Governmental Ethics

Public Act 96-555

"...the King’s good servant, but God’s first"

Thomas More

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The State of Illinois was facing an ethical crisis when Pat Quinn was sworn in as Governor on January 29, 2009. Former Gov. George Ryan was in jail on federal corruption charges and his successor, Rod Blagojevich, had been impeached and removed as Governor for misconduct. Blagojevich was later convicted on federal corruption charges and sent to prison.

Gov. Quinn vowed to strengthen state ethics standards across the board.

On August 18, 2009, Gov. Quinn signed a law strengthening the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (Public Act 96-555), which tightened scrutiny of elected officials, state employees, and lobbyists, and prohibited the promise of state jobs, contracts, or political favors in exchange for campaign contributions.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Landmark Bill Strengthening Illinois Ethics Laws.

On December 9, 2009, Gov. Quinn signed legislation enacting the strongest campaign finance reforms in state history.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Campaign Reform Law.

On February 25, 2009, Gov. Quinn ordered state agencies to fully respond to Freedom of Information Act requests and on August 17, 2009, signed legislation to strengthen the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Major Legislation to Increase Transparency in State Government .

On July 11, 2012, Gov. Quinn signed legislation to abolish the century-old political scholarship program which was plagued by abuse.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Abolishing Political Scholarships in Illinois .

On July 28, 2010, Gov. Quinn signed legislation to create the office of the Inspector General to oversee operations of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Legislation to Create New Illinois Tollway Inspector General.

On August 18, 2009, Gov. Quinn signed legislation to give the Illinois Inspector General the authority to review state hiring practices.

On July 11, 2010, Gov. Quinn signed the Public Corruption Profit Forfeiture Act.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Major Ethics Reforms .

On his first day in office, Gov. Quinn dispatched crews to take down his predecessor’s name which was plastered on dozens of Illinois Toll Highway signs across the state and on June 16, 2011, signed legislation prohibiting elected officials from putting their names on state road signs, billboards, or electronic signs.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Legislation to Ban Self-Promotion on State-Funded Billboards.

View NBC's "Quinn Signs Bill Combatting Political Narcissism".

View WBEZ's "New state law bars politicians putting their names on signs".

On April 15, 2009, Gov. Quinn launched Whistleblower.Illinois.gov, an interactive website that allows watchdogs to report suspected government corruption.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn backing government watchdogs.

On April 9, 2009, Gov. Quinn made reforms in the gubernatorial appointments process.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn signing Executive Order to Increase Transparency for State Boards and Commissions.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Executive Order Protecting The Integrity Of State Boards And Commissions.

On January 17, 2010, Gov. Quinn signed legislation to strengthen oversight of cemeteries following the Burr Oak Cemetery tragedy.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Naming Cemetery Oversight Task Force.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Receiving Final Cemetery Oversight Task Force Report.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Cemetery Oversight Act .

On November 2, 2010, a referendum calling for a constitutional amendment giving Illinois voters the ability to recall a Governor passed with 1,639,158 votes to 846,966 votes, or 65.9%, well above the required 60% threshold, making Illinois the 19th state to permit the recall of a governor. Gov. Quinn, a recall supporter since 1976, had championed the recall constitutional amendment.

On July 16, 2014, Gov. Quinn signed landmark legislation overhauling the state’s grant oversight and accountability process, making Illinois the first state in the nation with a comprehensive set of uniform rules covering the entire life cycle of a grant and making grantees more accountable.

View the Governor’s Office Press Release of Quinn Signing Landmark Grant Accountability Legislation to Protect Taxpayers .

As Lieutenant Governor and Governor, Pat Quinn annually released his full federal and state income tax returns including all schedules. On January 12, 2015, Gov. Quinn issued an executive order calling for full income tax disclosure annually by the Governor of Illinois.

(EXECUTIVE ORDER 2015-5)