Senate Sponsors: CARROLL-SEVERNS. Short description: ST GIFT BAN-ETHICS ACT Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Creates the State Employee Gift Ban and Ethics Act and amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act and the Illinois Purchasing Act. Prohibits State officers and employees of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches from soliciting or accepting gifts from persons or entities with interests affected by the activities of the officer, employee, or his or her agency. Applies to the officer's or employee's immediate family members. Excludes gifts from one donor with an annual aggregate value of $50 or less and other specified categories of gifts. Makes violation a Class A misdemeanor with a fine related to the value of the gift. Requires each State agency to designate an agency ethics officer to provide employee guidance. Creates a State Board of Ethics appointed by the Governor to review statements of economic interests and investigate apparent conflicts of interests, failures to comply with disclosure and filing requirements for statements of economic interests, and violations of the gift prohibitions. Authorizes the State Board of Ethics to issue advisory opinions, recommend disciplinary actions, and impose fines. Authorizes a violator's ultimate jurisdictional authority to take Board-recommended or other disciplinary action. Changes certain information required in statements of economic interests. Requires certain State employees to file those statements with the State Board of Ethics, rather than the Secretary of State. Eliminates the current late-filing fees for statements of economic interests. Authorizes the State Board of Ethics, rather than the Governor, to grant exemptions from certain restrictions relating to State purchases. Permits advertising for State purchases by electronic means. Requires that State agency purchases be made in accordance with rules promulgated or approved by the Department of Central Management Services. Requires the use of competitive bidding, rather than the current competitive selection procedures, for State agency procurements. Requires the use of the most competitive procedure reasonably available and appropriate for some procurements currently exempt from the use of competitive selection procedures. Requires the use of competitive bidding for other procurements currently exempt from the use of competitive selection procedures. Specifies certain contents of procurement solicitations and of written procurement contracts. Effective immediately (portions of Illinois Purchasing Act) and January 1, 1998 (remainder). Last action on Bill: SESSION SINE DIE Last action date: 99-01-12 Location: Senate Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 0 SENATE - 0 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status