SPRINGFIELD – A 16-member ethics commission will be formed after a resolution sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) passed the Senate this week.

“Legislators and lobbyists absolutely must be held to high standards,” Castro said. “No one should be able to profit from their public service.”

House Joint Resolution 93 creates the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying. The commission will be comprised of 16 members appointed by the Senate president, the Senate minority leader, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the House minority leader, the governor, the secretary of state and the attorney general.

Under the resolution, members of the commission may not have been registered as lobbyists within the previous five years, and the commission will be required to hold public hearings.

“As recent events have caused the public to lose trust in their legislator’s ethics, I hope this commission can help regain that trust,” Castro said.