25 ILCS 155/ Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability Act.

(25 ILCS 155/1) (from Ch. 63, par. 341)

Sec. 1. It is the continuing policy of the State in meeting the public needs to establish program priorities and to coordinate available resources to the end that the maximum benefits be produced efficiently and economically in a manner designed to encourage a strong, free enterprise economy in the State. To carry out this policy effectively, it is essential that the General Assembly be furnished with the most reliable and authoritative information available concerning economic developments and trends in this State and the operations of State Government.

(Source: P.A. 77-2054.)

(25 ILCS 155/2) (from Ch. 63, par. 342)

Sec. 2. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, hereafter in this Act referred to as the Commission, is created and is established as a legislative support services agency subject to the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984.

On January 15, 2005 (the effective date of Public Act 93-1067), the name of the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission is changed to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. References in any law, appropriation, rule, form, or other document to the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission are deemed, in appropriate contexts, to be references to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability for all purposes. References in any law, appropriation, rule, form, or other document to the Executive Director of the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission are deemed, in appropriate contexts, to be references to the Executive Director of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability for all purposes. For purposes of Section 9b of the State Finance Act, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability is the successor to the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission.

(Source: P.A. 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10.)

(25 ILCS 155/3) (from Ch. 63, par. 343)

Sec. 3. The Commission shall:

(1) Study from time to time and report to the General Assembly on economic development and trends in the State.

(2) Make such special economic and fiscal studies as it deems appropriate or desirable or as the General Assembly may request.

(3) Based on its studies, recommend such State fiscal and economic policies as it deems appropriate or desirable to improve the functioning of State government and the economy of the various regions within the State.

(4) Prepare annually a State economic report.

(5) Provide information for all appropriate legislative organizations and personnel on economic trends in relation to long range planning and budgeting.

(6) Study and make such recommendations as it deems appropriate to the General Assembly on local and regional economic and fiscal policy and on federal fiscal policy as it may affect Illinois.

(7) Review capital expenditures, appropriations and authorizations for both the State's general obligation and revenue bonding authorities. At the direction of the Commission, specific reviews may include economic feasibility reviews of existing or proposed revenue bond projects to determine the accuracy of the original estimate of useful life of the projects, maintenance requirements and ability to meet debt service requirements through their operating expenses.

(8) Receive and review all executive agency and revenue bonding authority annual and 3 year plans. The Commission shall prepare a consolidated review of these plans, an updated assessment of current State agency capital plans, a report on the outstanding and unissued bond authorizations, an evaluation of the State's ability to market further bond issues and shall submit them as the "Legislative Capital Plan Analysis" to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees at least once a year. The Commission shall annually submit to the General Assembly on the first Wednesday of April a report on the State's long-term capital needs, with particular emphasis upon and detail of the 5-year period in the immediate future.

(9) Study and make recommendations it deems appropriate to the General Assembly on State bond financing, bondability guidelines, and debt management. At the direction of the Commission, specific studies and reviews may take into consideration short and long-run implications of State bonding and debt management policy.

(10) Comply with the provisions of the "State Debt Impact Note Act" as now or hereafter amended.

(11) Comply with the provisions of the Pension Impact Note Act, as now or hereafter amended.

(12) Prepare and cause to be published by August 1 of each year a summary report of State appropriations for the State fiscal year beginning the previous July 1st, except that, if no State appropriations have been enacted by July 1 for the State fiscal year, then the summary report shall be prepared and published within 60 days after the enactment of appropriations for that State fiscal year. The summary report must discuss major categories of appropriations, the issues the General Assembly faced in allocating appropriations, comparisons with appropriations for previous State fiscal years, and other matters helpful in providing the citizens of Illinois with an overall understanding of appropriations for that fiscal year. The summary report must be written in plain language and designed for readability, and it must be provided in a report to the General Assembly and published on the General Assembly's website.

(13) Comply with the provisions of the State Facilities Closure Act.

(14) For fiscal year 2012 and thereafter, develop a 3-year budget forecast for the State, including opportunities and threats concerning anticipated revenues and expenditures, with an appropriate level of detail.

(15) Perform the powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Legislative Research Unit as transferred to the Commission under Section 7.

The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing such additional copies with the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General Assembly as is required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act.

(Source: P.A. 103-229, eff. 6-30-23.)

(25 ILCS 155/4) (from Ch. 63, par. 344)

Sec. 4. (a) The Commission shall publish, during each regular session of the General Assembly, a report on the estimated income of the State from all applicable revenue sources for the next ensuing fiscal year and of any other funds estimated to be available for such fiscal year. The Commission, in its discretion, may consult with the Governor's Office of Management and Budget in preparing the report. By the third Wednesday in March after the session convenes, the Commission shall issue the report required by this Section containing the revenue figures reflecting the latest available information. The House and Senate by joint resolution shall adopt or modify such estimates as may be appropriate. The joint resolution shall constitute the General Assembly's estimate, under paragraph (b) of Section 2 of Article VIII of the Constitution, of the funds estimated to be available during the next fiscal year.

(b) On the third Wednesday in March or within 14 days after the Governor's budget address, whichever is later, the Commission shall issue estimated:

(1) pension funding requirements under P.A. 86-273; and

(2) liabilities of the State employee group health insurance program.

These estimated costs shall be for the fiscal year beginning the following July 1.

(c) The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing such additional copies with the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General Assembly as is required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act.

(Source: P.A. 103-229, eff. 6-30-23.)

(25 ILCS 155/6) (from Ch. 63, par. 346)

Sec. 6. All State officers and agencies shall render to the Commission any assistance that may be required by the Commission for the purpose of preparing its reports and recommendations.

The Commission shall, to the fullest extent possible, utilize the services, facilities and information, including statistical information, of other government agencies and of private research agencies in order to avoid duplication of effort and expense.

(Source: P.A. 77-2054.)

(25 ILCS 155/6.1) (from Ch. 63, par. 346.1)

Sec. 6.1. In addition to its other responsibilities, the Commission shall exercise the powers and duties delegated to the State Employees' Group Insurance Advisory Commission prior to the effective date of this Act under the "State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971".

(Source: P.A. 83-1257.)

(25 ILCS 155/6.2) (from Ch. 63, par. 346.2)

Sec. 6.2. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-632, eff. 2-1-04; 93-1067, eff. 1-15-05.)

(25 ILCS 155/7)

Sec. 7. Transfer of Legislative Research Unit functions. On and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly:

(a) All powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Legislative Research Unit are transferred to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. Any reference in any law, rule, form, or other document to the Legislative Research Unit is deemed to be a reference to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

(b) All powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Executive Director of the Legislative Research Unit are transferred to the Executive Director of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. Any reference in any law, appropriation, rule, form, or other document to the Executive Director of the Legislative Research Unit is deemed to be a reference to the Executive Director of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability for all purposes.

(c) All personnel of the Legislative Research Unit are transferred to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. The status and rights of the transferred personnel under the Personnel Code, the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act, and applicable collective bargaining agreements or under any pension, retirement, or annuity plan shall not be affected by this Section.

(d) All books, records, papers, documents, property (real and personal), contracts, causes of action, and pending business of the Legislative Research Unit shall be transferred to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

(e) All unexpended appropriations and balances and other funds available for use by the Legislative Research Unit shall be transferred for use by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. Unexpended balances so transferred shall be expended only for the purpose for which the appropriations were originally made.

(f) The powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Legislative Research Unit with respect to the personnel transferred under this Section shall be vested in and shall be exercised by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

(g) Whenever reports or notices are now required to be made or given or papers or documents furnished or served by any person to or upon the Legislative Research Unit, the same shall be made, given, furnished, or served in the same manner to or upon the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

(h) Any rules of the Legislative Research Unit that are in full force on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly shall become the rules of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. This Section does not affect the legality of any such rules in the Illinois Administrative Code.

(i) Any proposed rules filed with the Secretary of State by the Legislative Research Unit that are pending in the rulemaking process on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, and that pertain to the powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities transferred under this Section, shall be deemed to have been filed by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. As soon as practicable, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability shall revise and clarify the rules transferred to it under this Section using the procedures for recodification of rules available under the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, except that existing title, part, and section numbering for the affected rules may be retained. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability may propose and adopt under the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act such other rules of the Legislative Research Unit that will now be administered by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

(Source: P.A. 100-1148, eff. 12-10-18.)