103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2076

 

Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Christopher Belt

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 805/805-535  was 20 ILCS 805/63b2.2

    Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that any person hired by the Department of Natural Resources for a sworn law enforcement position or position that has arrest authority must at the time of hire, be not less than 20 years of age and have successfully completed an associate's degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or university. Provides that any person so hired shall not have power of arrest, nor shall he or she be permitted to carry firearms, until he or she reaches 21 years of age (rather than at the time of hire, the person must be not less than 21 years of age, or 20 years of age and have successfully completed an associate's degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or university, and any person hired after successful completion of an associate's degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or university shall not have power of arrest, nor shall he or she be permitted to carry firearms, until he or she reaches 21 years of age). Effective immediately.


LRB103 27080 RLC 53448 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2076LRB103 27080 RLC 53448 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Natural Resources
5(Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of
6Illinois is amended by changing Section 805-535 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 805/805-535)  (was 20 ILCS 805/63b2.2)
8    Sec. 805-535. Conservation Police Officers. In addition to
9the arrest powers prescribed by law, Conservation Police
10Officers are conservators of the peace and as such have all
11powers possessed by policemen, except that they may exercise
12those powers anywhere in this State. Conservation Police
13Officers acting under the authority of this Section are
14considered employees of the Department and are subject to its
15direction, benefits, and legal protection.
16    Any person hired by the Department of Natural Resources
17after July 1, 2022 for a sworn law enforcement position or
18position that has arrest authority must meet the following
19minimum professional standards:
20        (1) At the time of hire, the person must be not less
21    than 21 years of age, or 20 years of age and have
22    successfully completed an associate's degree or 60 credit
23    hours at an accredited college or university. Any person

 

 

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1    so hired after successful completion of an associate's
2    degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or
3    university shall not have power of arrest, nor shall he or
4    she be permitted to carry firearms, until he or she
5    reaches 21 years of age;
6        (2) The person must possess the skill level and
7    demonstrate the ability to swim at a competency level
8    approved by the Department in an administrative rule; and
9        (3) The person must successfully obtain certification
10    pursuant to the Illinois Police Training Act and must also
11    successfully complete the Conservation Police Academy
12    training program, consisting of not less than 400 hours of
13    training, within one year of hire.
14    Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, all persons
15who meet one of the following requirements are deemed to have
16met the collegiate education requirements:
17        (i) have been honorably discharged and who have been
18    awarded a Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign
19    Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign
20    Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, or Global War on Terrorism
21    Expeditionary Medal by the United States Armed Forces;
22        (ii) are active members of the Illinois National Guard
23    or a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces
24    and who have been awarded a Southwest Asia Service Medal,
25    Kosovo Campaign Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal,
26    Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, or Global

 

 

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1    War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal as a result of
2    honorable service during deployment on active duty;
3        (iii) have been honorably discharged and served in a
4    combat mission by proof of hostile fire pay or imminent
5    danger pay during deployment on active duty; or
6        (iv) have at least 3 years of full active and
7    continuous military duty and received an honorable
8    discharge before hiring.
9    The Department of Natural Resources must adopt an
10administrative rule listing those disciplines that qualify as
11directly related areas of study.
12(Source: P.A. 102-837, eff. 5-13-22.)
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
14becoming law.