Amendments to Library District Trustee Qualifications

Amendments to Library District Trustee Qualifications

  Wednesday, August 29, 2018    Julie Tappendorf

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Illinois recently enacted P.A. 100-0746 which amends the Public Library District Act of 1991.

The new law provides that a person is not eligible to serve as a library trustee in a library district unless:

• he or she is a qualified elector of the library district; and 
• has resided in the library district at least one year at the time he or she files nomination papers or a declaration of intent to become a write-in candidate or is presented for appointment.

 In addition, a person is not eligible to serve as a library trustee for a library district if:

1. at the time of his or her appointment or filing of nomination papers or a declaration of intent to become a write-in candidate, is in arrears in the payment of a tax or other indebtedness due to the library district; or
2.  has been convicted of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony.

This law applies to trustee candidates who file nomination papers by petition or write-in candidates in the Consolidated Election of 2019 and to all appointees to a vacant trustee position who are appointed after the effective date of this amendment.

The law took effect immediately upon becoming law on August 10, 2018.