Kifowit Measure Curtailing the Power of Lame Duck Governors Passes House

AURORA, Ill. – In response to former Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign manager being appointed to a $160,000 a year state board in the final days of the governor’s administration, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, passed legislation last week to curtail the power of an outgoing governor’s administration in making appoints.

“High level positions in Illinois that come with high salaries should be filled in a process that is open and accountable,” Kifowit said. “These late term appointments hijack the will of people by locking in an appointee.”

Under current law, those appointed by an outgoing governor during the end of their term are only allowed to serve 60 days into the subsequent administration. Kifowit’s House Bill 4078 would also limit appointments made by state boards overseen by the governor’s administration. A late term appointment to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) will pay $160,000 a year for the next two years.

“State boards under the executive branch should be subject to the same transparency and accountability requirement as the administration,” Kifowit said. “This legislation is not about punishing one person, or one party, but is about being fair to the people of Illinois.”

To RSVP or for more information, please contact Kifowit’s constituent service office by phone at 630-585-1308, by email at Stephanie.Kifowit@att.net, or by visiting www.ILDistrict84.com.