Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateIllinoisIntroduced
HB 1385: ETHICS-LOBBYING RESTRICTION
Ryan Spain
HB 1385 status: Introduced — Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Brandun Schweizer (updated Sep 9, 2026).
Source
LegiScan
Confidence
High
Analysis basis
LegiScan full bill text
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
68OUT OF 100
Score:68/100 civic fit
Risk:Low Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 60/100
Constitutionality90%
Bipartisan70%
Public opinion85%
Bill summary
What changes
Extends the 'cooling-off' period for former state officials, legislators, agency heads, and appointees requiring Senate confirmation, barring them from lobbying the state for 3 years after leaving office.
Who is affected
Future executive branch officers, members of the General Assembly, state department heads, and appointees subject to Senate confirmation who take office after the act's effective date.
Requirements and enforcement
Prohibits covered individuals from registering as lobbyists at the state level for 3 years post-service; requires immediate transition to these rules for those taking office post-enactment.
Costs and funding
Administrative costs for ethics commissions to update policy filings and monitor compliance, though likely absorbed into existing oversight budgets.
When it takes effect
Effective immediately upon becoming law; applies to individuals taking office after the effective date.
Potential benefits
Reduces conflict of interest, mitigates undue influence by former government insiders, and strengthens the ethical standards of public service.
Risks and tradeoffs
Potential reduction in the willingness of qualified professionals to accept high-level government appointments due to restricted future job prospects.
What is still unknown
The total volume of future ethics-related appeals and the specific impact on the hiring pipeline for state executive leadership.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
Mixed / Neutral
45%
Benefits
- Reduces potential for conflicts of interest in state contracting.
- Enhances public trust in procurement integrity.
- May discourage influence-peddling by former officials.
Risks
- Limits career flexibility for former public officials.
- May reduce the pool of experienced candidates for government roles.
- Increases compliance barriers for private sector employers.
Society
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
90%
Benefits
- Significantly extends lobbying cooling-off period to 3 years.
- Applies stricter standards to heads of departments and commissions.
- Strengthens ethics oversight for appointees requiring Senate confirmation.
Risks
- Potential for administrative burden in enforcing the 3-year term.
- Does not extend to all state employees, creating tiers of ethics rules.
- Relies on current Inspector General infrastructure for compliance.
Public Health & Safety
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
LegiScan
Official bill text or data from LegiScan.
Confidence
High
Information is complete and verified.
Analysis basis
LegiScan full bill text
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
The 3-year waiting period may significantly affect recruitment for high-level state positions.
Analysis scope
Full bill impact depends on future interpretive guidance from the Ethics Commission.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedCurrent
- CommitteeUpcoming
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
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06
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