Rep. Mike Fortner

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In provisions concerning construction or demolition debris, provides that the maximum concentrations for inorganics and ionizing organics in uncontaminated soil shall be consistent with the soil remediation objectives in specified administrative rules. Effective immediately.

Creates the Pension Buyout Act. Authorizes the Department of Central Management Services to enter into contracts with approved vendors to provide pension buyout payments to eligible retirees in the State Universities and Downstate Teachers Articles. Requires the Illinois Finance Authority to issue bonds if the amount appropriated to implement the pension buyout option is less than the amount necessary for the Department to pay the approved vendor the amount required under a contract between the Department and the approved vendor for any fiscal year. Amends the State Universities and Downstate Teachers Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an eligible retiree may relinquish his or her right to receive any benefits from the System in exchange for a lump sum payment made by an approved vendor that is equal to the present value of the retirement annuity. Contains provisions concerning the form of the contract; rulemaking; notice to the system; certification to the Department of the amount of lump sum payments made; and qualified plan status. Establishes optional defined contribution plans. Provides that a person who participates in the pension buyout option or the defined contribution plan shall be entitled to any benefits under the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 that he or she would have otherwise been entitled to. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the Illinois Procurement Code, and the Illinois Finance Authority Act to make related changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the Office of the Secretary of State and the State Board of Elections shall jointly establish an automatic voter registration program. Provides that designated automatic voter registration agencies may agree to participate in an automatic voter registration program established by the State Board of Elections. Provides that the term "designated automatic voter registration agency" means an agency of the State or federal government that has been determined by the State Board of Elections to have access to reliable personal information and has entered into an interagency contract with the State Board of Elections to participate in the automatic voter registration program. Provides for dual purpose applications, and provides that an application for a driver's license or a State identification card shall be a dual-purpose application. Provides that if an election authority is required by law to send an election-related notice to an individual, that election authority may send that notice solely by electronic mail if the individual provides a current e-mail address to the election authority and authorizes the election authority to send notices by electronic mail. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that certain information specified in the amendatory Act is exempt from inspection and copying. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Provides for various changes concerning requirements for petitions for proposed constitutional amendments. Provides requirements for petition sheets for proposed constitutional amendments. Provides for the design of a standard and scientific random sampling method for the verification of petition signatures for proposed constitutional amendments, and for the adoption of rules of procedure for the petition filing process. Modifies the requirements following completion of the petition signature verification process. Provides that each political party and civic organization as well as the registered proponents and opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment shall be entitled to observe the conduct of the sample signature verification and participate in any related proceedings. Modifies the duties of the State Board of Elections concerning petitions for proposed constitutional amendments. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Changes the frequency of certain reports from semi-annual or annual to quarterly. Makes changes to the definitions of certain election cycles. Removes certain limitations on campaign contributions for political party committees during certain periods and removes provisions concerning statements of nonparticipation that became ineffective on July 1, 2013. Changes the threshold for reporting independent expenditures from an aggregate value of $3,000 to an aggregate value of $5,000 and makes related changes. Removes a reference to the now-repealed Task Force on Campaign Finance Reform. Provides that certain certificates of registration shall be electronic. In provisions concerning fair campaign practices, removes requirements that county clerks provide and track documentation for certain candidates and instead provides that the State Board of Elections shall provide and track documentation for all candidates. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Changes the length of time that a treasurer of a political committee must keep certain records from 2 years to 6. Provides that a candidate political committee established to elect a candidate to the General Assembly may accept contributions from only one legislative caucus committee during an election cycle in which the candidate seeks nomination at a primary election (rather than limiting the political committee to accepting contributions from only one legislative caucus committee). Allows candidates to exceed certain contribution limits if the State Board of Elections determines that a public official, candidate, or public official's or candidate's immediate family has contributed or loaned certain threshold amounts to the public official's or candidate's political committee or to other political committees that transfer funds to the public official's or candidate's political committee or make independent expenditures for the benefit of the public official's or candidate's campaign during the 12 months prior to an election. Allows the Board to assess a civil penalty for failure to file certain reports concerning independent expenditures. Requires the Board to render a judgment on certain complaints concerning disclosure and regulation of campaign contributions and expenditures before the date of the election if the complaint is filed within 60 days preceding the date of the election (rather than within 7 days of the date the complaint is filed). Moves provisions concerning election interference to the prohibitions and penalties article of the Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the Election Code. Creates an open-primary system. Provides that primary ballots shall list each candidate for office, regardless of party affiliation, participating in the primary election. Provides that the 2 candidates in any primary that received the most votes in the primary election, regardless of party affiliation of the candidates, shall be the only 2 candidates certified for participation in the general election. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that provisions concerning automatic voter registration and designated automatic voter registration agencies shall be implemented no later than 90 days after the federal Real ID database is certified by the Secretary of State (rather than July 1, 2019).

Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that in any year in which the total allowance for lodging, meals, and mileage for automobile travel provided under the Act is less than the total amount allowed for such expenses under the Internal Revenue Code regarding tax deductions for trade or business expenses and the Code of Federal Regulations regarding travel expenses of state legislators, a member of the General Assembly may elect during that year to be reimbursed for the difference between the lodging, meals, and mileage reimbursement provided under the Act and the full lodging, meals, and mileage expenses allowed by the Internal Revenue Code and the Code of Federal Regulations, in lieu of receiving an equivalent portion of annual salary. Provides that the full reimbursement amount paid to a member shall be reduced by an amount equal to the rate of State income tax provided under a specified Section of the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the member shall make the election in a manner provided by the Comptroller and shall be made in sufficient time for the processing by the Comptroller of the relevant salary and reimbursements. Provides that members of the General Assembly Retirement System shall contribute and be credited for salary without regard to the equivalent portion salary reduction. Effective immediately.