HB3734 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 10507 EFG 40778 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB3734

Introduced 2/24/2005, by Rep. Larry McKeon

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

55 ILCS 5/3-8014	from Ch. 34, par. 3-8014
65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-17	from Ch. 24, par. 10-2.1-17

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the Merit Commission (now, the plaintiff) shall pay the cost (now, the reasonable cost) of preparing and certifying for judicial review the record of a hearing by the Commission on the removal, demotion, or suspension of certain employees of the sheriff, police department, or fire department. Removes provisions requiring the court to award to a plaintiff who prevails in the judicial review proceeding a sum equal to the costs paid by the plaintiff to have the record prepared and certified for judicial review. Removes a provision allowing an alternative or supplemental form of due process based on impartial arbitration that is negotiated by an employer and a labor organization. Removes a provision making bargaining for alternative or supplemental forms of due process permissive for non-home rule units of local government unless the contract term was negotiated prior to a certain time. Provides that certain employers are not prohibited from agreeing, through the collective bargaining process, to submit disciplinary matters to the grievance and arbitration procedures in a collective bargaining agreement with the certified collective bargaining representative.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning employment.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing Section 3-8014 as follow:

(55 ILCS 5/3-8014) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8014)

Sec. 3-8014. Removal, demotion or suspension. Except as is otherwise provided in this Division, no certified person shall be removed, demoted or suspended except for cause, upon written charges filed with the Merit Commission by the sheriff. Upon the filing of such a petition, the sheriff may suspend the certified person pending the decision of the Commission on the charges. After the charges have been heard, the Commission may direct that the person receive his pay for any part or all of this suspension period, if any.

The charges shall be heard by the Commission upon not less than 14 days' certified notice. At such hearing, the accused certified person shall be afforded full opportunity to be represented by counsel, to be heard in his own defense and to produce proof in his defense. Both the Commission and the sheriff may be represented by counsel. The State's Attorney of the applicable county may advise either the Commission or the sheriff. The other party may engage private counsel to advise it.

The Commission shall have the power to secure by its subpoena both the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books and papers in support of the charges and for the defense. Each member of the Commission shall have the power to administer oaths.

If the charges against an accused person are established by the preponderance of evidence, the Commission shall make a finding of guilty and order either removal, demotion, loss of seniority, suspension for a period of not more than 180 days, or such other disciplinary punishment as may be prescribed by the rules and regulations of the Commission which, in the opinion of the members thereof, the offense justifies. If the charges against an accused person are not established by the preponderance of evidence, the Commission shall make a finding of not guilty and shall order that the person be reinstated and be paid his compensation for the suspension period, if any, while awaiting the hearing. The sheriff shall take such action as may be ordered by the Commission.

The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and all amendments and modifications thereof, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto, shall apply to and govern all proceedings for the judicial review of any order of the Commission rendered pursuant to this Section. The Merit Commission plaintiff shall pay the reasonable cost of preparing and certifying the record for judicial review. However, if the plaintiff prevails in the judicial review proceeding, the court shall award to the plaintiff a sum equal to the costs paid by the plaintiff to have the record for judicial review prepared and certified.

Nothing in this Act prohibits employers covered under this Act from agreeing, through the collective bargaining process, to submit disciplinary matters covered by this Act to the grievance and arbitration procedures in a collective bargaining agreement with the certified collective bargaining representative.

(Source: P.A. 86-962.)

Section 10. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by changing Section 10-2.1-17 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-17) (from Ch. 24, par. 10-2.1-17)

Sec. 10-2.1-17. Removal or discharge; investigation of charges; retirement. Except as hereinafter provided, no officer or member of the fire or police department of any municipality subject to this Division 2.1 shall be removed or discharged except for cause, upon written charges, and after an opportunity to be heard in his own defense. The hearing shall be as hereinafter provided, unless the employer and the labor organization representing the person have negotiated an alternative or supplemental form of due process based upon impartial arbitration as a term of a collective bargaining agreement. In non-home rule units of government, such bargaining shall be permissive rather than mandatory unless such contract term was negotiated by the employer and the labor organization prior to or at the time of the effective date of this amendatory Act, in which case such bargaining shall be considered mandatory.

If the chief of the fire department or the chief of the police department or both of them are appointed in the manner provided by ordinance, they may be removed or discharged by the appointing authority. In such case the appointing authority shall file with the corporate authorities the reasons for such removal or discharge, which removal or discharge shall not become effective unless confirmed by a majority vote of the corporate authorities. The board of fire and police commissioners shall conduct a fair and impartial hearing of the charges, to be commenced within 30 days of the filing thereof, which hearing may be continued from time to time. In case an officer or member is found guilty, the board may discharge him, or may suspend him not exceeding 30 days without pay. The board may suspend any officer or member pending the hearing with or without pay, but not to exceed 30 days. If the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners determines that the charges are not sustained, the officer or member shall be reimbursed for all wages withheld, if any. In the conduct of this hearing, each member of the board shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations, and the board shall have power to secure by its subpoena both the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books and papers relevant to the hearing.

The age for retirement of policemen or firemen in the service of any municipality which adopts this Division 2.1 is 65 years, unless the Council or Board of Trustees shall by ordinance provide for an earlier retirement age of not less than 60 years.

The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and all amendments and modifications thereof, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto, shall apply to and govern all proceedings for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of the board of fire and police commissioners hereunder. The term "administrative decision" is defined as in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prevent the chief of the fire department or the chief of the police department from suspending without pay a member of his department for a period of not more than 5 calendar days, but he shall notify the board in writing of such suspension. The hearing shall be as hereinafter provided, unless the employer and the labor organization representing the person have negotiated an alternative or supplemental form of due process based upon impartial arbitration as a term of a collective bargaining agreement. In non-home rule units of government, such bargaining shall be permissive rather than mandatory unless such contract term was negotiated by the employer and the labor organization prior to or at the time of the effective date of this amendatory Act, in which case such bargaining shall be considered mandatory.

Nothing in this Act prohibits employers covered under this Act from agreeing, through the collective bargaining process, to submit disciplinary matters covered by this Act to the grievance and arbitration procedures in a collective bargaining agreement with the certified collective bargaining representative.

Any policeman or fireman so suspended may appeal to the board of fire and police commissioners for a review of the suspension within 5 calendar days after such suspension, and upon such appeal, the board may sustain the action of the chief of the department, may reverse it with instructions that the man receive his pay for the period involved, or may suspend the officer for an additional period of not more than 30 days or discharge him, depending upon the facts presented.

(Source: P.A. 91-650, eff. 11-30-99.)