Bill Text: IL SB2840 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Election Code. Creates the Access to Candidacy and Feasibility of Holding Public Office for Non-Wealthy Persons Task Force. Provides that the purpose of the Task Force is to analyze the financial barriers that exist for non-wealthy candidates who seek to hold public office in this State and for non-wealthy elected officials in the State. Provides that, on or before June 30, 2025, the Task Force shall publish a final report of its findings and recommendations. Sets forth provisions concerning duties, membership, and administrative support. Repeals the provision that creates the Task Force and dissolves the Task Force on July 1, 2026.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-25 - Rule 2-10 Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Established As May 26, 2024 [SB2840 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB2840-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2840 Introduced 1/19/2024, by Sen. Mike Simmons SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
10 ILCS 5/1-23.5 new
Amends the Election Code. Creates the Access to Candidacy and Feasibility of Holding Public Office for Non-Wealthy Persons Task Force. Provides that the purpose of the Task Force is to analyze the financial barriers that exist for non-wealthy candidates who seek to hold public office in this State and for non-wealthy elected officials in the State. Provides that, on or before June 30, 2025, the Task Force shall publish a final report of its findings and recommendations. Sets forth provisions concerning duties, membership, and administrative support. Repeals the provision that creates the Task Force and dissolves the Task Force on July 1, 2026.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning elections.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Election Code is amended by adding Section
1-23.5 as follows:
(10 ILCS 5/1-23.5 new)
Sec. 1-23.5. Access to Candidacy and Feasibility of
Holding Public Office for Non-Wealthy Persons Task Force.
(a) As used in this Section, "non-wealthy" includes
low-income and moderate-income candidates or public officials
in this State.
(b) The Access to Candidacy and Feasibility of Holding
Public Office for Non-Wealthy Persons Task Force is created.
The purpose of the Task Force is to analyze the financial
barriers that exist for non-wealthy candidates who seek to
hold public office in this State and for non-wealthy elected
officials in this State. The Task Force shall have the
following duties:
(1) The Task Force shall engage public officials and
candidates for public office at various levels of State
and local government for the purpose of assessing whether
a candidate or public official's income status and overall
wealth gap poses a barrier to running for or holding

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public office in this State. The Task Force shall consider
the lived experiences of a candidate or public official in
its analysis of barriers for non-wealthy persons.
(2) The Task Force shall review the Election Code and
rules adopted under the Code relating to running for and
holding public office to determine how the provisions
relate to the lived experiences of non-wealthy candidates
and public officials.
(3) The Task Force shall provide evidence of the
effect the Election Code or rules adopted under the Code
have on non-wealthy candidates or public officials during
candidacy or while holding public office.
(4) The Task Force shall make recommendations or
suggestions for changes to the Election Code or rules
adopted under the Code to ease the burdens on non-wealthy
candidates running for public office in this State and
non-wealthy elected officials in this State.
(c) The Task Force shall consist of the following members:
(1) 2 members appointed by the President of the
Senate, including one member of the Senate who identifies
as non-wealthy and one member of the public;
(2) 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, including one member of the House of
Representatives who identifies as non-wealthy and one
member of the public;
(3) 2 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the

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Senate, including one member of the Senate who identifies
as non-wealthy and one member of the public;
(4) 2 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives, including one member of the
House of Representatives who identifies as non-wealthy and
one member of the public;
(5) one member with experience in county government,
appointed by the Governor;
(6) one member with experience in municipal
government, appointed by the Governor;
(7) 2 members with expertise in campaign finance,
appointed by the Governor;
(8) one member with expertise in accounting, appointed
by the Governor; and
(9) 3 members who understand the constraints a
candidate or public official's personal finances have on
an individual while running for and holding office,
appointed by the Governor.
(d) On or before June 30, 2025, the Task Force shall
publish a final report of its findings and recommendations.
The report shall, at a minimum, detail findings and
recommendations related to the duties of the Task Force.
(e) Appointments to the Task Force shall be made within 30
days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
103rd General Assembly. Members shall serve without
compensation.

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