Illinois § 1-20.1

§ 1-20.1.

Task Force to Review Eligibility to Hold Public Office. (a) The Task Force to Review Eligibility to Hold Public Office is created. The purpose of the Task Force is to review what criminal conduct precludes a person from holding public office in this State and to make recommendations as to what criminal conduct should preclude an individual from holding public office. (b) The Task Force shall be comprised of the following members: (1) The president of a statewide bar association or his or her designee, the executive director of a statewide association advocating for the advancement of civil liberties or his or her designee, an executive director of a legal aid organization or statewide association with a practice group dedicated to or focused on returning citizen expungements and sealing of criminal records, all appointed by the Governor. (2) 4 members of the public, one appointed by each of the following: the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; the President of the Senate; and the Minority Leader of the Senate. (3) 2 individuals who have been formerly incarcerated, appointed by the Governor. (4) The Attorney General or his or her designee. (5) 2 individuals from the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council appointed by the Executive Director. (6) 2 State Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 2 State Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; 2 State Senators appointed by the President of the Senate; 2 State Senators appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate. The members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation. All appointments under this subsection must be made within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly. (c) The State Board of Elections shall provide administrative and technical support to the Task Force and be responsible for administering its operations and ensuring that the requirements of the Task Force are met. The Executive Director of the State Board of Elections shall appoint a cochairperson for the Task Force and the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall jointly appoint a cochairperson for the Task Force. (d) The Task Force shall meet at least 4 times with the first meeting occurring within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly. The Executive Director of the State Board of Elections shall designate the day, time, and place for each meeting of the Task Force. (e) The Task Force shall review what conduct currently precludes an individual from holding public office in this State; the policy rationale for precluding an individual from holding public office based on certain criminal conduct; available research and best practices for restoring returning individuals to full citizenship; and the processes of restoration of eligibility to hold public office in this State. After this review, the Task Force shall make recommendations as to what criminal conduct shall preclude an individual from holding public office in this State. (f) The Task Force shall produce a report detailing the Task Force's findings and recommendations and needed resources. The Task Force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor by May 1, 2025. (g) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2026. (Source: P.A. 103-562, eff. 11-17-23.)