Illinois Code § 2-108

§ 2-108.

Disqualification of a Commissioner from certain proceedings. (a) Definitions. In this Section: "Degree of relationship" is calculated according to the civil law. "Fiduciary" includes without limitation a personal representative, an executor, an administrator, a trustee, and a guardian. "Financial interest" means ownership of a legal or equitable interest, however small, or being in the relationship of director, advisor, or other active participant in the affairs of a party, except the following: (i) Ownership in a mutual or common investment fund that holds securities is not a "financial interest" in those securities unless the Commissioner participates in the management of the fund. (ii) An office in an educational, religious, charitable, fraternal, or civic organization is not a "financial interest" in securities held by the organization. (iii) The proprietary interest of a policyholder in a mutual insurance company, a depositor in a mutual savings association, or a similar proprietary interest is a "financial interest" in the organization only if the outcome of the proceeding could substantially affect the value of the interest. (iv) Ownership of government securities is a "financial interest" in the issuer only if the outcome of the proceeding could substantially affect the value of the securities. (b) A Commissioner must disqualify himself or herself in a proceeding in which his or her impartiality might reasonably be questioned, including without limitation the following: (1) The Commissioner has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party or a party's lawyer. (2) At any time during the preceding 3 years, the Commissioner was employed by or served as a lawyer, witness, consultant, or advisor, with respect to any regulatory issue within the purview of the statutes conferring jurisdiction on the Commission for any public utility, telecommunications carrier, motor carrier, or an affiliated interest of a public utility, telecommunications carrier, or motor carrier who is a party to the proceeding. (3) The Commissioner was, within the preceding 3 years, a partner in, associated with, or employed by any firm, partnership, company, or corporation which, within the preceding 3 years or currently, served or is serving as a lawyer, witness, consultant, or advisor, with respect to any regulatory issue within the purview of the statutes conferring jurisdiction on the Commission for any public utility, telecommunications carrier, motor carrier, or an affiliated interest of a public utility, telecommunications carrier, or motor carrier who is a party to the proceeding, except that referral of cases when no monetary interest is retained is not an association within the meaning of this paragraph. (4) The Commissioner knows that he or she, individually or as a fiduciary, or that a spouse or minor child residing in his or her household has a substantial financial interest in the subject matter of the proceeding or in a party to the proceeding or has any interest other than financial that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding. (5) The Commissioner, his or her spouse, a person within the second degree of relationship to either of them, or the spouse of a person within that degree of relationship: (A) is a party to the proceeding or an officer, director, or trustee of a party; (B) is acting as a lawyer in the proceeding; or (C) is to the Commissioner's knowledge likely to be a witness, consultant, or advisor to any party to the proceeding. (c) A Commissioner must inform himself or herself about the Commissioner's personal and fiduciary financial interests and shall make a reasonable effort to inform himself or herself about the personal financial interests of the Commissioner's spouse and minor children residing in his or her household. (d) If a Commissioner disqualifies himself or herself, the Commissioner shall provide a written explanation of the reasons for the disqualification to all parties to the proceeding. This Section shall apply only to persons appointed or reappointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission and confirmed by the Senate after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991. (Source: P.A. 87-801.)