Illinois Lawmakers worked past the legislative session deadline to pass an ethics reform package and major election changes.

The ethics reforms include expanding state registration requirements under the Lobbyist Registration Act to include lobbying local officials in municipalities with a population under 500,000 and lobbying certain deputy state officials.

Senate Bill 539 also expands revolving door restrictions and prohibits all fundraising statewide during legislative sessions and on the day before and after the session.

The election changes in Senate Bill 825 include moving the 2022 primary election from March 15 to June 28.

The Legislature stands adjourned until the call of the speaker of the House and the Senate president.

The Illinois Senate passed an ethics omnibus bill early this morning.

The bill expands registration requirements under the Lobbyist Registration Act to include lobbying local officials and certain deputy state officials.

Senate Bill 539 also prohibits all fundraising statewide during legislative sessions and on the day before and after the session.

It is currently only prohibited in Sangamon County.

Expanded revolving door restrictions include a one-year waiting period for anyone who participated personally and substantially in the award or fiscal administration of state contracts and a six-month waiting period for members of the General Assembly and officers of the executive branch.

The bill also requires any consultant hired by a lobbyist or lobbying entity to register and report if they communicate with an official. If signed by the governor, this bill will be effective January 1, 2022.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan selected Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar to fill his seat as representative for the 22nd House District after his first choice, Edward Guerra Kodatt, resigned due to allegations of questionable conduct.

Madigan resigned as chairman of the state Democratic Party on Monday but remains Democratic committeeman for the 13th Ward.

Rep. Guerrero-Cuellar will serve as representative for the 22nd House District for the remainder of Madigan’s term.

The Chicago Board of Ethics is further extending the deadline for completion of annual mandatory ethics training by registered lobbyists for the 2019-2020 training period to May 1, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The training is completed online using a link available on the Board of Ethics website.

If a lobbyist terminates registration prior to the May 1 training deadline, training is not required, provided all reporting requirements have also been satisfied, including the final activity report.

The Illinois House elected Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch as speaker of the House.

This took place shortly after the swearing-in of newly elected General Assembly members, to start the 2021 regular session.

Welch succeeds Rep. Michael Madigan, the longest-serving statehouse speaker in U.S. history, and becomes the first Black person to hold the position.

Three women who were running for the position withdrew before the vote after Welch entered the race following an announcement by Madigan he was suspending his own campaign.

The Board of Ethics announced a further delay in the implementation of Ethics Ordinance 2019-5305, previously set for January 1, 2021.

Implementation is set for April 1, 2021, due to the continuing work by the city and many non-profit organizations in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The ordinance imposes new registration and reporting requirements on certain nonprofit interactions with the city.

With the announcement, the Board and the Mayor’s Office stated they are committed to working with nonprofit organizations and stakeholders to understand and respond to their concerns about this law and on working toward amendments that increase transparency in Chicago.

The Illinois Legislature canceled the veto session originally scheduled for this week and December 1-3, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

State lawmakers hope to meet in January, though no date has been set.

Generally, the veto session, a short session in the fall, is used to override bills that have been vetoed and resolve conflicts with the governor.

There are no vetoes to address this year, but lawmakers could address other matters.

The next General Assembly will be inaugurated on January 13, 2021.

Therefore, the veto session would have to take place before then if it is held.

A group of nonpartisan organizations concerned with good governance in Illinois issued a statement calling for the immediate release of the Report of the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform.

The Commission was supposed to release the report on March 31.

Citing the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee members requested an extension in April.

However, this request was denied, leaving the completion date for the report open-ended.

In August, a group of Democratic lawmakers proposed a package of ethics reform bills for the General Assembly to take up during the veto session scheduled to begin on November 17.

Later that month House and Senate Republicans issued a demand for meetings of the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform to resume immediately.

No meetings have occurred and no report has been issued as the November 17 veto session approaches.

In a recent vote, Chicago City Council’s Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight unanimously rejected an ordinance.

Introduced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot in April, this would amend a previously passed amendment.

The ordinance passed unanimously by City Council 10 months ago prohibits cross-lobbying.

This would include City Council or any city agency, department, board, or commission by elected officials from the Illinois General Assembly or any unit of local government in the state.

The proposed amendment added an exception to permit lobbying by lobbyists with no current contractual or legislative dealings with the city.

The committee voted 16-0 not to send the measure to the full council.

The BOE announced last month it would begin enforcing Ordinance 2-156-309 on October 1, as no action had been taken.

In addressing the committee today, Executive Director Steven Berlin stated the ordinance is historic.

He goes on to explain there are no other jurisdictions in the United States prohibiting both their own officials and employees from lobbying on behalf of private clients anywhere, while also prohibiting elected officials from other jurisdictions from lobbying the city on behalf of private clients.

The Chicago Board of Ethics extended the lobbyist third quarter activity report deadline.

Due to problems with the ELF system, the deadline is extended from October 20 to October 26.

Reports must be submitted electronically through the ELF system.

The ELF system has a new look but works the same way, and has instructions available under the resources tab.

A report is due even if there is no activity during the reporting period.

A report in DRAFT, PENDING REVIEW, or PENDING PAYMENT status will prevent filing of a new activity report until those filings are finalized.

The Chicago Board of Ethics announced it will begin enforcing Ordinance 2-156-309 on October 1.

The ordinance prohibits state and local elected officials from lobbying City Council or any city agency, department, board, or commission.

In a press release announcing enforcement of the ban, the board indicated it had been monitoring compliance and delayed enforcement of the ordinance, which took effect April 14, because a proposal submitted to City Council by Mayor Lori Lightfoot would have affected at least one lobbyist.

The board indicated sufficient time has passed and it has confirmed there will be no changes to the ordinance.

In a virtual news conference on August 13, a group of Democratic lawmakers proposed a package of ethics reform bills.

The group’s goal is for the General Assembly to take the bills up during the veto session scheduled to begin on November 17.

Proposals include banning current state legislators from also serving as lobbyists; banning former lawmakers from immediately becoming lobbyists after they leave office; amending the definition of what activities are considered lobbying; and creating official procedures for investigation, censure, and temporary removal of leadership positions for members facing criminal charges.

Republicans asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker to call a special session now to focus on ethics reform, but Pritzker issued a statement indicating he believes these important objectives should be accomplished during this fall’s veto session.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposed amendment to the lobbying ordinance has been stalled.

The stall comes after Lincoln Park Alderwoman Michele Smith, chair of the Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight, said she has no plans to call Lightfoot’s ordinance for a vote.

The Mayor introduced Ordinance 2020-2328 in April over concerns that the language in the original ordinance passed by City Council late last year was too broad.

Additionally, there were concerns the ordinance would force registered lobbyists to give up positions on suburban bodies in order to keep lobbying Chicago government.

The proposed amendment would allow elected officials from outside Chicago to lobby City Council, the mayor, and other city offices.

This would be allowed as long as the public body they represent does not have pending or recurring legislative or contractual matters involving the city of Chicago.

In response to Smith’s statement, a spokesman for Lightfoot stated the administration looks forward to partnering with Smith to make necessary updates to any existing lobbying policies.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Board of Elections announced an amnesty period for late filers of the March 2020 quarterly report of campaign contributions and expenditures, due on April 15.

No penalties will be assessed for reports filed on or before June 30.

Similarly, no penalties will be assessed for late Schedule A-1 reports of contributions of $1,000 or more, due between March 18 and June 30, as long as they are filed on or before June 30.

Late reports (Quarterly or A-1) filed after June 30 will be subject to statutorily mandated penalties.

The Board’s one-time amnesty will not apply to the upcoming June 2020 Quarterly Report, which is due no later than July 15.