SPRINGFIELD – A new law sponsored by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) will enable county boards to remove appointed officials who violate the public trust.

“Everyone who serves the public should be held to the highest ethical standards,” Morrison said. “It shouldn’t matter if you are elected, appointed or hired. If you violate the public trust, there should be a way to remove you from your position.”

Morrison introduced the law at the request of Lake County Board. It allows the boards of the collar counties to remove appointed officials with a two-thirds majority vote. To initiate the process, the county board or county executive must find that the appointed official violated the county’s code of conduct, and the county board must hold a hearing.

There are dozens of boards and commissions with appointed members in Lake County alone. Before this law, once the county board or executive appointed someone to serve on one of these commissions, he or she was not subject to any oversight until the term of the appointment expired. These boards and commissions include the Metra Board, the Pace Board, zoning boards, fire protection districts and more.

The law takes effect Jan. 1.