99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
HC0034

 

Introduced , by Rep. Mike Smiddy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
ILCON Art. VII, Sec. 6

    Proposes to amend the Local Government Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that a municipality shall automatically become a home rule unit with a population of more than 20,000 (currently, more than 25,000). Makes conforming changes. Effective upon being declared adopted.


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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
5SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the
6electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general
7election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of
8this resolution a proposition to amend Section 6 of Article VII
9as follows:
 
10
ARTICLE VII
11
LOCAL GOVERNMENT

12    (ILCON Art. VII, Sec. 6)
13SECTION 6. POWERS OF HOME RULE UNITS
14    (a) A County which has a chief executive officer elected by
15the electors of the county and any municipality which has a
16population of more than 20,000 25,000 are home rule units.
17Other municipalities may elect by referendum to become home
18rule units. Except as limited by this Section, a home rule unit
19may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to
20its government and affairs including, but not limited to, the
21power to regulate for the protection of the public health,
22safety, morals and welfare; to license; to tax; and to incur
23debt.

 

 

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1    (b) A home rule unit by referendum may elect not to be a
2home rule unit.
3    (c) If a home rule county ordinance conflicts with an
4ordinance of a municipality, the municipal ordinance shall
5prevail within its jurisdiction.
6    (d) A home rule unit does not have the power (1) to incur
7debt payable from ad valorem property tax receipts maturing
8more than 40 years from the time it is incurred or (2) to
9define and provide for the punishment of a felony.
10    (e) A home rule unit shall have only the power that the
11General Assembly may provide by law (1) to punish by
12imprisonment for more than six months or (2) to license for
13revenue or impose taxes upon or measured by income or earnings
14or upon occupations.
15    (f) A home rule unit shall have the power subject to
16approval by referendum to adopt, alter or repeal a form of
17government provided by law, except that the form of government
18of Cook County shall be subject to the provisions of Section 3
19of this Article. A home rule municipality shall have the power
20to provide for its officers, their manner of selection and
21terms of office only as approved by referendum or as otherwise
22authorized by law. A home rule county shall have the power to
23provide for its officers, their manner of selection and terms
24of office in the manner set forth in Section 4 of this Article.
25    (g) The General Assembly by a law approved by the vote of
26three-fifths of the members elected to each house may deny or

 

 

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1limit the power to tax and any other power or function of a
2home rule unit not exercised or performed by the State other
3than a power or function specified in subsection (l) of this
4section.
5    (h) The General Assembly may provide specifically by law
6for the exclusive exercise by the State of any power or
7function of a home rule unit other than a taxing power or a
8power or function specified in subsection (l) of this Section.
9    (i) Home rule units may exercise and perform concurrently
10with the State any power or function of a home rule unit to the
11extent that the General Assembly by law does not specifically
12limit the concurrent exercise or specifically declare the
13State's exercise to be exclusive.
14    (j) The General Assembly may limit by law the amount of
15debt which home rule counties may incur and may limit by law
16approved by three-fifths of the members elected to each house
17the amount of debt, other than debt payable from ad valorem
18property tax receipts, which home rule municipalities may
19incur.
20    (k) The General Assembly may limit by law the amount and
21require referendum approval of debt to be incurred by home rule
22municipalities, payable from ad valorem property tax receipts,
23only in excess of the following percentages of the assessed
24value of its taxable property: (1) if its population is 500,000
25or more, an aggregate of three percent; (2) if its population
26is more than 20,000 25,000 and less than 500,000, an aggregate

 

 

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1of one percent; and (3) if its population is 20,000 25,000 or
2less, an aggregate of one-half percent. Indebtedness which is
3outstanding on the effective date of this Constitution or which
4is thereafter approved by referendum or assumed from another
5unit of local government shall not be included in the foregoing
6percentage amounts.
7    (l) The General Assembly may not deny or limit the power of
8home rule units (1) to make local improvements by special
9assessment and to exercise this power jointly with other
10counties and municipalities, and other classes of units of
11local government having that power on the effective date of
12this Constitution unless that power is subsequently denied by
13law to any such other units of local government or (2) to levy
14or impose additional taxes upon areas within their boundaries
15in the manner provided by law for the provision of special
16services to those areas and for the payment of debt incurred in
17order to provide those special services.
18    (m) Powers and functions of home rule units shall be
19construed liberally.
20(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
 
21
SCHEDULE
22    This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
23declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
24Constitutional Amendment Act.