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Bill Summary · HB 2413

Summary — HB 2413 (Lobbying Prohibition) — Illinois (2025)

Bill number: HB 2413
Primary sponsor: Rep. Patrick Windhorst
Other sponsors/co-sponsors: Multiple (see legislative history)
Subject: Amendment to the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/2-101) — restrictions on compensated lobbying by public officials

Main purpose / intent

HB 2413 expands and clarifies restrictions on compensated lobbying by public officials. Its stated intent is to limit potential conflicts of interest by prohibiting certain elected or appointed officials from being paid to lobby governmental bodies or officials — especially in contexts connected to the jurisdictions in which they serve.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 2-101 of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act to broaden the existing prohibition on compensated lobbying by public officials.
  • Prohibits a legislator or an executive-branch constitutional officer from engaging in compensated lobbying of the governing body of a municipality, county, or township (or an official thereof). (Text replaces prior narrower language tied to lobbying for entities registered to lobby the State.)
  • Prohibits any elected or appointed county, municipal, or township executive or legislative official from engaging in compensated lobbying of:
    • the governing bodies of counties, municipalities, townships;
    • the General Assembly;
    • State executive branch offices or agencies;
    • or officials of those bodies, on behalf of any lobbyist or lobbying entity that is registered to lobby the same county, municipality, or township in which the official is elected or appointed.
  • Additional subsections extend similar restrictions among municipal, county, and township officials (including provisions addressing municipalities subject to preemption under the Lobbyist Registration Act).
  • Creates a criminal penalty for violation: a Class A misdemeanor.

Who is affected

  • State legislators and executive-branch constitutional officers (broad new restriction on compensated lobbying at the local level).
  • Elected and appointed county, municipal, and township executives and legislative officials (restricts compensated lobbying on behalf of entities registered to lobby their jurisdiction).
  • Lobbying entities and private clients who employ or pay public officials to lobby will be affected by the expanded ban.
  • Potentially reduces paid outside work opportunities for affected officials and limits avenues for paid advocacy by and through those officials.

Enforcement & penalties

  • A violation is classified as a Class A misdemeanor under the bill. (No additional civil enforcement framework is added in the text supplied.)

Legislative status / timeline (selected)

  • Filed/introduced: 2025-02-04.
  • Referred to Rules Committee, then to Ethics & Elections.
  • Readings and committee activity occurred in March–May 2025 (public hearings, committee reports, placed on calendars).
  • Action noted: laid on the table subject to call (5/15/2025).
  • Companion bill: SB 1079.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Strengthens conflict-of-interest safeguards by preventing officials from being paid to lobby bodies or officials in or connected to the jurisdictions they serve.
  • Could reduce opportunities for former or part‑time officials to earn income via lobbying or paid advocacy tied to their jurisdiction.
  • May raise questions about enforcement logistics, scope (e.g., what constitutes “compensated lobbying”), and interactions with existing registration/exemption provisions in the Lobbyist Registration Act.
  • The bill’s criminal penalty (Class A misdemeanor) is a strong enforcement tool; implementation details (investigation, prosecutions) would rely on existing criminal processes.

Note: The supplied document also included an unrelated Arizona bill labeled HB2413 (a proposed Arizona amendment on “Effluent Compensation” — Title 45, Article 16) that is distinct from this Illinois lobbying proposal. The summary above addresses the Illinois HB2413 (Lobbying Prohibition) as reflected in the Governmental Ethics Act language.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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