HB 4964 — MARCH GENERAL PRIMARY

*LRB09618364JAM33741b* HB4964 96THEngrossed GENERALLRB096 ASSEMBLY18364 StateJAM of33741 Illinoisb andAN 2010ACT HB4964concerning Introducedelections. 1/21/2010, by Rep.

Elaine Nekritz SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

ILCS 5/2A-1.1 from Ch.

46, par.

2A-1.1 ILCS 5/7A-1 from Ch.

46, par.

7A-1 ILCS 115/4 from Ch.

63, par.

15.1 ILCS 130/9-2.5 Amends the Election Code, the General Assembly Compensation Act, and the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984.

Changes the general primary election from the first Tuesday in February of even-numbered years to the third Tuesday in March of even-numbered years.

Makes conforming changes with respect to (i) filing of declarations of judicial retention and (ii) printing and mailing of legislators' newsletters and brochures.

LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b A BILL FOR HB4964 LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b AN ACT concerning elections.

The Election Code is amended by changing SectionsSection 2A-1.1 and 7A-1 as follows:

6-20-07.) (10Section ILCS10. 5/7A-1) (from Ch.

46, par.

7A-1) Sec.

7A-1.

Any Supreme, Appellate or Circuit Judge who has been elected to that office and who seeks to be retained in that office under subsection (d) of Section 12 of Article VI of the Constitution shall file a declaration of candidacy to HB4964 - 2 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b succeed himself in the office of the Secretary of State on or before the third first Monday in January December before the general election preceding the expiration of his term of office.

Within 3 business days thereafter, the Secretary of State shall certify to the State Board of Elections the names of all incumbent judges who were eligible to stand for retention at the next general election but failed to timely file a declaration of candidacy to succeed themselves in office or, having timely filed such a declaration, withdrew it.

The State Board of Elections may rely upon the certification from the Secretary of State (a) to determine when vacancies in judicial office exist and (b) to determine the judicial positions for which elections will be held.

The Secretary of State, not less than 63 days before the election, shall certify the Judge's candidacy to the proper election officials.

The names of Judges seeking retention shall be submitted to the electors, separately and without party designation, on the sole question whether each Judge shall be retained in office for another term.

The retention elections shall be conducted at general elections in the appropriate Judicial District, for Supreme and Appellate Judges, and in the circuit for Circuit Judges.

The affirmative vote of three-fifths of the electors voting on the question shall elect the Judge to the office for a term commencing on the first Monday in December following his election.

(Source:

P.A.

86-1348.) HB4964 - 3 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b Section 10.

Beginning July 1, 2001, each HB4964 Engrossed - 2 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b member of the House of Representatives is authorized to approve the expenditure of not more than $61,000 per year and each member of the Senate is authorized to approve the expenditure of not more than $73,000 per year to pay for "personal services", "contractual services", "commodities", "printing", "travel", "operation of automotive equipment", "telecommunications services", as defined in the State Finance Act, and the compensation of one or more legislative assistants authorized pursuant to this Section, in connection with his or her legislative duties and not in connection with any political campaign.

Department of HB4964 - 4 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b Labor for the calendar year immediately preceding the year of the respective July 1st increase date.

HB4964 Engrossed - 3 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b A member may purchase office equipment if the member certifies to the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House, as applicable, that the purchase price, whether paid in lump sum or installments, amounts to less than would be charged for renting or leasing the equipment over its anticipated useful life.

Each member shall adopt and implement personnel policies for HB4964 - 5 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b legislative assistants under his or her direction and control relating to work time requirements, documentation for reimbursement for travel on official State business, compensation, and the earning and accrual of State benefits for those legislative assistants who may be eligible to receive those benefits.

The policies shall also require legislative HB4964 Engrossed - 4 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b assistants to periodically submit time sheets documenting, in quarter-hour increments, the time spent each day on official State business.

As used in this Section the term "contractual services" shall not include improvements to real property unless those improvements are the obligation of the lessee under the lease HB4964 - 6 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b agreement.

Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, as used in this Section, the term "printing" includes, but is not limited to, HB4964 Engrossed - 5 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b newsletters, brochures, certificates, congratulatory mailings, greeting or welcome messages, anniversary or birthday cards, and congratulations for prominent achievement cards.

HB4964 - 7 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b Any utility bill for service provided to a member's district office for a period including portions of 2 consecutive fiscal years may be paid from funds appropriated for such expenditure in either fiscal year.

If a vacancy occurs in the office of Senator or Representative in the General Assembly, any office equipment in HB4964 Engrossed - 6 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b the possession of the vacating member shall transfer to the member's successor;

The vacating member's successor shall be granted an allowance in an amount, rounded to the nearest dollar, computed by dividing the annual allowance by 365 and multiplying the quotient by the number of HB4964 - 8 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b days remaining in the fiscal year.

From any appropriation for the purposes of this Section for a fiscal year which overlaps 2 General Assemblies, no more than 1/2 of the annual allowance per member may be spent or encumbered by any member of either the outgoing or incoming General Assembly, except that any member of the incoming HB4964 Engrossed - 7 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b General Assembly who was a member of the outgoing General Assembly may encumber or spend any portion of his annual allowance within the fiscal year.

The Legislative Commission Reorganization Act HB4964 - 9 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b of 1984 is amended by changing Section 9-2.5 as follows:

The Legislative Printing Unit may not print for any member of the General Assembly any newsletters or brochures during the period HB4964 Engrossed - 8 - LRB096 18364 JAM 33741 b beginning February 1 December 15 of the year of preceding a general primary election and ending the day after the general primary election and during a period beginning September 1 of the year of a general election and ending the day after the general election.