected official. Provides for powers of investigation and enforcement for the Attorney General, as well as for local law enforcement agencies in consultation with the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides for protection for whistleblowers. Declares a purpose. Defines terms. LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1355 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act New Act Creates the Public Official Conflict of Interest and Natural Resource Misuse Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any public official, for personal gain, to offer, propose, or allow the use or allocation of a city's natural resource as a condition for settlement or compensation for damage caused to a resident's personal property, with a Class 3 felony that includes a fine not to exceed $250,000 and restitution to the resident, as well as removal from office in the case the public official is an elected official. Provides for powers of investigation and enforcement for the Attorney General, as well as for local law enforcement agencies in consultation with the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides for protection for whistleblowers. Declares a purpose. Defines terms. LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1355 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	New Act New Act
4	4	New Act
5	5	Creates the Public Official Conflict of Interest and Natural Resource Misuse Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any public official, for personal gain, to offer, propose, or allow the use or allocation of a city's natural resource as a condition for settlement or compensation for damage caused to a resident's personal property, with a Class 3 felony that includes a fine not to exceed $250,000 and restitution to the resident, as well as removal from office in the case the public official is an elected official. Provides for powers of investigation and enforcement for the Attorney General, as well as for local law enforcement agencies in consultation with the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides for protection for whistleblowers. Declares a purpose. Defines terms.
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8	8	A BILL FOR
9	9	SB1355LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b SB1355 LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b
10	10	SB1355 LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b
11	11	1 AN ACT concerning ethics.
12	12	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
13	13	3 represented in the General Assembly:
14	14	4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Public
15	15	5 Official Conflict of Interest and Natural Resource Misuse Act.
16	16	6 Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to prevent
17	17	7 the misuse of public resources by public officials and to
18	18	8 protect the rights of residents. Specifically, this Act
19	19	9 criminalizes the practice of public officials offering the use
20	20	10 or allocation of a city's natural resources as a condition for
21	21	11 settlement or compensation in personal property damage cases,
22	22	12 ensuring that public assets are not used for personal or
23	23	13 improper gain.
24	24	14 Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
25	25	15 "City natural resource" means any resource owned,
26	26	16 controlled, or managed by a municipality or unit of local
27	27	17 government, including, but not limited to, land, water,
28	28	18 mineral rights, parks, public infrastructure, or other natural
29	29	19 assets that are part of the public domain.
30	30	20 "Damage to personal property" means any harm, destruction,
31	31	21 or loss caused to the tangible property of an individual,
32	32	22 including, but not limited to, homes, vehicles, personal
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36	36	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1355 Introduced 1/28/2025, by Sen. Michael E. Hastings SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
37	37	New Act New Act
38	38	New Act
39	39	Creates the Public Official Conflict of Interest and Natural Resource Misuse Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any public official, for personal gain, to offer, propose, or allow the use or allocation of a city's natural resource as a condition for settlement or compensation for damage caused to a resident's personal property, with a Class 3 felony that includes a fine not to exceed $250,000 and restitution to the resident, as well as removal from office in the case the public official is an elected official. Provides for powers of investigation and enforcement for the Attorney General, as well as for local law enforcement agencies in consultation with the Executive Ethics Commission. Provides for protection for whistleblowers. Declares a purpose. Defines terms.
40	40	LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b
41	41	LRB104 07865 BDA 17911 b
42	42	A BILL FOR
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48	48	New Act
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67	67	1 belongings, and other possessions.
68	68	2 "Public official" means any individual holding a public
69	69	3 office or position of trust or responsibility within any
70	70	4 municipality, unit of local government, or within State
71	71	5 government, including elected officials, appointed officials,
72	72	6 and public employees.
73	73	7 "Settlement" means an agreement or arrangement intended to
74	74	8 resolve a dispute, including compensation, restitution, or any
75	75	9 other form of resolution between a public official and a
76	76	10 resident for damages caused to personal property.
77	77	11 Section 15. Criminal offense.
78	78	12 (a) It is unlawful for any public official, for personal
79	79	13 gain, to offer, propose, or allow the use or allocation of a
80	80	14 city's natural resource as a condition for settlement or
81	81	15 compensation for damage caused to a resident's personal
82	82	16 property.
83	83	17 (b) For purposes of this Section, offering a city natural
84	84	18 resource as a condition of settlement includes, but is not
85	85	19 limited to:
86	86	20 (1) promising or providing access to public land,
87	87	21 water, parks, or any city-managed natural resource to a
88	88	22 resident as a form of compensation for property damage;
89	89	23 (2) offering rights to use city property or natural
90	90	24 resources (such as mineral rights, development
91	91	25 opportunities, or land use permits) in exchange for
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102	102	1 releasing claims for personal property damages; or
103	103	2 (3) agreeing to or facilitating agreements whereby the
104	104	3 resident is encouraged or pressured to accept a settlement
105	105	4 involving the use of natural resources managed by the
106	106	5 municipality or unit of local government.
107	107	6 (c) Any public official who violates this Section is
108	108	7 guilty of a Class 3 felony and shall be subject to the
109	109	8 following penalties:
110	110	9 (1) a term of imprisonment of not less than 2 years and
111	111	10 not more than 5 years;
112	112	11 (2) a fine in an amount not to exceed $250,000; and
113	113	12 (3) restitution to the resident harmed by the illegal
114	114	13 settlement offer, which shall be determined by the court.
115	115	14 (d) If the public official is an elected official, the
116	116	15 public official shall also be removed from office upon
117	117	16 conviction of this crime.
118	118	17 Section 20. Investigation and enforcement.
119	119	18 (a) The Attorney General shall have the authority to
120	120	19 investigate alleged violations of this Act, including
121	121	20 conducting inquiries, subpoenaing witnesses, and reviewing
122	122	21 relevant public records.
123	123	22 (b) Any resident who believes that the resident has been
124	124	23 offered a city natural resource as a condition for settlement
125	125	24 of property damage claims may file a formal complaint with the
126	126	25 Executive Ethics Commission or the Attorney General's Office.
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137	137	1 (c) Local law enforcement agencies, in consultation with
138	138	2 the Executive Ethics Commission, shall have the authority to
139	139	3 investigate and pursue criminal charges against public
140	140	4 officials suspected of violating this Act.
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