SB2360 - Judicial Campaign Reform Act

• Creates a voluntary public financing program for Illinois Supreme Court and Appellate Court judge campaigns, administered by the State Board of Elections and funded through the Illinois Judicial Election Democracy Trust Fund.

• Establishes mandatory contribution limits: natural persons limited to $2,000 per election period; corporations, labor organizations, and associations limited to $2,000 per period; judicial funds established by state political parties limited to $20,000 during general election periods.

• Provides eligible candidates who collect required qualifying contributions (0.15% of ballots cast in their district, $5-$25 per contributor) with public financing lines of credit: $750,000 total for Supreme Court candidates and $250,000 for Appellate Court candidates, adjustable for inflation.

• Funds the trust through income tax checkoffs (beginning 2025 tax year), $1 transfers from court filing/appearance fees, voluntary contributions capped at $1,000 annually, and penalties from candidates who violate contribution or expenditure limits.

• Effective January 1, 2025; requires fund to reach $5,000,000 before becoming operational and establishes penalties including forfeitures of 2-10 times excess contributions or expenditures and Class 3 felony charges for knowing violations.