These are unprecedented times for fresh faces in Chicago and Illinois government, making it an ideal time for a new-day approach to transparency, accountability and ethics.

We have a new mayor in Brandon Johnson, of course. For the first time in 54 years, there is no Ald. Ed Burke in City Hall. We have a younger, much more diverse City Council. There are 16 council members who either are brand new or who have less than five years’ experience, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

In Springfield, there’s no more Mike Madigan after nearly four decades of ironclad rule. The Democratic majority leaders, Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Chris Welch, have served for many years, but have been in their leadership positions for three years or less. They’ve shown signs of involving their members more in key operations, as evidenced by the extra time it took to get a budget approved this year. The Republican leaders are even newer to their roles. And there are plenty of fresh faces among the rank and file.

Fully half of the Senate Democrats have five years of experience or less, according to research compiled by John Amdor, a partner in the lobbying firm of Nekritz Amdor Andersson Group. More than 40% of Senate Republicans have less than five years’ experience. In the Illinois House, more than 55% of the Democrats and more than two-thirds of the Republicans have less than three, two-year terms under their belts.

In both of our biggest government venues, this seems like a wonderful opportunity for the newer members to join up with their experienced counterparts to enact some meaningful change for the better that could impress their constituents and begin to restore their faith after years of a steady stream of corruption headlines and convictions.

In Chicago, Ald. Andre Vasquez recently refreshed his proposal to restrict the other kinds of jobs council members can hold. That’s worth considering and debating. After all, Burke frequently was criticized for the conflicts of interest that came with him representing businesses and individuals seeking property tax breaks as their lawyer. Vasquez’s proposal would make the aldermanic position full time, allowing only for volunteer legal work or for council members to serve as landlords for less than five properties.

Now also would be a great time to fix the loophole recently uncovered that allowed several council members to hire, as a consultant, a former park district manager who landed on the city’s Do-Not-Rehire list after he was cited repeatedly for mishandling a major sexual harassment scandal.

Ald. Matt Martin would like to launch a hearing on a plan to institute ranked-choice voting in city elections, which would eliminate runoffs and give voters the ability to show support for more than one candidate in a race. Let’s have that discussion and get moving on considering it for state and presidential elections as well. Rep. Maurice West and Sen. Laura Murphy already have hosted hearings on ranked-choice voting this past session in Springfield. Let’s work out the kinks and the funding for election authorities that need upgrades and give it a go.

If new and experienced officials who are committed to improving our institutions’ operations get organized and band together, there’s no limit to the good that might come from it.

They could change the rules so that legislative proposals with a decent amount of support would be required to get debates and votes in the House and Senate and on the council floor. If a bill in Springfield can win the support and sponsorship of a couple of dozen Democrats and a couple of dozen Republicans, it deserves a debate and a vote.

Let’s lead the nation. Rather than a weak law that lets lawmakers lobby their former colleagues almost immediately upon quitting, organized majorities in Springfield could push a law to require a more than two-year break before former elected officials can lobby their colleagues.

Credit and kudos to our elected officials who did just enact a law to allow the state Office of Inspector General a stronger range of penalties when wrongdoing and abuse is uncovered at state agencies, as occurred recently at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center downstate. Empowered inspectors general can and should work across all levels of government, including the Legislature. 

And thank you to lawmakers who unveiled a plan late in the just-ended session to ban red-light camera companies and their officers from donating to state and local candidates. If it works in this instance to curb contributions, how about trying it elsewhere?

With more fresh officials on the job in Chicago and Springfield joining some veteran officials in enacting reforms, let’s keep the momentum going. Let’s get even more done to bolster our governments, campaigns and elections. There’s no better time than right now. 

This article is originally appeared on June 26, 2023 in Crain’s Chicago Business. Read the article in its original context here.