103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB0046

 

Introduced 1/20/2023, by Sen. David Koehler

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Act. Provides that the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission is created and shall exercise jurisdiction with respect to the duties and powers delegated to it under the Act within the following port districts and counties: the Seneca Regional Port District, the Ottawa Port District, the Illinois Valley Regional Port District, the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District, and the Havana Port District and Fulton, Mason, Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau, LaSalle, and Grundy counties. Provides that the Commission shall (1) coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives in the Commission area to enhance the reporting and benefits of statistical data; (2) make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, Congress, and federal agencies on regional issues that impact multimodal transportation, economic development, environmental sustainability, and climate resiliency of the Commission area; (3) coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives on the larger Illinois Waterway with the Mid-America Port Commission and the Joliet Regional Port District; (4) coordinate and synchronize federal activities associated with the nonfederal sponsorship of the M-55 Illinois-Gulf Marine Highway; and (5) request and assist in requesting funding for the Commission area and the surrounding areas, as the Commission deems necessary. Includes provisions relating to the organization of the Commission and the Commission's powers. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB0046LRB103 04660 AWJ 50202 b

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
5Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Act.
 
6    Section 5. Creation; membership; administrative support.
7    (a) The Illinois Waterway Ports Commission is hereby
8created. The Commission shall exercise jurisdiction with
9respect to the duties and powers delegated to it under this Act
10within the following port districts and counties: the Seneca
11Regional Port District, the Ottawa Port District, the Illinois
12Valley Regional Port District, the Heart of Illinois Regional
13Port District, and the Havana Port District and Fulton, Mason,
14Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau, LaSalle,
15and Grundy counties.
16    (b) The Commission shall consist of the following 9
17appointed members:
18        (1) a member of the Board of the Seneca Regional Port
19    District, appointed by the Chairperson of the Board;
20        (2) a member of the Board of the Ottawa Port District,
21    appointed by the Chairperson of the Board;
22        (3) a member of the Board of the Illinois Valley
23    Regional Port District, appointed by the Chairperson of

 

 

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1    the Board;
2        (4) a member of the Board of the Heart of Illinois
3    Regional Port District, appointed by the Chairperson of
4    the Board;
5        (5) a member of the Board of the Havana Regional Port
6    District, appointed by the Chairperson of the Board;
7        (6) a member from a not-for-profit organization that
8    assists with local government planning within the northern
9    territory of the Commission, appointed by the majority
10    vote of the chairpersons of the Seneca Regional Port
11    District, Ottawa Port District, Illinois Valley Regional
12    Port District, Heart of Illinois Regional Port District,
13    and Havana Regional Port District;
14        (7) a member appointed by the Tri-County Regional
15    Planning Commission from the Tri-County Regional Planning
16    Commission;
17        (8) a member from a not-for-profit organization that
18    assists with local government planning within the southern
19    territory of the Commission, appointed by the majority
20    vote of the chairpersons of the Seneca Regional Port
21    District, Ottawa Port District, Illinois Valley Regional
22    Port District, Heart of Illinois Regional Port District,
23    and Havana Regional Port District;
24        (9) a member that is recommended by the Chairperson of
25    the Board of the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District
26    and appointed by the majority vote of the chairpersons of

 

 

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1    the Seneca Regional Port District, Ottawa Port District,
2    Illinois Valley Regional Port District, Heart of Illinois
3    Regional Port District, and Havana Regional Port District.
4    The members shall be appointed no later than 90 days after
5the effective date of this Act. The members shall hold office
6for a period of 6 years, or until a successor has been
7appointed, and the members shall serve without compensation.
8At the expiration of the term of an appointed member, the
9person, organization, chairperson, or chairpersons who
10appointed the member shall appoint a successor who shall hold
11office for 6 years or until a successor has been appointed.
12    (c) The members of the Commission shall elect a
13chairperson of the Commission for a 2-year term after all the
14members are selected. A member of the Commission shall not
15serve more than 2 terms as chairperson.
16    (d) If a vacancy occurs in the Commission membership, the
17vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original
18appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.
19    (e) The Commission shall meet no less than once a year.
20    (f) The Heart of Illinois Regional Port District shall
21provide administrative support and other support to the
22Commission.
 
23    Section 10. Duties. The Commission has the following
24duties:
25    (1) to coordinate and synchronize common efforts and

 

 

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1initiatives within the areas over which it has jurisdiction
2under this Act in order to enhance the reporting and benefits
3of statistical data;
4    (2) to make recommendations to the Governor, the General
5Assembly, Congress, and federal agencies on regional issues
6that impact multimodal transportation, economic development,
7environmental sustainability, and climate resiliency within
8the areas over which it has jurisdiction under this Act;
9    (3) to coordinate and synchronize common efforts and
10initiatives with the Mid-America Port Commission and the
11Joliet Regional Port District;
12    (4) to coordinate and synchronize federal activities
13associated with the nonfederal sponsorship and development of
14the M-55 Illinois-Gulf Marine Highway; and
15    (5) to request funding or assist in requesting funding, as
16it deems necessary, for those areas over which it has
17jurisdiction under this Act.
 
18    Section 15. Powers.
19    (a) The Commission may request funding from any federal,
20state, municipal, or local government or any other person or
21organization for purposes of the Commission within the
22Commission's jurisdiction. The individual port districts
23within the Commission's jurisdiction retain authority to
24request funding from any federal, state, municipal, or local
25government or any other person or organization for purposes of

 

 

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1the individual port districts within the Commission area.
2    (b) The Commission may enter into a memorandum of
3understanding or intergovernmental agreement with the State, a
4unit of local government, or a federal governmental
5organization in the performance of its duties. The Commission
6may not exercise control over a operation of a port district
7established by any other law except by voluntary agreement
8between the port district and the Commission.
9    (c) The Commission may perform any other act that may be
10useful in performing its duties under Section 10 or powers
11under this Section.
 
12    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
13becoming law.