State Senator Andy Manar has been keeping busy and today pushed for ethics reform. Senator Manar called on the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform to consider some new guidelines for Illinois politics in the future. 

Senator Manar is encouraging the Joint Commission to consider the following changes: Term limits on legislative leadership, enacting a policy to remove a legislator as a leader during a criminal investigation or if they are charged/indicted. The Senator is also asking for a one year prohibition on legislators leaving their offices and working as lobbyists, and expanding disclosure of legislators’ outside income. The Senator also wants the Inspector General to self-initiate investigations and making it an independent agency for the purposes of budgets and hiring.

Senator Manar says he believes this should be a bipartisan effort. “This is a list of very simple things that I believe could receive broad support from both Democrats and Republicans and at the same time would have a profound impact on restoring trust in state government.”

The Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform will continue to meet until they issue their final report of recommendations at a later date.