REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES & ADMINISTRATION

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION

August 31, 2009

The Honorable,

The Board of Commissioners of Cook County

ATTENDANCE

Present:

Chairman Moreno, Vice Chairman Gorman, Commissioners Daley, Schneider, Silvestri, Sims and Suffredin (7)

Absent:

Commissioners Beavers and Steele (2)

Also Present:

Commissioners Butler, Collins, Gainer, Murphy and Peraica (5); and Patrick T. Driscoll, Jr. – Deputy State’s Attorney, Chief, Civil Actions Bureau

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Your Committee on Rules and Administration of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County met pursuant to notice on Monday, August 31, 2009 at the hour of 1:00 PM in the Board Room, Room 569, County Building, 118 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois.

Your Committee has considered the following items and upon adoption of this report, the recommendations are as follows:

299703

LIMITATIONS OF CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS (PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT). Submitting a Proposed Ordinance Amendment sponsored by Timothy O. Schneider, Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman and Gregg Goslin, County Commissioners.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT

LIMITATIONS OF CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO

CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS

BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that Chapter 2 Administration, Article VII Ethics, Section 2-585(a) of the Cook County Code is hereby amended as follows:

Sec. 2-585. Limitations of contributions to candidates and elected officials.

(a) No person who has done business with the County within the preceding four years or is seeking to do business with the County or is a lobbyist registered with the County shall make contributions in an aggregate amount exceeding ~~$1,500.00~~ $250.00.

(1) To any candidate for County office or elected County official during a single candidacy; or

(2) To an elected official of the government of the County during any nonelection year of his or her term.

The combined effect of these provisions is intended to permit total contribution up to but not exceeding ~~$3,000.00~~ $500.00 in a year in which a candidacy occurs. A year for the purposes of this section is from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

Effective date: This Ordinance Amendment shall be in effect immediately upon adoption.

* Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration on 4/2/09.

Commissioner Schneider, seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved to approve Communication No. 299703.

Commissioner Daley introduced the following amendment to the Proposed Ordinance Amendment (Communication No. 299703), which adds Section 2-585(a)(3), as follows:

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO COMMUNICATION #299703

Submitted by: JOHN P. DALEY, County Commissioner

(proposed amendment text in double underline)

Submitting a Proposed Ordinance Amendment sponsored by

TIMOTHY O. SCHNEIDER, County Commissioner

PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT

LIMITATIONS OF CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO

CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS

BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that Chapter 2 Administration, Article VII Ethics, Section 2-585(a) of the Cook County Code is hereby amended as follows:

Sec. 2-585. Limitations of contributions to candidates and elected officials.

(1) To any candidate for County office or elected County official during a single candidacy; or

(2) To an elected official of the government of the County during any non-election year of his or her term.

(3) To any local, state, or federal campaign committee that is controlled by, or established in support of, a candidate for County office or an elected County official.

Effective date: This Ordinance Amendment shall be in effect immediately upon adoption

Commissioner Daley, seconded by Commissioner Schneider, moved to approve the Proposed Ordinance Amendment for Communication No. 299703. The motion carried. Chairman Moreno voted no.

Commissioner Silvestri introduced the following amendment to the Proposed Ordinance Amendment for Communication No. 299703, which amends Section 2-585(a), as follows:

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO COMMUNICATION #299703

submitted by: PETER N. SILVESTRI, County Commissioner

(proposed amendments in double underline)

Submitting a Proposed Ordinance Amendment sponsored by

TIMOTHY O. SCHNEIDER, County Commissioner

PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT

LIMITATIONS OF CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO

CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS

BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that Chapter 2 Administration, Article VII Ethics, Section 2-585(a) of the Cook County Code is hereby amended as follows:

Sec. 2-585. Limitations of contributions to candidates and elected officials.

(1) To any candidate for County office or elected County official during a single candidacy; or

(2) To an elected official of the government of the County during any non-election year of his or her term.

(3) To any local, state, or federal campaign committee that is controlled by, or established in support of, a candidate for County office or an elected County official.

The combined effect of these provisions is intended to permit total contribution up to but not exceeding ~~$3,000.00~~ ~~$500.00~~ $1,500.00 in a year in which a candidacy occurs. A year for the purposes of this section is from January 1 to December 31 of each year.

Effective date: This Ordinance Amendment shall be in effect immediately upon adoption

Commissioner Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Schneider, moved to approve the Proposed Ordinance Amendments for Communication No. 299703.

ROLL CALL ON MOTION TO AMEND

THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENt (COMMUNICATION NO. 299703)

Yeas:

Vice Chairman Gorman, Commissioners Daley, Schneider, Silvestri and Suffredin (5)

Nays:

Chairman Moreno and Commissioner Sims (2)

Absent:

Commissioners Beavers and Steele (2)

The motion to amend the Proposed Ordinance Amendment (Communication No. 299703) CARRIED.

On the main motion to approve Communication No. 299703, as amended, Commissioner Sims called for a Roll Call, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

ROLL CALL ON MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 299703 AS AMENDED

Yeas:

Chairman Moreno, Vice Chairman Gorman, Commissioners Daley, Schneider, Silvestri and Suffredin (6)

Nays:

Commissioner Sims (1)

Absent:

Commissioners Beavers and Steele (2)

The motion to approve as amended CARRIED.

299704

LIMITATION OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES MAKING POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO COUNTY OFFICIALS OR CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY OFFICE (PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT). Submitting a Proposed Ordinance Amendment sponsored by Timothy O. Schneider, Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman and Gregg Goslin, County Commissioners.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT

LIMITATIONS OF COUNTY EMPOLYEES MAKING POLITICIAL

CONTRIBUTIONS TO COUNTY OFFICIALS OR

CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY OFFICE

BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that Chapter 2 Administration, Article VII Ethics, Section 2-583(a) of the Cook County Code is hereby amended as follows:

Sec. 2-583. Political activity.

(a) No official or employee shall compel, coerce or intimidate any County official or employee to make or refrain from making any political contribution. No official shall directly solicit any political contribution from his or her employees or the spouses of or immediate family living with his or her employees. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent any official or employee from voluntarily making a contribution or from receiving a voluntary contribution. County employees shall not make contributions in an aggregate amount exceeding $100.00, per calendar year, to any candidate for County office or elected County official.

Effective date: This Ordinance Amendment shall be in effect immediately upon adoption.

* Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration on 4/2/09.

Commissioner Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Schneider, moved to defer Communication No. 299704 until further review from the State’s Attorney’s Office. The motion carried.

300850

CREATION OF A COOK COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WOMEN’S CAUCUS (PROPOSED RESOLUTION). Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by Earlean Collins, Bridget Gainer, Joan Patricia Murphy, Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman and Deborah Sims, County Commissioners.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

CREATION OF A COOK COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WOMEN’S CAUCUS

WHEREAS, Cook County is a home rule unit of local government pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 (a) of the 1970 Illinois Constitution, and as such may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs; and

WHEREAS, the Cook County Board has elected five women Commissioner’s representing both parties, Republican and Democratic; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioners represent very diverse communities and issues that impact women and children throughout the State and County; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioners recognize the need for a more collaborative working relationship in order to more effectively seek solutions to family issues.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that this Board shall establish a Cook County Board of Commissioners Women’s Caucus; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Commission shall be effective upon the date of passage.

* Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration on 6/2/09.

Commissioner Suffredin, seconded by Vice Chairman Gorman, moved to approve Communication No. 300850. The motion carried.

Chairman Moreno asked the Secretary to the Board to call upon the registered public speakers, in accordance with Cook County Code, Sec. 2-108(dd):

1. George Blakemore, Concerned Citizen

Commissioner Sims moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Daley. The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned.

YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ACTION

WITH REGARD TO THE MATTERS NAMED HEREIN:

Communication Number 299703 Approved As Amended

Communication Number 299704 Deferred

Communication Number 300850 Approved

Respectfully submitted,

Committee on Rules and Administration

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Joseph Mario Moreno, Chairman

Attest:

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Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary