From the State Journal Register

Ethics bill's fate uncertain
House backs override; Senate stalls

By MARY MASSINGALE
STATE CAPITOL BUREAU
The fate of ethics legislation in Illinois appeared murky Tuesday, as a partisan power struggle erupted in the Senate over the definition of "shadow government."
Today, Gov. Rod Blagojevich and legislative leaders are expected to meet to hammer out new rules that all parties claim are needed to restore the public's faith in government.
Earlier Tuesday, the House had voted unanimously to override Blagojevich's amendatory veto of ethics legislation approved last spring while introducing additional, tougher measures that embody many of the governor's changes.
The Senate, however, declined to vote on Blagojevich's amendatory veto, waiting to consider its own additional legislation that mirrors the House's new proposal.
If both chambers vote by three-fifths votes to override Blagojevich's changes to House Bill 3412, that legislation becomes law. The bill calls for state employees to receive annual ethics training, as well as bans them from doing political work on state time and prohibits the promise of jobs or bonuses for political contributions - which are already illegal.
House Bill 3412 also provides protection to whistle-blowers, prohibits state officeholders from broadcasting public service announcements during an election and bans lobbyists from state panels.
The new, additional measures being floated in both the House and Senate include key elements that Blagojevich says must be part of any ethics legislation.
The proposals call for inspectors general and ethics commissions for all constitutional officers and the legislature. They also would eliminate an exemption that allows lobbyists to provide golf and tennis outings for lawmakers, and would limit lobbyists' gifts of food and drinks to $75 a day.
In addition, constitutional officers or lawmakers would be prohibited from appearing in any public service announcement, and a "revolving door" provision would prohibit state employees with regulatory powers from working for any regulated entity for one year after they leave state employment.
The partisan bickering broke out during a Senate committee meeting after Republican lawmakers criticized the additional Democratic proposal for not including a provision regarding "shadow government" advisers. Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, wants unpaid governmental advisers to file economic interest statements, and Sen. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton, loudly trumpeted that cause.
"You've got to address the people that are quietly whispering in the policy-makers' ears, and we have to have full disclosure of who they are and what their financial interests are," Roskam said.
Senate Majority Leader Emil Jones, D-Chicago, acknowledged Roskam's point but wondered about the practicality of actually applying it.
"How do you really define that person?" Jones asked.
An advocate of political reform said she hopes the "shadow government" sticking point does not derail meaningful ethics legislation, especially in a year that has seen both political parties accused of corruption.
"It's never done until it's done," said Cindi Canary with the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. "Springfield is a remarkably creative place."
Federal prosecutors are investigating allegations in both the Illinois House and Senate that Democratic and Republican staff members have conducted political work on state time.
State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka's office also is under investigation for similar allegations.
In March, a federal jury convicted Scott Fawell, an aide to former Republican Gov. George Ryan when he served as secretary of state, of political corruption charges that include racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and stealing state property.