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PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
AMENDMENT TO ETHICS ORDINANCE
BE IT ORDAINED, by the Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners, that Title 1 - Administrative, Chapter 13 - Code of Ethical Conduct, Section 1-13-2, Subsection L (7) of the Forest Preserve District Code is hereby amended as follows:
1-13-2: - CODE OF CONDUCT.
L. Political Activity.
(7) Except as provided by subsection c, Sixty days prior to a general, primary, or special election and ending the day after such election in which an elected Official is a candidate, District funds and or resources may not be used by any elected District Official to print, mail, transmit, or pay for the printing, mailing, or transmission of any newsletters or brochures bearing the proper name of the elected District Official during the period of time design, print, transmit, and/or distribute;
a. Print newsletters or brochures bearing the name or image of the elected District Official who is a candidate in an election; Sixty (60) days prior to a general primary election and ending the day after such general primary election; and
b. Public service announcements or advertisements that are on behalf of a District administered program and contains the proper name, image, or voice of an elected District Official who is a candidate in an election that is broadcast or aired on radio or television, printed in a commercial newspaper or commercial magazine, or shared or posted on any District owned website or District owned social media account. Sixty (60) days prior to a general election and ending the day after such general election.
c. Exceptions. The prohibitions in paragraphs 7a and 7b of this section shall not apply to: This Section shall not apply to:
(1) Responses to unsolicited inquiries from constituents and other interested parties; or
(2) Informational brochures that are solely related to and accompany any mailing of a property tax bill, notice of property tax assessment, or notice of voter registration or polling place information, or to a brochure mailed to a constituent in response to that constituent's inquiry concerning the needs of that constituent or questions raised by that constituent.
(3) Budget Books (Annual Appropriations Ordinances); annual and other official reports; memos, letters, and other communications on District letterhead; and coverage of press releases on official District events noting speakers or ribbon cutting or other official duties of elected Officials.
d. No public service announcement or advertisement that is on behalf of any District administered program and contains the proper name, image, or voice of any elected District Official shall be paid with District funds and broadcast or aired on radio or television or printed in a commercial newspaper or commercial magazine at any time on or after the date that the elected District Official files nominating papers for any elected office, and ending the day after such general election if the elected District Official is a candidate in such primary or general election. This Section shall not apply to any information available or posted by the District or any elected District Official on any District owned website or District owned social media account or broadcast or aired on the "public educational, government access" channels.
e. Permanent Prohibitions. The proper name or image of any elected Official may not appear on any promotional materials or items if designed, paid for, produced, and/or distributed with public funds or resources, including, but not limited to:
(1) Bumper stickers;
(2) Commercial billboards;
(3) Lapel pins or buttons;
(4) Magnets;
(5) Sports teams;
(6) Items of clothing or apparel;
(7) Stickers;
(8) Calendars, with the exception of the annual District wall calendar which highlights and features photographic images of the flora and fauna, historical buildings, and landmarks within the District;
(9) Vehicles; or
(10) Equipment.
f. At no time during official district events, shall any Official disseminate or display political promotional material that includes the Official's name and/or image.
Effective date: This ordinance shall be in effect immediately upon adoption.
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