Mayor Rahm Emanuel today outlined a package of ethics reforms designed to increase government transparency and accountability. The reforms, which will be introduced for City Council consideration, include changes that will move the workers’ compensation program to the City Comptroller, which would mean that the program, like any city department, will be subject to the Inspector General’s jurisdiction; strengthen conflicts of interest (related to Council Rule 14) disclosures; expand restrictions on outside Aldermanic employment; put a spotlight on zoning and permitting actions; and limit campaign contributions from parties with matters before City Council.

“This package builds on nearly eight years of ethics reforms that began in my first hours of office,” said Mayor Emanuel. “We are bringing transparency to programs and processes that were previously opaque, but no rule replaces a strong moral compass and no law takes the place of the judgment to recognize right from wrong. Every public official must follow the north star of public service, not private gain.”

The Mayor will directly introduce a measure for consideration into Committee for passage by the full Council at the January 23meeting to transfer jurisdiction over the workers’ compensation program to the City Comptroller; most major cities also house workers’ compensation in the department that handles employee benefits. The jurisdictional move means that, for the first time, the City Inspector General will be able to investigate the program just like a program within any other city department.

Separately, the Mayor will introduce a package outlining a number of other ethics reforms. The package will include changes related to Rule 14, a City Council Rule that may be invoked by Aldermen to abstain from voting on matters in which they have a conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest. The conflicts of interest provision will be expanded to provide that a Committee Chairman may not recuse themselves from matters before the committee because of a conflict of interest more than three times per calendar year. The change would also enhance conflict of interest disclosure provisions; the Board of Ethics would review disclosures for sufficient detail, request further detail when necessary and assess penalties under the Ethics Ordinance for matters of noncompliance. The proposed changes also prohibit an Alderman from presiding over proceedings related to a matter that will include a conflict of interest recusal.

The proposal will also require aldermen to file an addendum to their annual Statements of Financial Interest within 30 days of any changes relating to outside employment, board service or business interests.

The package proposes several steps to bring clarity and transparency to zoning and permitting actions. To avoid zoning matters from becoming indefinitely postponed, the package contains a proposal that would require the Committee on Zoning to take an up or down vote on all zoning map amendment introductions within six months, with the option for deferral only at the request of the applicant. Additionally, the package will require objections by an alderman to the issuance of a permit to be made in writing prior to the issuance of the permit and the alderman would be required to state substantive reasons for the objection.

Finally, the package would limit campaign contributions from parties with matters before City Council. Currently, campaign contributions from a person who had a matter in front of the council or committee were barred for six months following the matter’s consideration. Under the proposed change, these persons would also not be able to contribute for six months prior to the matter’s consideration by a committee or council.

The proposed package of ethics reforms follow significant reforms enacted by Mayor Emanuel since his election in 2011. Under the Mayor’s leadership, the City of Chicago was dismissed from the Shakman lawsuit, ending decades of federal oversight into the city’s hiring practices; the Office of the Inspector General has been expanded and, for the first time, every city agency and department is under oversight by an Inspector General; stricter limits on lobbying activities have been enacted and an online lobbying database was launched; the entire Board of Ethics was replaced; and the conflict of interest and financial interest language was strengthened in the Ethics Ordinance.

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