103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4839

 

Introduced 2/7/2024, by Rep. Laura Faver Dias

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Protecting Illinois Native Landscapes Act. Provides that a unit of local government may not enact or enforce an ordinance or resolution that prohibits or unreasonably restricts an owner, authorized agent, or authorized occupant of privately owned residential land or a premises from allowing Illinois native species to voluntarily grow within the landscape or to install and maintain Illinois native species within a managed native landscape. Provides that native landscaping that may not be prohibited includes small or large areas of native landscaping in the front, back, or side yard or in areas that do not fit a standard definition of yard, such as areas on farms, rural properties, corporate campuses, school campuses, and large estates. Excludes from the scope of the Act an ordinance or resolution of a unit of local government that prohibits plants, trees, or other landscaping from interfering with public transportation, vehicular traffic, or driveway or entrance road sight lines or from crossing sidewalks or property boundaries. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Protecting Illinois Native Landscapes Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
7    "Illinois native species" means trees, shrubs, vines,
8ferns, flowers, forbs, sedges, grasses, and other plants
9growing in the State of Illinois prior to European settlement
10or as otherwise defined by rule of the Department of Natural
11Resources.
12    "Native landscape" means an intentionally maintained area
13of grasses, wildflowers, forbs, ferns, shrubs, or trees
14comprised primarily of Illinois native species as verified by
15a unit of local government or by a nonprofit land trust that is
16nationally accredited by the Land Trust Alliance. "Native
17landscape" includes Illinois native species that are in excess
18of 8 inches in height and have gone to seed. "Native landscape"
19does not include exotic or noxious weeds regulated under the
20Illinois Noxious Weed Law, the Illinois Exotic Weed Act, or an
21ordinance or resolution of a unit of local government.
 
22    Section 10. Regulations restricting Illinois native

 

 

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1species.
2    (a) A unit of local government may not enact or enforce an
3ordinance or resolution that prohibits or unreasonably
4restricts an owner, authorized agent, or authorized occupant
5of privately owned residential land or a premises from
6allowing Illinois native species to voluntarily grow within
7the landscape or to install and maintain Illinois native
8species within a managed native landscape.
9    (b) Native landscaping that may not be prohibited include
10small or large areas of native landscaping in the front, back,
11or side yard or in areas that do not fit a standard definition
12of yard, such as areas on farms, rural properties, corporate
13campuses, school campuses, and large estates.
 
14    Section 15. Exceptions. This Act does not apply to an
15ordinance or resolution of a unit of local government that
16prohibits plants, trees, or other landscaping from interfering
17with public transportation, vehicular traffic, or driveway or
18entrance road sight lines or from crossing sidewalks or
19property boundaries.
 
20    Section 20. Home rule. A home rule unit may not regulate
21Illinois native species and native landscapes in a manner
22inconsistent with this Act. This Act is a limitation under
23subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois
24Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule units of

 

 

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1powers and functions exercised by the State.