SB 389 - This act modifies provisions regarding public officials, lobbyists and campaign finance. Under this act, the per diem for Senators and Representatives is raised from 80% to 100%.
The act imposes certain disclosure and reporting requirements for certain public servants who are offered bribes.
Public officials and state employees are barred from lobbying while in an elected position or employed in the state and are further barred from lobbying for two years after leaving their respective office or employment.
Members of the General Assembly are barred from accepting meals, food, beverages, and other gifts from lobbyists but they may reimburse the lobbyist within 30 days of receiving knowledge of the indiscretion.
Lobbyists shall file supplemental reports documenting the name and address of each of their clients and the monetary value of all payments paid to the lobbyist. Lobbyists shall supply copies of all reports required by the ethics commission to each new client. Lobbyists shall notify clients when they enter a contract to represent a client with materially adverse interests.
Appeals for ethics complaints are directed to the circuit court of Cole County instead of the Administrative Hearing Commission.
Treasurers of committees may only act as such for one committee at a time.
This act reinstitutes the campaign contribution limits that were repealed in the previous legislative session. The limits are $325 for candidates for the House of Representatives, $650 for Senate candidates and $1,275 for candidates for statewide office. Previously, candidate committees, exploratory committees, campaign committees, and continuing committees which were not political party committees were subject to the same contribution limits while political party committees are allowed to contribute a greater amount. This act holds political party committees to the same limits as all other committees.
Continuing committees may not make contributions to any other committee.
Currently, reports for noncommittee expenditures and expenditures for internal dissemination of certain information relating to candidates and ballot issues when made 14 days prior to the election must be filed within 48 hours of the expenditure. Under this act, such expenditures must be made within 24 hours of the expenditure when made 12 days prior to the election.
This act is similar to SB 1102 (2008), SB 270 (2009), HB 633 (2009), and HB 687 (2009).
CHRIS HOGERTY