From the SJ-R:
Lawmakers put ethics measure into law
By RYAN KEITH
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Sep 22, 2008 @ 04:38 PM
After months of accusations of political gamesmanship and many twists, state
lawmakers have finally put into law a major ethics reform measure in its original
form.
The Senate voted 55-0 today for the version of House Bill 824. That would bar
people with state contracts of $50,000 or more from donating to state officeholders
who dole out the business.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich greatly expanded the idea in August, applying the ban on
contractor donations to lawmakers and all state officeholders along with proposing
several other restrictions on legislators. Lawmakers said those changes went
too far.
The House already voted to pass their original version and reverse the governor’s
change, so the Senate’s vote today puts that original version into law.
Legislators said it should go a long way to address concerns that state contractors
“pay to play” for state business with political donations.
“I hope this wasn’t a small step,” said Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak
Park. “I think this is a big step forward for Illinois.”