96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB4852

 

Introduced 1/15/2010, by Rep. Jack D. Franks

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
20 ILCS 3986/Act rep.

    Creates the Local Government Consolidation Commission Act of 2010. Establishes a commission of legislative members and local government representatives appointed by the Governor to report to the Governor and General Assembly on consolidating local governments. Provides for support of the commission by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Repeals the Local Government Consolidation Commission Act. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2     WHEREAS, Many of the local governmental units in the State
3 of Illinois were established under provisions of the Illinois
4 Constitution of 1870; and
5     WHEREAS, There have been rapid changes in the population of
6 Illinois in numbers, in concentration, and in movement, as well
7 as vast economic, social, and technological changes, that
8 strain the ability of Illinois local governments adequately to
9 furnish necessary services; and
10     WHEREAS, Illinois local governments were conceived to
11 serve a rural society; in areas not experiencing the impact of
12 modern changes, they may be adequate, but in areas of great
13 change, notably the urban areas, they are not sufficiently
14 flexible, do not have adequate powers and financing, and are
15 not responsive to present-day needs in transportation, health,
16 water supply, water pollution, air pollution, recreation,
17 disposal of sewage, and disposal of refuse; and
18     WHEREAS, The inadequacies in Illinois local governments
19 have resulted in the creation of numerous functional local
20 governments all competing for financial and jurisdictional
21 support from the same area; therefore,
 
22     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
23 represented in the General Assembly:
 

 

 

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1     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Local
2 Government Consolidation Commission Act of 2010.
 
3     Section 5. Commission; creation; members. There is created
4 a Local Government Consolidation Commission, to consist of 17
5 members, 3 to be members of the Senate appointed by the
6 President of the Senate, 3 to be members of the Senate
7 appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, 3 to be members of the
8 House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House,
9 3 to be members of the House of Representatives appointed by
10 the House Minority Leader, and 5 to be citizens of the State
11 appointed by the Governor as follows:
12     (1) one member selected from recommendations provided by an
13 association representing counties;
14     (2) one member selected from recommendations provided by an
15 association representing municipalities;
16     (3) one member selected from recommendations provided by an
17 association representing townships;
18     (4) one member selected from recommendations provided by an
19 association representing park districts; and
20     (5) one member who serves as an elected officer of a local
21 governmental entity in Illinois other than a county,
22 municipality, township, or park district.
 
23     Section 10. Study; recommendations. The Commission shall
24 make a survey of the entire structure of local governments and

 

 

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1 of their organization, powers, jurisdiction, and functions.
2 Among other things, and without limiting its activities, the
3 Commission shall:
4     (1) Study all laws governing the organization, powers,
5 jurisdiction, and functions of local governments.
6     (2) Study the inter-relationships of local governments to
7 each other and to federal and State governments.
8     (3) Formulate specific recommendations for legislation or
9 constitutional amendments to (i) permit effective management
10 of local affairs, (ii) encourage local policy decision making,
11 (iii) reduce the multiplicity of local governments, (iv)
12 eliminate overlapping and duplicating of unnecessary powers,
13 (v) increase efficiency and economy in local governments, and
14 (vi) allow optional forms of local governments and increase
15 their authority for cooperation among the levels of government.
 
16     Section 15. Meetings; officers. The members of the
17 Commission shall meet and the Commission shall be organized
18 within 90 days after the effective date of this Act, and shall
19 at that time elect a chair from among the members. The
20 Commission may adopt its own rules of procedure. The Commission
21 may employ or use the services of specialists in public
22 administration and governmental management and any other
23 trained consultants, analysts, investigators, and assistants
24 it may consider necessary, on either a full-time or a part-time
25 basis. The Commission shall fix the compensation for any paid

 

 

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1 employees, which shall be paid from moneys appropriated to the
2 Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for that
3 purpose.
 
4     Section 20. Compensation; expenses. The members of the
5 Commission shall serve without compensation. The Department of
6 Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall provide support for the
7 Commission, and pay members' actual traveling and other
8 expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of the
9 Commission, from moneys appropriated to the Department for
10 those purposes.
 
11     Section 25. Report. The Commission shall render its final
12 report to the General Assembly not later than December 31,
13 2011, setting out its findings and recommendations and
14 proposing those measures it considers necessary to effect
15 essential changes and improvements in the existing laws
16 relating to any or all of the matters enumerated in Section 10
17 of this Act.
 
18     (20 ILCS 3986/Act rep.)
19     Section 30. The Local Government Consolidation Commission
20 Act is repealed.
 
21     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22 becoming law.