Index

FUNCTIONS

Administrative Code  |   Ethics  |   Lobbyists  |   Notary Public  |   Public Records

When Illinois first became a state in 1818, state government was comparatively small and insignificant. Likewise, the Secretary of State was more or less a personal secretary to the Governor. The Constitution, for example, required only that the secretary "keep a fair register of the official acts of the Governor." What then was the Office of the Secretary of State is now the Department of Index.

Today, the Index Department performs more than 100 statutory duties. The following is a brief description of the major areas of responsibility of the department. There are four distinct divisions within the Index Department:

Administrative Code

The Administrative Code Division maintains a complete library of all rules, both rescinded and current, dating back to the 1930's. The Division publishes proposed, adopted, emergency and other rule making activities weekly in the Illinois Register. It also publishes all adopted rules in the Illinois Administrative Code, and issues on a quarterly basis, the Title Index, Agency Index, Subject Index and the Statute Cross Reference Index.

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Ethics

The Index Department notifies those individuals who are required to file a Statement of Economic Interests with the Secretary of State and files, processes, and maintains the statements received from these persons.

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Lobbyists

"Lobbyist" means any person who is employed by a registered lobbying entity who undertakes direct lobbying communication with an official (as defined in the Act) for the ultimate purpose of influencing executive, legislative or administrative action.

Visit our Lobbyist Services section.

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NOTARY PUBLIC

The 183,158 active notaries public in Illinois have been appointed and commissioned by the Index Department. In addition is the controlling authority for specialty notarization, Certificates of Authority, Certificates of Incumbency and Apostilles.

Visit our Notary Services section.

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PUBLIC RECORDS

The Public Records Division maintains the state's official records of miscellaneous public documents including the statements of economic interest filings, Governor's appointments to boards and commissions, official pardons, international will deposits, state will deposits, municipal incorporations, oaths of office, credit service organization registrations, home rule referendums, facsimile signatures, agency workforce reports, prevailing wage rate filings, Session Laws of Illinois and mass transit district registrations and audits.

Visit our Public Records section.

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