HB0062 Enrolled

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    AN ACT creating a commission to study the problems and 
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organic laws pertaining to local government. 

 
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    WHEREAS, Many of the local governmental units in the State 
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of Illinois were
established under provisions of the Illinois 
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Constitution of 1870; and

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    WHEREAS, There have been rapid changes in the population of 
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Illinois in
numbers, in concentration, and in movement, as well 
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as vast economic, social,
and technological changes, that 
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strain the ability of Illinois local
governments adequately to 
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furnish necessary services; and

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    WHEREAS, Illinois local governments were conceived to 
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serve a rural society;
in areas not experiencing the impact of 
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modern changes, they may be adequate,
but in areas of great 
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change, notably the urban areas, they are not
sufficiently 
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flexible, do not have adequate powers and financing, and are 
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not
responsive to present-day needs in transportation, health, 
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water supply, water
pollution, air pollution, recreation, 
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disposal of sewage, and disposal of
refuse; and

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    WHEREAS, The inadequacies in Illinois local governments 
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have resulted in the
creation of numerous functional local 
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governments all competing for financial
and jurisdictional 
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support from the same area; therefore,


 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
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represented in the General Assembly: 


 
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    Section 1. Short title.   This Act may be cited as the Local 
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Government
Consolidation Commission Act.



 
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    Section 5. Commission; creation; members.   There is created 
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a Commission on
Local Government, to consist of
17 members, 3 
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to be members of the Senate appointed by the President of the

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Senate, 3 to
be members of the Senate appointed by the Senate 
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Minority Leader, 3 to be
members of
the House of 
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Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, 3 to be

 


 






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members of
the House of Representatives appointed by the House 
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Minority Leader, and 5 to
be
citizens of the State appointed by 
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the Governor as follows:
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    (1)  One member selected from recommendations provided by an 
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association representing counties;
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    (2)  One member selected from recommendations provided by an 
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association representing municipalities;
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    (3) One member selected from recommendations provided by an 
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association representing townships;
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    (4)  One member selected from recommendations provided by an 
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association representing park districts; and
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    (5)  One member who serves as an elected officer of a local 
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governmental entity in Illinois other than a county, 
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municipality, township, or park district.

 
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    Section 10. Study; recommendations.   The Commission shall 
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make a survey of
the entire structure of
local governments and 
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of their organization, powers, jurisdiction, and functions.
 
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Among other things, and without limiting its activities, the 
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Commission shall:


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    (1) Study all laws governing the organization, powers, 
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jurisdiction,
and functions of local governments.


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    (2) Study the inter-relationships of local governments to 
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each other and to
federal and State governments.


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    (3) Formulate specific recommendations for legislation or 
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constitutional
amendments to (i) permit effective management 
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of local affairs, (ii) encourage
local policy decision making, 
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(iii) reduce the multiplicity of local
governments,
(iv) 
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eliminate overlapping and duplicating of unnecessary powers, 
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(v) increase
efficiency and economy in local governments, and 
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(vi) allow optional forms of
local governments and increase 
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their authority for cooperation among the levels
of government.



 
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    Section 15. Meetings; officers.   The members of the 
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Commission shall meet and
the Commission
shall be organized 
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within 90 days after the effective date of this
Act, and shall 
 


 






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at that time elect a chair from among the members.  The

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Commission may adopt its own rules of procedure.  The Commission 
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may employ or
use the services of specialists in public 
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administration and governmental
management and any other 
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trained consultants, analysts, investigators, and
assistants 
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it may consider necessary, on either a full-time or a part-time

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basis.
The Commission shall fix the compensation for any paid 
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employees, which shall
be paid from moneys appropriated for 
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that purpose.



 
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    Section 20. Compensation; expenses.   The members of the 
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Commission shall
serve without compensation,
but their actual 
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traveling and other expenses while engaged in performance of

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the duties of the commission shall be paid from moneys 
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appropriated
for that purpose.



 
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    Section 25. Report.   The Commission shall render its final 
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report to the
General
Assembly not later than December 31, 
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2006, setting out its findings and
recommendations and 
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proposing those measures it considers necessary to effect

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essential changes and improvements in the existing laws 
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relating to any or
all of the matters enumerated in Section 10 
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of this Act.



 
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    Section 99. Effective date.   This Act takes effect upon 
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becoming law.