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Executive Order Number 03-05

January 23, 2003

Executive Order Number 03-05 (PDF, 91 KB)

State Of Illinois Executive Department - Springfield, Illinois 
EXECUTIVE ORDER
NUMBER 5 (2003)

EXECUTIVE ORDER MANDATING ETHICS TRAINING FOR ALL STATE EMPLOYEES

WHEREAS, officers, employees and appointees in agencies, departments, offices, boards and commissions (hereinafter referred to as “agencies”) directly responsible to the Governor need to be fully prepared to address the ethical issues and questions that arise in discharging their duties and responsibilities to the citizens of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, there are a number of laws and Executive Orders in effect in the State of Illinois which establish ethical standards and provide penalties for their violation, including, without limitation, the Solicitation Misconduct Act (Public Act 92-0853), the State Gift Ban Act, 5 ILCS 425/1, et seq., the State Employees Political Activity Act, 5 ILCS 320/0.01, et seq., and certain provisions of the Illinois Election Code, 10 ILCS 5/9-1, et seq., as well as various Executive Orders issued over the past twenty years by the governors of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, the State of Illinois has a compelling interest in insuring that State officers, employees and appointees are fully aware of their ethical duties and responsibilities to the citizens of this State; and

WHEREAS, it is the purpose and intent of this Executive Order to educate State officers, employees and appointees as to their ethical duties and responsibilities by instituting an Ethics Awareness Training Program;

THEREFORE, I hereby order the following:

  1. The General Counsel to the Governor is directed to research and make recommendations regarding the nature and scope of an Ethics Awareness Training Program for all officers, employees and appointees of agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor that would appropriately address the range of ethical issues that such employees and officers face in the discharge of their duties.
  2. Within six months of establishment of the Ethics Awareness Training Program, all officers, employees and appointees in agencies directly responsible to the Governor shall attend and complete this Program. Once the Ethics Awareness Training Program is established, all new officers, employees and appointees in agencies directly responsible to the Governor shall attend and complete the Program within two months of their date of hire.
  3. Once the Ethics Awareness Training Program has been established, the Ethics Officer for each agency under my jurisdiction is hereby charged with the responsibility to implement this Program. This duty to implement the Ethics Awareness Training Program shall be in addition to the duties imposed on the Ethics Officer by the provisions of the Gift Ban Act, 5 ILCS 425/1, et seq., and shall not be in contravention of any of the duties imposed on Ethics Officers by said Act.

This Executive Order shall be in full force and upon its filing with the Secretary of State.

Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor
Issued by Governor: January 23, 2003
Filed with Secretary of State: January 23, 2003