Bill Text: IL SB0143 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Creates the Judicial Campaign Reform Act. Creates a voluntary program of public financing of election campaigns for the offices of judges of the Illinois Supreme Court and Appellate Court, administered by the State Board of Elections. Establishes funding mechanisms, terms of participation, and a process for the certification of candidates. Sets mandatory contribution limits with respect to all judicial election campaigns. Provides for penalties for violations of the Act. Makes other changes. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-17 - Referred to Assignments [SB0143 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB0143-Introduced.html

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB0143

Introduced 1/17/2025, by Sen. Rachel Ventura

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.1030 new
35 ILCS 5/506.7 new
35 ILCS 5/509 from Ch. 120, par. 5-509

Creates the Judicial Campaign Reform Act. Creates a voluntary program of public financing of election campaigns for the offices of judges of the Illinois Supreme Court and Appellate Court, administered by the State Board of Elections. Establishes funding mechanisms, terms of participation, and a process for the certification of candidates. Sets mandatory contribution limits with respect to all judicial election campaigns. Provides for penalties for violations of the Act. Makes other changes. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
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A BILL FOR

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1 AN ACT concerning elections.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Judicial Campaign Reform Act.
6 Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
7 "Allowable contribution" means a qualifying contribution,
8a seed money contribution, or a personal contribution
9authorized by this Act.
10 "Candidate" means any person seeking election to the
11office of Judge of the Supreme Court or Judge of the Appellate
12Court.
13 "Campaign" includes the primary election campaign period
14and the general election campaign period.
15 "Clean judicial race" means an election in which all
16candidates are eligible candidates who will receive a public
17financing benefit under this Act.
18 "General election campaign period" means the period
19beginning on the day after the general primary election and
20ending on the day of the general election.
21 "Electioneering communication expenditure" means an
22expenditure for electioneering communications as that term is
23defined in Article 9 of the Election Code.

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1 "Eligible candidate" means a candidate who qualifies for
2public financing by collecting the required number of
3qualifying contributions, making all required reports and
4disclosures, and being certified by the State Board of
5Elections as being in compliance with this Act.
6 "Excess qualifying contribution amount" means the amount
7of qualifying contributions accepted by a candidate that
8exceeds the dollar amount of contributions required to qualify
9a candidate for a public financing benefit.
10 "Exploratory period" means the period that begins one year
11before the general primary election date and ends on the day
12before the beginning of the primary election campaign.
13 "Fair election debit card" means a debit card issued by
14the State Treasurer in accordance with Section 65 entitling a
15candidate and agents of the candidate designated by the
16candidate to draw money from an account maintained by the
17State Treasurer to make expenditures authorized by law.
18 "Fund" means the Illinois Judicial Election Democracy
19Trust Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury for
20use, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of Elections
21for the funding of campaigns for eligible candidates.
22 "Immediate family", when used with reference to a
23candidate, includes the candidate's spouse, parents, and
24children.
25 "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a person
26expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly

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1identified candidate that is made without cooperation or
2consultation with a candidate, or any political committee or
3agent of a candidate, and that is not made in concert with, or
4at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or any
5political committee or agent of a candidate.
6 "Nonparticipating candidate" means a candidate who does
7not apply for a public financing benefit or who otherwise is
8ineligible or fails to qualify for a public financing benefit
9under this Act.
10 "Personal funds" means funds contributed by a candidate or
11a member of a candidate's immediate family.
12 "Primary election campaign period" means the period that
13begins 30 days after the last day prescribed by law for filing
14nomination papers and ends on the day of the general primary
15election.
16 "Public financing qualifying period" means the period
17beginning on July 1 of an odd-numbered year and ending on the
18day before the beginning of the primary election campaign
19period for the office of Judge of the Supreme Court or Judge of
20the Appellate Court.
21 "Qualifying contribution" means a contribution made during
22the public financing qualifying period that is between $5 and
23$100, and that is made, to a candidate, by an individual who is
24at least 18 years old and resides in the district in which the
25candidate seeks office, and that is acknowledged by written
26receipt identifying the contributor.

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1 "Qualifying report" means a list of all individual
2qualifying contributions.
3 "Seed money contribution" means (1) a contribution in an
4amount not more than $1,000 made to a candidate during the
5exploratory period or the public financing qualifying period
6or (2) a contribution made to a candidate during the
7exploratory period or the public financing qualifying period
8consisting of personal funds of the candidate in an amount not
9more than the amount authorized under Section 20.
10 "State Board" means the State Board of Elections.
11 Section 10. Alternative judicial campaign financing
12option. There is established an alternative campaign financing
13option available to candidates running for office of Judge of
14the Supreme Court or Judge of the Appellate Court. This
15alternative campaign financing option is available to
16candidates for elections to be held beginning in the year
172027. The State Board shall administer this Act and the Fund.
18Candidates receiving public financing benefits under this Act
19shall also comply with all other applicable election and
20campaign laws, rules, and regulations.
21 Section 15. The Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust
22Fund.
23 (a) The Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund is
24established as a special fund in the State treasury to finance

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1the election campaigns of eligible candidates running for
2office of Judge of the Supreme Court or Judge of the Appellate
3Court and to pay administrative and enforcement costs of the
4State Board related to this Act. Any interest generated by the
5Fund is credited to the Fund. The State Board shall administer
6the Fund.
7 (b) The following shall be deposited into the Fund:
8 (1) At the direction of the State Board, the
9 Comptroller shall direct and the Treasurer shall transfer
10 $40,000,000 of the revenues from the taxes imposed by the
11 Illinois Income Tax Act and credited to the General
12 Revenue Fund, transferred to the Fund by the State
13 Treasurer on or before January 1 of each year, beginning
14 January 1, 2026. If the State Board determines that the
15 Fund will not have sufficient revenues to cover the likely
16 demand for funds from the Fund in an upcoming calendar
17 year, by January 1 the State Board shall provide a report
18 of its projections of the balances in the Fund to the
19 General Assembly and the Governor and may request that the
20 State Treasurer make the following transfers to the Fund
21 from the General Revenue Fund:
22 (A) Up to $20,000,000, no later than February 28,
23 2026, reflecting an advance of the transfer of the
24 amounts that would be received on or before January 1,
25 2027 under this paragraph.
26 (B) Up to $15,000,000, no later than July 31,

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1 2026, reflecting an advance of the transfer of the
2 amounts that would be received on or before January 1,
3 2027 under this paragraph.
4 (C) Up to $5,000,000, no later than September 1,
5 2028, reflecting a partial advance of the transfer of
6 the amounts that would be received on or before
7 January 1, 2029 under this paragraph.
8 (2) Revenue from a tax checkoff program allowing a
9 resident of the State who files a tax return with the
10 Department of Revenue to designate that $3 be paid into
11 the Fund. In the case of spouses filing a joint return,
12 each spouse may designate that not less than $3 be paid
13 into the Fund. The Department of Revenue shall report
14 annually the amounts designated for the Fund to the State
15 Treasurer, who shall transfer that amount to the Fund.
16 (3) Any excess qualifying contributions or seed money
17 contributions that exceed the allotted total in Section
18 20.
19 (4) Fund revenues that were distributed to an eligible
20 candidate and that remain unspent after the candidate has
21 lost a primary election or after all general elections.
22 (5) Other unspent Fund revenues distributed to any
23 eligible candidate who does not remain a candidate
24 throughout a primary or general election cycle.
25 (6) Voluntary donations made directly to the Fund.
26 Individuals and other entities may make direct voluntary

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1 contributions to the Fund, not to exceed $1,000 per
2 individual or entity per calendar year.
3 (7) Fines collected under this Act.
4 (c) By September 1 preceding each year in which there is an
5election for the office of Judge of the Supreme Court or Judge
6of the Appellate Court, the State Board shall publish an
7estimate of revenue in the Fund available for distribution to
8eligible candidates during the upcoming year's elections and
9an estimate of the likely demand for public financing during
10that election. The State Board may submit a request to the
11General Assembly to request additional funding.
12 Section 20. Terms of participation.
13 (a) Before a candidate for nomination in the general
14primary election may be certified as an eligible candidate,
15the candidate shall file a declaration of intent to seek
16certification as an eligible candidate and to comply with the
17requirements of this Act. The declaration of intent shall be
18filed with the State Board prior to or during the qualifying
19period and in accordance with forms and procedures developed
20by the State Board. An eligible candidate shall submit a
21declaration of intent within 5 business days after collecting
22qualifying contributions under this Act, or the qualifying
23contributions collected before the declaration of intent has
24been filed will not be applied toward the eligibility
25requirement in subsection (c).

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1 (b) After becoming a candidate and before certification as
2an eligible candidate, a candidate may not accept
3contributions, except for seed money contributions, including
4personal funds. A candidate shall limit the candidate's
5personal funds and seed money contributions to the following
6amounts:
7 (1) The personal funds of a candidate contributed as
8 seed money contributions may not exceed an aggregate
9 amount of $25,000 for a candidate seeking nomination for
10 the Supreme Court or Appellate Court in the First Judicial
11 District and $15,000 for a candidate seeking nomination
12 for the Supreme Court or the Appellate Court for a
13 Judicial District other than the First Judicial District.
14 No eligible candidate may make any expenditure derived
15 from personal funds after the close of the public
16 financing qualifying period. Eligible candidates shall not
17 loan personal funds to their campaign.
18 (2) A candidate may accept seed money contributions
19 from any individual or political committee before the end
20 of the public financing qualifying period, so long as the
21 total contributions from one contributor, except personal
22 funds and qualifying contributions otherwise permitted
23 under this Act, do not exceed $1,000 and the aggregate
24 contributions, including personal funds, but not including
25 qualifying contributions, do not exceed $75,000 for a
26 candidate seeking nomination for the Supreme Court or

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1 Appellate Court in the First Judicial District and $45,000
2 for a candidate seeking nomination for the Supreme Court
3 or Appellate Court for a Judicial District, other that the
4 First Judicial District.
5 As used in this Section, "personal funds" includes funds
6from the candidate's immediate family.
7 (c) The State Board shall certify a candidate as an
8eligible candidate for receipt of public financing for a
9primary election if the candidate complies with subsection (a)
10and receives from individual qualifying contributors before
11the close of the public financing qualifying period qualifying
12contributions that total at least $25,000 for a candidate
13seeking nomination for the Supreme Court or Appellate Court in
14the First Judicial District or qualifying contributions that
15total at least $15,000 for a candidate seeking nomination for
16the Supreme Court or Appellate Court for a Judicial District,
17other than the First Judicial District. The State Board may
18require candidates to file lists of qualifying contributions
19in an electronic format. If so required, the State Board shall
20either provide, without charge, all software necessary to
21comply with this requirement or ensure that the necessary
22software is commonly available to the public at minimal cost.
23 (d) Each candidate shall acknowledge each qualifying
24contribution by providing a receipt to the contributor that
25contains the contributor's name and home address and shall
26file a report of all qualifying contributions with the State

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1Board.
2 (e) The State Board shall verify a candidate's compliance
3with the requirements of subsection (d) by any verification
4and sampling techniques that the State Board considers
5appropriate.
6 (f) Qualifying contributions and seed money contributions
7may be used only for the purpose of making an expenditure
8authorized by law.
9 (g) A candidate shall return to the State Board all
10qualifying contributions, seed money, and personal
11contributions, including in-kind contributions, that exceed
12the limits prescribed by this Section within 48 hours after
13the end of the exploratory period. The State Board shall
14deposit all contributions returned under this Section into the
15Fund.
16 (h) An eligible candidate who accepts a public financing
17benefit under this Act during the primary election campaign
18period shall agree to comply with all requirements of this Act
19throughout the general election campaign period as a
20precondition to receipt of public financing. An eligible
21candidate who accepts a public financing benefit during a
22primary election campaign period may not elect to accept
23private contributions in violation of this Act during the
24corresponding general election campaign period.
25 Section 25. Certification as an eligible candidate for a

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1primary election; distributions of funds.
2 (a) The State Board shall certify a candidate complying
3with the requirements of Section 20 as an eligible candidate
4as soon as possible. The State Board shall only certify a
5candidate who is running unopposed or will run in a clean
6judicial race. The State Board shall not certify a candidate
7as an eligible candidate if the candidate is running against a
8candidate who does not receive a public financing benefit
9under this Act. An eligible candidate certified under this Act
10shall comply with all requirements of this Act after
11certification and throughout the primary and general election
12periods and failure to do so is a violation of this Act.
13 (b) After certification, an eligible candidate shall limit
14the candidate's campaign expenditures and obligations,
15including outstanding obligations, to qualifying
16contributions, seed money contributions, revenues distributed
17to the candidate from the Fund, and interest earned on moneys
18in the Fund, and the candidate may not accept any other
19contributions unless specifically authorized by the State
20Board.
21 (c) All revenues distributed to an eligible candidate from
22the Fund shall be used for campaign-related purposes. The
23candidate, the treasurer, the candidate's political committee,
24or any agent of the candidate and committee shall only use
25these revenues for campaign-related purposes. The State Board
26shall publish guidelines outlining permissible

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1campaign-related expenditures.
2 (d) The State Board shall distribute to eligible
3candidates revenues from the Fund in amounts as follows:
4 (1) for a primary election in the First Judicial
5 District, $25,000; and
6 (2) for a primary election in all judicial districts
7 except the First Judicial District, $15,000.
8 (e) The State Board shall distribute to each eligible
9candidate at the general primary election a line of credit for
10public financing promptly after the candidate demonstrates the
11candidate's eligibility but later than 5 days after the end of
12the public financing qualifying period. However, no candidate
13may use a line of credit distributed under this subsection
14until the beginning of the primary election campaign period.
15 Section 30. Certification as an eligible candidate for a
16general election; distributions of funds.
17 (a) Before a candidate may be certified as eligible for
18receipt of public financing for the general election, the
19candidate shall apply to the State Board and file a sworn
20statement that the candidate has fulfilled all of the
21requirements of this Act during the primary election campaign
22period, has won the nomination in the general primary, and
23will comply with the requirements of this Act during the
24general election campaign period. The application shall be
25filed no later than the 7th day after the date of the general

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1primary election.
2 (b) The State Board shall certify a candidate as an
3eligible candidate for receipt of public financing for a
4general election campaign period if the candidate complies
5with subsection (a) and the candidate was an eligible
6candidate during the primary election campaign period. The
7State Board shall only certify a candidate who is running
8unopposed or will run in a clean judicial race. The State Board
9shall not certify a candidate as an eligible candidate if the
10candidate is running against a candidate who does not receive
11a public financing benefit under this Act.
12 (c) If more than one candidate files an application for
13the general election, the State Board shall accept
14applications from all candidates who comply with subsection
15(a), but the State Board shall postpone the declaration of
16eligibility for the general election until after the general
17primary results are certified. After the results have been
18certified, if the nominee filed an application under
19subsection (a), the State Board shall declare that candidate
20eligible for the general election.
21 (d) The State Board shall distribute to each eligible
22candidate in the general election a line of credit for public
23financing not later than the earlier of (i) 48 hours after the
24official canvass and proclamation under Section 22-7 of the
25Election Code or (ii) 21 days after the date of the general
26primary election. No candidate may receive a line of credit

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1until all candidates for judicial office who apply and qualify
2for a public financing benefit have been certified as eligible
3candidates.
4 (e) The State Board shall distribute to eligible
5candidates revenues from the Fund in amounts in the following
6manner:
7 (1) for a candidate for the office of Judge of the
8 Supreme Court during a general election, $525,000; and
9 (2) for a candidate for the office of Judge of the
10 Appellate Court during a general election, $175,000.
11 (f) Beginning on April 1, 2028 and every 2 years
12thereafter, the State Board shall modify the public financing
13benefits provided for in subsection (e) to adjust for the
14change in the Consumer Price Index, All Items, U. S. City
15Average, published by the United States Department of Labor
16for the preceding 2-year period ending on December 31.
17 Section 35. Requirements for eligible candidates.
18 (a) An eligible candidate may not accept private
19contributions other than seed money contributions and
20qualifying contributions. An eligible candidate may only
21accept one qualifying contribution from each contributor.
22 (b) In addition to reports required to be filed under the
23Election Code, a candidate who receives a public financing
24benefit shall furnish complete financial records, including
25records of seed money contributions, qualifying contributions,

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1and expenditures on the last day of each month.
2 (c) In addition to adhering to requirements imposed under
3the Election Code, a candidate who receives a public financing
4benefit shall maintain records of all contributions of at
5least $5, including seed money contributions and qualifying
6contributions. These records shall contain the full name of
7the contributor and the contributor's full home address.
8 (d) The failure to record or provide the information
9specified in subsection (c) disqualifies a contribution from
10counting as a qualifying contribution.
11 (e) No eligible candidate and no person acting on an
12eligible candidate's behalf may accept any contribution that
13is not recorded in accordance with subsection (c) in a
14candidate's campaign account.
15 (f) No eligible candidate may accept more than $1,000 in
16cash from any contributor.
17 (g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, eligible
18candidates shall report all campaign expenditures,
19obligations, and related activities to the State Board
20according to procedures developed by the State Board.
21 (h) The eligible candidate or the eligible candidate's
22treasurer shall obtain and keep:
23 (1) bank or other account statements for the campaign
24 account covering the duration of the campaign;
25 (2) a vendor invoice stating the particular goods or
26 services purchased for every expenditure of $50 or more;

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1 and
2 (3) a record proving that a vendor received payment
3 for every expenditure of $50 or more in the form of a
4 cancelled check, receipt from the vendor, or bank or
5 credit card statement identifying the vendor as the payee.
6 (i) The eligible candidate or the eligible candidate's
7treasurer shall preserve the records for 2 years following the
8candidate's final campaign finance report for the election
9cycle. The candidate and treasurer shall submit photocopies of
10the records to the State Board upon its request.
11 Section 40. Unspent funds. Upon the filing of a final
12report for any primary election in which the eligible
13candidate was defeated and for all general elections, an
14eligible candidate shall return all unspent revenues from the
15Fund to the State Board. In developing procedures for the
16return of unspent revenues from the Fund, the State Board
17shall use existing campaign reporting procedures whenever
18practicable. The State Board shall ensure timely public access
19to campaign finance data and may use electronic means of
20reporting and storing information.
21 Section 45. Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust
22Fund.
23 (a) All moneys collected under Sections 40, 45, and 70
24shall be deposited into the Illinois Judicial Election

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1Democracy Trust Fund and may be used by the State Board for the
2purposes of this Act. The State Treasurer, in consultation
3with the State Board, shall contract with a debit card issuer
4to permit eligible candidates and their agents to draw upon
5moneys appropriated from the Fund through an account with the
6card issuer.
7 (b) Upon a determination of a candidate's eligibility for
8a public financing benefit under this Act, the State Treasurer
9shall issue to the eligible candidate a debit card, known as
10the fair election debit card, entitling the candidate and
11agents of the candidate designated by the candidate to draw
12money from an account to make expenditures on behalf of the
13candidate.
14 (c) No eligible candidate or agent of an eligible
15candidate may make any campaign expenditure by any means other
16than through the use of the fair election debit card after
17being certified as an eligible candidate. No candidate or
18agent may use a fair election debit card to obtain cash, except
19that cash amounts of $100 or less may be drawn on the fair
20election debit card and used to make expenditures of no more
21than $25 each. A candidate shall maintain records of all
22expenditures and shall report the expenditures to the State
23Board in accordance with Section 35.
24 (d) The State Board may draw upon moneys in the Fund to
25support the administration of the program. These moneys may be
26used only to pay costs to the State Board that are directly

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1associated with the administration of the program, including,
2but not limited to, ensuring compliance with this Act and
3promoting the income tax checkoff. These administrative
4reimbursements shall be limited to 1% of the Fund balance in
5fiscal years when there is no eligible seat on the ballot or 5%
6of the Fund balance in fiscal years when there is an eligible
7seat on either a primary or general election ballot.
8 Section 50. Challenges to certification of an eligible
9candidate.
10 (a) A candidate who has been denied certification as an
11eligible candidate, the opponent of a candidate who has been
12granted certification as an eligible candidate, or other
13interested persons may challenge a certification decision made
14by the State Board as follows:
15 (1) A challenger may appeal to the full State Board
16 within 7 days after the certification decision. The appeal
17 shall be in writing and shall set forth the reasons for the
18 appeal.
19 (2) Within 5 days after an appeal is properly made and
20 after notice is given to the challenger and any opponent,
21 the State Board shall hold a hearing. The appellant has
22 the burden of providing evidence to demonstrate that the
23 State Board decision was improper. The State Board shall
24 rule on the appeal within 3 days after the completion of
25 the hearing.

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1 (3) A challenger may appeal the decision of the State
2 Board in paragraph (2) by commencing an action in circuit
3 court.
4 (4) A candidate whose certification by the State Board
5 as an eligible candidate is revoked on appeal shall return
6 to the State Board any unspent revenues distributed from
7 the Fund.
8 (b) If the State Board or court finds that an appeal was
9made frivolously or to cause delay or hardship, the State
10Board or court may require the moving party to pay costs of the
11State Board, court, and opposing parties, if any.
12 Section 55. Rulemaking. The State Board shall adopt rules
13to ensure effective administration of this Act. These rules
14shall include, but shall not be limited to, rules concerning
15procedures for obtaining qualifying contributions,
16certification as an eligible candidate, circumstances
17involving special elections, vacancies, recounts, withdrawals
18or replacements, collection of revenues for the Fund,
19distribution of Fund revenue to certified candidates, return
20of unspent Fund disbursements, and compliance with this Act.
21 Section 60. Violations.
22 (a) In addition to any other penalties that may be
23applicable, a person who violates any provision of this Act or
24rules adopted by the State Board under Section 55 is subject to

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1a fine not to exceed $10,000 per violation, payable to the
2Fund. In addition to any fine, for good cause shown, a
3candidate, treasurer, consultant, or other agent of the
4candidate or the committee authorized by the candidate found
5in violation of this Act or rules of the State Board may be
6required to return to the Fund all amounts distributed to the
7candidate from the Fund or any funds not used for
8campaign-related purposes. If the State Board makes a
9determination that a violation of this Act or rules of the
10State Board has occurred, the State Board shall assess a fine
11or transmit the finding to the Attorney General for
12prosecution. Fines paid under this Section shall be deposited
13into the Fund. In determining whether or not a candidate is in
14violation of the expenditure limits of this Act, the State
15Board may consider as a mitigating factor any circumstances
16out of the candidate's control.
17 (b) A person who willfully or knowingly violates this Act
18or rules adopted under this Act or who willfully or knowingly
19makes a false statement in any report required by this Act
20commits a business offense punishable by a fine of at least
21$1,001 and not more than $5,000 and, if certified as an
22eligible candidate, shall return to the Fund all amounts
23distributed to the candidate.
24 Section 65. Study report. By January 30, 2026 and every 4
25years thereafter, the State Board shall prepare and submit to

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1the General Assembly a report documenting, evaluating, and
2making recommendations relating to the administration,
3implementation, and enforcement of this Act and the Illinois
4Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund.
5 Section 70. Severability. The provisions of this Act are
6severable. If any provision of this Act is held invalid by a
7court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity does not
8affect other provisions of this Act that can be given effect
9without the invalid provision.
10 Section 900. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
11Section 5.1030 as follows:
12 (30 ILCS 105/5.1030 new)
13 Sec. 5.1030. The Illinois Judicial Election Democracy
14Trust Fund.
15 Section 905. The Illinois Income Tax Act is amended by
16changing Section 509 and by adding Section 506.7 as follows:
17 (35 ILCS 5/506.7 new)
18 Sec. 506.7. Designation of tax to the Illinois Judicial
19Election Democracy Trust Fund. The Department shall print on
20its standard individual income tax form a provision indicating
21that if the taxpayer wishes to contribute to the Illinois

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1Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund, as authorized by this
2amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, he or she may do
3so by stating the amount of the contribution, not less than $3,
4on the return and that the contribution will reduce the
5taxpayer's refund or increase the amount of payment to
6accompany the return. Failure to remit any amount of the
7increased payment shall reduce the contribution accordingly.
8This Section does not apply to any amended return. This tax
9checkoff applies to income tax forms for taxable years 2026
10and thereafter.
11 (35 ILCS 5/509) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-509)
12 Sec. 509. Tax checkoff explanations.
13 (a) All individual income tax return forms shall contain
14appropriate explanations and spaces to enable the taxpayers to
15designate contributions to the funds to which contributions
16may be made under this Article 5.
17 (b) Each form shall contain a statement that the
18contributions will reduce the taxpayer's refund or increase
19the amount of payment to accompany the return. Failure to
20remit any amount of increased payment shall reduce the
21contribution accordingly.
22 (c) If, on October 1 of any year, the total contributions
23to any one of the funds made under this Article 5, except the
24Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund, do not equal
25$100,000 or more, the explanations and spaces for designating

SB0143- 23 -LRB104 06845 SPS 16881 b
1contributions to the fund shall be removed from the individual
2income tax return forms for the following and all subsequent
3years and all subsequent contributions to the fund shall be
4refunded to the taxpayer. This contribution requirement does
5not apply to the Diabetes Research Checkoff Fund checkoff
6contained in Section 507GG of this Act.
7 (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
8Department shall include the Hunger Relief Fund checkoff
9established under Section 507SS on the individual income tax
10form for the taxable year beginning on January 1, 2012. If, on
11October 1, 2013, or on October 1 of any subsequent year, the
12total contributions to the Hunger Relief Fund checkoff do not
13equal $100,000 or more, the explanations and spaces for
14designating contributions to the fund shall be removed from
15the individual income tax return forms for the following and
16all subsequent years and all subsequent contributions to the
17fund shall be refunded to the taxpayer.
18(Source: P.A. 96-328, eff. 8-11-09; 97-1117, eff. 8-27-12.)
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