Bill > HB3115

This bill amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act to establish a new three-year lobbying restriction for certain high-level government officials. Specifically, the bill prohibits members of the General Assembly, individuals whose appointments require Senate confirmation, and heads of government departments or administrative units who take office on or after the bill's effective date from registering as a lobbyist and engaging in lobbying activities with members of the General Assembly for three years after leaving their most recent term of office. This provision aims to prevent potential conflicts of interest and reduce the "revolving door" phenomenon where government officials leverage their insider connections and knowledge to influence legislative processes immediately after leaving public service. The bill builds upon existing ethics regulations that already restrict certain post-employment activities for state officials, such as limitations on working with entities they previously regulated or contracted with during their government service. By extending the lobbying restriction to three years, the bill seeks to create a more significant cooling-off period that limits the potential for undue influence in the legislative process.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3115&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104