Governor Bruce Rauner is criticizing Illinois lawmakers for passing “hurried” ethics legislation last week.
As the recent flood of sexual harassment stories reached the Illinois Statehouse, it came out that the job of chief ethics investigator for the legislature had sat vacant for nearly three years.
Lawmakers quickly moved to appoint a former federal prosecutor to the role, but they also had to extend a statute of limitations, so she could deal with the 27 cases that had stacked up.
That required a new law, which required the governor's signature.
“House Bill 137 is very flawed.”
Rauner signed it anyway, but says if the inspector general finds a problem, a different statute of limitations in the law could prevent her from filing a complaint with the Legislative Ethics Commission.
“They should have dealt with that in the bill. … I hope they come back quickly and make it better."
A spokesman for the House Democrats says task forces looking at sexual harassment policies will be open to suggestions for changing the law.
