SPRINGFIELD – Following a wave of corruption and indictments among state officials, Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) is calling on lawmakers to pass a comprehensive ethics package, including restrictions on revolving door lobbying, updates to the statement of economic interest forms and new provisions regarding conflict of interest.
“People should not be allowed to be a lawmaker one day and a lobbyist the next,” Morrison said. “Stopping lawmakers from auditioning for jobs with special interests while still in office will help end the glaring corruption taking place in Springfield.”
Since joining the Illinois Senate in 2013, Morrison has introduced bills each session to block the lawmaker-to-lobbyist revolving door. Those measures would prohibit lawmakers who resign from their post from taking jobs as Illinois lobbyists for a certain amount of time after they retire. However, they never made it through the legislature.
“I have tried to pass comprehensive revolving door policies for years, but it wasn’t seen as a high priority by all members of the General Assembly, despite the corruption happening around them,” Morrison said. “I am pleased Gov. JB Pritzker called on legislators to pass a revolving door provision during his State of the State address Wednesday.”
Morrison is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 2463, which prohibits statewide elective officials, members of the General Assembly and administrative heads of state agencies from lobbying within two years of termination of service.
“A majority of states already have an anti-revolving door policy, and it’s time for Illinois to get with the times,” Morrison said. “There must be a fine line between who is a government official and who works for a special interest group.”
Illinois is just one of 13 states that does not have a revolving door policy.
During the legislative session, Morrison is lead sponsor of two other ethics-related bill – Senate Bill 2506 and Senate Bill 1827.
Senate Bill 1827 would create changes to the statement of economic interest form that must be completed by a number of state employees, candidates running for office and public officials to ensure they do not have financial ties to subjects they are working on.
Additionally, SB 2506 requires members of the General Assembly to disclose if they have conflicts of interest on measures they are taking official action on – which includes voting for a bill.
SPRINGFIELD – During the past year, nearly 200 Illinoisans have become ill and five have died from lung injuries stemming from e-cigarettes. State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) has called on both lawmakers and constitutional officers to regulate, or possibly even ban, the use of these harmful products.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Y. Raoul took action Thursday by filing a lawsuit in the Cook County Circuit Court against California-based JUUL Labs, Inc. The lawsuit accuses the vaping company of marketing its products to min
ors and deceptively advertising the products as “smoking cessation devices.” It calls on the courts to permanently ban the vaping powerhouse from engaging in unfair and deceptive practices.
Senator Morrison released the following statement:
“I have spent the past year working to ban vapes that are intentionally being marketed to children. I commend Attorney General Raoul for taking a step toward addressing the public health epidemic surrounding these harmful products. JUUL – and other similar companies – do not have FDA approval to market the vapes as smoking cessation products and should be held accountable for causing harm to minors through e-cigarettes and other addictive tobacco products.”
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) sponsored a resolution to create a commission tasked with changing the negative, and sometimes unethical, culture in Springfield that has taken over headlines.
“Legislators are elected to the Illinois General Assembly to be accountable to the residents of their districts and honorably represent them,” Senator Morrison said. “This commission should be a platform from which we develop and reform.”
House Joint Resolution 93 creates the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform to review and make recommendations for changes to a number of current statutes, including the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act and the Lobbyist Registration Act.
The commission will be made up of 16 members, appointed by the majority leaders, minority leaders, attorney general, secretary of state and governor. Members of the commission cannot be registered lobbyists in Illinois during their service or less than five years prior.
Under the resolution, the commission must hold public hearings and issue recommendations to the General Assembly and constitutional officers by March 31, 2020.
“Illinois residents expect credibility, trust, honor and accountability from their elected officials – and nothing less,” Senator Morrison said.
SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to provide more transparency among elected officials, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) filed a measure that would require lawmakers to state if they have a conflict of interest on a bill.
“This is simply about honesty and transparency,” Senator Morrison said. “The people of Illinois deserve to know lawmakers are best serving voters and the community — not themselves.”
Senate Bill 2299, which was read into the record Tuesday, would require a member of the General Assembly to disclose if they have a conflict of interest on a measure they are taking official action on – which includes voting for a bill. If the legislator does have a conflict of interest, they would be responsible for filing a written statement declaring the conflict or stating their conflict during floor debate.
“It is more important than ever for us to strive for more transparency, greater disclosure and a higher standard of conduct,” Senator Morrison said. “This common sense legislation will call for lawmakers to work in the best interest of the people of Illinois by reporting if they have a conflict of interest on a legislative matter they are voting on.”
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