Bill > HB2330

This bill amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act by introducing a new provision that creates an affirmative defense for state officials and employees facing criminal or civil charges related to ethics violations. Specifically, the bill allows individuals to defend themselves by demonstrating that they fully disclosed all relevant facts to their designated ethics officer and genuinely relied in good faith on the advice provided by that officer. An affirmative defense is a legal strategy where the defendant accepts the basic allegations but offers a justification that, if proven, can absolve them of legal responsibility. In this context, the bill provides state officials and employees with a potential protection against ethics charges if they can show they were transparent with their ethics officer and acted in accordance with the officer's guidance, thereby encouraging open communication and good-faith efforts to comply with ethical standards.

Government Affairs

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2330&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104