The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, 5 ILCS 420/4A-101 et seq., requires certain local government officials and employees to file a verified written statement of economic interests (“Statement of Economic Interests”) on or before May 1st of each year. In most cases, the Statement of Economic Interests must be filed with the County Clerk of the county in which the principal office of the unit of government with which the person is associated is located. If you are required to file a Statement of Economic Interests, then you should have received notice from your County Clerk’s office.

If a Statement of Economic Interests is filed between May 2nd and May 15th a $15 late filing fee will apply. If a Statement of Economic Interests is filed after May 15th, an additional $100 penalty will apply for each day the Statement remains unfiled, from May 16th to the date of filing. Failure to file a Statement of Economic Interests by May 31st may result in ineligibility for or forfeiture of office or position of employment.

Given the penalties for failing to comply, it is important that you get your Statement filed by May 1st. For specific instructions on filing your Statement of Economic Interests, please check the website of the County Clerk for the county in which you are filing. Please note that some counties allow for electronic filing, while other counties only allow filing in-person or by mail.

If you have further questions about Statements of Economic Interests, please feel free to contact us.

For more information about this article, contact Tressler attorney John O’Driscoll at jodriscoll@tresslerllp.com.