Relating to merit-based compensation.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Emily McIntire

HB3495 would provide Clerks of the Circuit Court a $35,000/year state stipend for extra duties, atop county pay, COLA-adjusted and funded via annual Supreme Court distributions.

In committee upon adjournment.

Purpose and intent

HB 3495 seeks to enhance the compensation framework for Clerks of the Circuit Court by establishing a new State-funded judicial stipend. In addition to any county-provided compensation, the bill would grant each Clerk a $35,000 annual stipend for the additional duties associated with various criminal justice responsibilities, with annual cost-of-living adjustments. The goal is to recognize and support the expanded duties imposed by recent and related statutes affecting the judiciary and victim services.

Key provisions

New State stipend: In addition to county compensation, each Clerk of the Circuit Court would receive a $35,000 annual award from the State for specified additional duties (as imposed by Public Act 101-652 and related laws).

Cost-of-living adjustment: The $35,000 stipend must be adjusted annually to reflect the annual cost-of-living adjustment in Social Security (SSA) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

Funding and disbursement: The General Assembly would appropriate funds to the Supreme Court, which shall distribute the stipend as annual lump-sum payments to Clerks of the Circuit Court across all counties.

Relationship to existing compensation: The stipend is in addition to any compensation provided by the county and shall not reduce or impair county-provided compensation if the reduction would be a result of the state stipend.

Context of prior stipends: The bill references a schedule of prior state awards (specific dollar figures in earlier years) related to additional duties, but the central change is the new $35,000 “Judicial Stipend.”

Who is affected

Clerks of the Circuit Court in all Illinois counties would be eligible to receive the new $35,000 annually, in addition to their county-based compensation.

County governments: Continue to pay local compensation, with protections that state-funded stipends cannot be used to impair or reduce that local pay.

State judiciary administration: The Illinois Supreme Court would administer and distribute the annual lump-sum stipends.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced: February 18, 2025 (HB3495; Rep. Justin Slaughter).

Legislative actions:

Read first time and referred to Rules: February 18, 2025.
Referred to Appropriations-General Services: March 11, 2025.
Read again and added co-sponsors: March 21, 2025 (Rep. Wayne A. Rosenthal); June 5, 2025 (Rep. Travis Weaver).
Read first time and referred to Appropriations: March 24, 2025.

Status and sponsorship: The bill has added co-sponsors and progressed through standard committee referrals, with the added sponsor information reflecting ongoing legislative consideration.

Fiscal and practical considerations

Funding source: Annual state appropriation to the Supreme Court to fund the Clerks’ stipends; payments distributed in lump sums.

Budget impact: The legislature would need to appropriate funds each year to cover the $35,000 stipends for all Clerks, adjusted for COLA.

Policy alignment: The bill aligns with ongoing efforts to recognize the expanded duties of clerks under additional criminal justice and victim-services related statutes, ensuring compensation is not diminished when state stipends are provided.

This summary captures the introduced text and current legislative status. As with all measures, final details may evolve through committee amendments and floor action.

Bill