August 5, 2011

To the Honorable Members of the

Illinois Senate,

97^th General Assembly

I hereby return Senate Bill 91 vetoed in its entirety.

Senate Bill 91 expands the territory under the purview of the Fox Waterway Agency to include all streams, side channels and other waters connected to the Fox Chain of Lakes that are not presently under their jurisdiction.  It also provides that all of these waters are open to the public for navigation and fishing.

Since this bill was transmitted to me, I have come to understand that there are many unresolved issues surrounding this piece of legislation. As Governor, I am committed to ensuring that the private property rights of our citizens are protected while promoting access to our State’s natural resources. Because it is apparent to me that this bill does not achieve this balance, I am pleased to honor the sponsor’s request that the bill be vetoed and encourage all involved parties to work together on a better solution.

Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(b) of the Illinois Constitution, I hereby return Senate Bill 91, entitled “AN ACT concerning transportation.”, vetoed in its entirety, with this statement of objections.

Sincerely,

PAT QUINN

Governor