State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_SB0975enr

 
SB975 Enrolled                                 LRB9205635MWcd

 1        AN ACT in relation to elections.

 2        Be it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.   The  Election  Code  is amended by changing
 5    Section 12-5 as follows:

 6        (10 ILCS 5/12-5) (from Ch. 46, par. 12-5)
 7        Sec.  12-5.  Notice  for  public  questions.    For   all
 8    elections held after July 1, 1999, notice of public questions
 9    shall be required only as set forth in this Section or as set
10    forth  in  Section 17-3 or 19-3 of the School Code.  Not more
11    than 30 days nor less than 10  days  before  the  date  of  a
12    regular  election  at  which  a  public  question  is  to  be
13    submitted  to  the  voters  of  a  political  or governmental
14    subdivision,  and  at  least  20  days  before  an  emergency
15    referendum, the election authority shall  publish  notice  of
16    the  referendum.   The  notice  shall  be published once in a
17    local, community newspaper having general circulation in  the
18    political or governmental subdivision.  The notice shall also
19    be  given at least 10 days before the date of the election by
20    posting a copy of the notice at the principal office  of  the
21    election  authority.   The local election official shall also
22    post a copy of the notice at  the  principal  office  of  the
23    political  or  governmental  subdivision,  or  if there is no
24    principal office at the building in which the governing  body
25    of  the  political or governmental subdivision held its first
26    meeting of the calendar year in which the referendum is being
27    held.   The  election  authority   and   the   political   or
28    governmental  subdivision  may, but are not required to, post
29    the notice electronically on their World Wide Web pages.  The
30    notice, which shall appear over the  name  or  title  of  the
31    election  authority,  shall be substantially in the following
 
SB975 Enrolled             -2-                 LRB9205635MWcd
 1    form:
 2             NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at the  election  to  be
 3        held  on  (insert  day  of  the  week),  (insert  date of
 4        election), the following proposition will be submitted to
 5        the  voters  of  (name  of  political   or   governmental
 6        subdivision):
 7        (insert  the  public  question  as  it will appear on the
 8        ballot)
 9             The polls at the  election  will  be  open  at  6:00
10        o'clock  A.M.  and  will  continue  to be open until 7:00
11        o'clock P.M. of that day.
12             Dated (date of notice)
13                        (Name or title of the election authority)
14    The notice shall  also  include  any  additional  information
15    required by the statute authorizing the public question.  The
16    notice  shall  set  forth the precincts and polling places at
17    which the referendum will be conducted only in  the  case  of
18    emergency referenda.
19    (Source: P.A. 91-57, eff. 6-30-99.)

20        Section  10.   The  Township  Code is amended by changing
21    Sections 115-20 and 115-105 as follows:

22        (60 ILCS 1/115-20)
23        Sec. 115-20.  Referendum on recommended plan; petition.
24        (a)  If the board recommends adoption of the  open  space
25    plan,  or  if  a petition is filed by not less than 5% or 50,
26    whichever  is  greater,  of  the  registered  voters  of  the
27    township (according to the voting registration records at the
28    time the petition is filed) recommending adoption of the open
29    space plan, then the Board, within 30 days of making  of  the
30    recommendation  or  the  filing of the petition, shall file a
31    petition with the township clerk,  requesting  the  clerk  to
32    submit  to the voters of the township the question of whether
 
SB975 Enrolled             -3-                 LRB9205635MWcd
 1    the township shall adopt the open space plan and  enter  upon
 2    an open space program, with the power to acquire open land by
 3    purchase, condemnation (except townships in counties having a
 4    population  of  more than 150,000 but not more than 250,000),
 5    or otherwise in the township and  with  the  power  to  issue
 6    bonds for those purposes under this Article. The total amount
 7    of bonds to be issued under this Section may not exceed 5% of
 8    the  valuation  of  all  taxable property in the township and
 9    shall be set forth in the question as a dollar  amount.   The
10    township  clerk  shall certify that proposition to the proper
11    election officials, who shall submit the proposition  to  the
12    township voters at the next regular election.  The referendum
13    shall  be  conducted  and notice given in accordance with the
14    general election law.
15        (b)  The question submitted to the voters at the election
16    shall be in substantially the following form:
17             Shall (name of township) adopt the open  space  plan
18        considered at the public hearing on (date) and enter upon
19        an  open space program, and shall the Township Board have
20        the power (i) to acquire open land by purchase (insert ",
21        condemnation," if the township is in a  county  having  a
22        population  of  more  than 250,000) or otherwise, (ii) to
23        issue bonds for open space  purposes  in  an  amount  not
24        exceeding  $(amount),  and (iii) to levy a tax to pay the
25        principal of and interest on those bonds, as provided  in
26        Article 115 of the Township Code?
27    The votes shall be recorded as "Yes" or "No".
28        (c)  If  a  majority of the voters voting at the election
29    on the question vote in favor of the question,  the  township
30    shall thereafter adopt the open space plan recommended by the
31    board  or  by  the  petition  of the registered voters of the
32    township and shall enter upon an  open  space  program  under
33    this  Article.  If  the  proposition  does  not  receive  the
34    approval  of  a majority of the voters voting at the election
 
SB975 Enrolled             -4-                 LRB9205635MWcd
 1    on the question, no  proposition  may  be  submitted  to  the
 2    voters  under this Section less than 23 months after the date
 3    of the election.
 4        (d)  If  a  majority  of  the  legal  voters  voting   at
 5    referendum  in  any  township  approved  a proposition at the
 6    consolidated election in 2001 in reliance upon and consistent
 7    with this Section 115-20 as it existed prior to the effective
 8    date of Public Act  91-847,  then  that  referendum  and  all
 9    actions  taken  in  reliance thereon are hereby validated and
10    are legally binding in all respects.
11    (Source: P.A. 91-641, eff. 8-20-99; 91-847, eff. 6-22-00.)

12        (60 ILCS 1/115-105)
13        Sec. 115-105.   Borrowing  money;  bonds.   The  township
14    board may borrow money and issue bonds, after referendum, for
15    the  purpose  of  acquiring,  developing,  rehabilitating and
16    renovating open lands for open space purposes, as defined  in
17    Section  115-5,  pursuant to an open space program adopted as
18    provided in this Article, in and  for  the  township  in  any
19    amount  not to exceed 5% on the valuation of taxable property
20    in the township, to be ascertained by the last assessment for
21    State and county taxes previous  to  the  incurring  of  such
22    indebtedness  or,  until January 1, 1983, if greater, the sum
23    that is produced by multiplying the township's 1978 equalized
24    assessed valuation  by  the  debt  limitation  percentage  on
25    January 1, 1979.
26        Whenever  the  board  desires  to  issue bonds under this
27    Article, or whenever the board receives a petition  from  not
28    less  than  5% or 50, whichever is greater, of the registered
29    voters of the township, according to the voting  registration
30    records  at  the  time  the petition is filed, requesting the
31    board  to  issue  bonds  under  this  Article,   the   board,
32    concurrently  with the filing of a petition with the township
33    clerk requesting him to submit to the voters of the  township
 
SB975 Enrolled             -5-                 LRB9205635MWcd
 1    at  the next election the question of whether or not to adopt
 2    an open space plan and enter  upon  an  open  space  program,
 3    shall   certify  that  proposition  to  the  proper  election
 4    officials who shall submit to the voters of the  township  at
 5    the  next  election  the question of whether or not the board
 6    shall issue bonds  to  finance  an  open  space  program  and
 7    provide  for  the  levy and collection of a direct annual tax
 8    upon all taxable property within the  township  to  meet  the
 9    principal and interest on the bonds as they mature, which tax
10    shall  be  in  addition  to  and  in  excess of any other tax
11    authorized to be levied by the township. The amount of  bonds
12    to  be  issued  under  this Section shall be set forth in the
13    question as a  dollar amount. The election shall be conducted
14    and notice given in accordance with the general election law.
15    The question submitted to the voters at the election shall be
16    in substantially the following form:
17             Shall (name of township) issue bonds to finance  the
18        acquisition, maintenance, development, rehabilitation and
19        renovation of open space lands for open space purposes as
20        provided  by  the  Township  Open  Space  Article  of the
21        Township Code and levy and  collect  property  taxes,  in
22        excess  of  any  other tax authorized to be levied by the
23        township, sufficient to meet the principal  and  interest
24        on  the  bonds  as  they  mature, but not in an amount in
25        excess of $(amount)?
26        The votes shall be recorded as "Yes" or "No".
27        If a majority of the voters voting on the  question  vote
28    in  favor  of  the  question,  the board shall issue bonds as
29    provided in this  Article  provided  such  bonds  are  issued
30    within  6  months  after  the  voters  vote favorably on such
31    question. If such proposition does not receive  the  approval
32    of  a  majority  of  the voters voting at the election on the
33    question, no proposition may  be  submitted  to  such  voters
34    pursuant  to  this Section less than 23 months after the date
 
SB975 Enrolled             -6-                 LRB9205635MWcd
 1    of such election.
 2        The board shall then adopt a resolution  authorizing  the
 3    issuance  of such bonds, prescribing all the details thereof,
 4    and stating the time or times when the principal thereof  and
 5    the  interest  on  the bonds become payable, and the place of
 6    payment thereof.  The bonds must, however, be payable  within
 7    not less than 3 nor more than 40 years from date thereof, and
 8    be  issued to bear interest at not to exceed the maximum rate
 9    authorized by the Bond Authorization Act, as amended  at  the
10    time  of the making of the contract.  Such a resolution shall
11    provide for the levy and collection of a  direct  annual  tax
12    upon  all the taxable property within the corporate limits of
13    such  township  sufficient  to  meet  the  principal  of  and
14    interest on the bonds as they mature, which tax shall  be  in
15    addition  to  and in excess of any other tax authorized to be
16    levied by the township.
17        A certified copy of  the  resolution  providing  for  the
18    issuance  of  any  such  bonds shall be filed with the county
19    clerk of the county in which  the  township  is  located  and
20    constitutes  the  basis and authority of the county clerk for
21    the extension and collection of the tax necessary to pay  the
22    principal  of  and  interest  upon the bonds issued under the
23    resolution.
24        With respect to instruments  for  the  payment  of  money
25    issued  under  this  Section  either before, on, or after the
26    effective date of Public Act 86-004, it  is  and  always  has
27    been  the  intention  of  the  General  Assembly (i) that the
28    Omnibus Bond Acts are  and  always  have  been  supplementary
29    grants  of  power to issue instruments in accordance with the
30    Omnibus Bond  Acts,  regardless  of  any  provision  of  this
31    Article   that  may  appear  to  be  or  to  have  been  more
32    restrictive than those Acts, (ii) that the provisions of this
33    Section are not a limitation on the  supplementary  authority
34    granted by the Omnibus Bonds Acts, and (iii) that instruments
 
SB975 Enrolled             -7-                 LRB9205635MWcd
 1    issued  under this Section within the supplementary authority
 2    granted by the Omnibus Bond Acts are not invalid  because  of
 3    any  provision  of  this  Article that may appear to be or to
 4    have been more restrictive than those Acts.
 5        If a majority of the legal voters voting at referendum in
 6    any township  approved  a  proposition  at  the  consolidated
 7    election  in  2001  in reliance upon and consistent with this
 8    Section 115-105 as it existed prior to the effective date  of
 9    Public Act 91-847, then that referendum and all actions taken
10    in  reliance  thereon  are  hereby  validated and are legally
11    binding in all respects.
12    (Source: P.A. 91-847, eff. 6-22-00.)

13        Section 15.  The  School  Code  is  amended  by  changing
14    Sections 17-3 and 19-3 as follows:

15        (105 ILCS 5/17-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 17-3)
16        Sec.  17-3.  Additional  levies-Submission to voters. The
17    school board in any district having a population of less than
18    500,000  inhabitants  may,  by  proper  resolution,  cause  a
19    proposition to increase, for a limited  period  of  not  less
20    than 3 nor more than 10 years or for an unlimited period, the
21    annual  tax  rate for educational purposes to be submitted to
22    the voters of such district at a regular  scheduled  election
23    as follows:
24             (1)  in districts maintaining grades 1 through 8, or
25        grades  9  through  12,  the maximum rate for educational
26        purposes shall not exceed 3.5% of the value as  equalized
27        or assessed by the Department of Revenue;
28             (2)  in  districts  maintaining  grades 1 through 12
29        the maximum  rate  for  educational  purposes  shall  not
30        exceed 4.00%, except that if a single elementary district
31        and  a  secondary  district  having  boundaries  that are
32        coterminous on the effective date of this amendatory  Act
 
SB975 Enrolled             -8-                 LRB9205635MWcd
 1        form  a  community unit district under Section 11-6, then
 2        the maximum rate for education purposes for such district
 3        shall not exceed 6.00%  of  the  value  as  equalized  or
 4        assessed by the Department of Revenue.
 5        If  the  resolution of the school board seeks to increase
 6    the annual tax rate for educational purposes  for  a  limited
 7    period  of  not  less  than  3  nor  more  than 10 years, the
 8    proposition shall so state and shall identify the  years  for
 9    which the tax increase is sought.
10        If  a majority of the votes cast on the proposition is in
11    favor  thereof  at  an  election  for  which   the   election
12    authorities  have  given notice either (i) in accordance with
13    Section 12-5 of the Election Code or (ii) by publication of a
14    true and legible copy of the specimen ballot label containing
15    the proposition in the form in  which  it  appeared  or  will
16    appear  on  the  official  ballot  label  on  the  day of the
17    election at least 5 days before the day of the election in at
18    least  one  newspaper  published  in  and  having  a  general
19    circulation in the district, the school board may thereafter,
20    until such authority is revoked in like manner, levy annually
21    the tax so authorized; provided that if  the  proposition  as
22    approved  limits  the  increase in the annual tax rate of the
23    district for educational purposes to a  period  of  not  less
24    than  3 nor more than 10 years, the district may, unless such
25    authority is sooner revoked in like manner, levy annually the
26    tax so authorized for the limited number of years approved by
27    a majority of  the  votes  cast  on  the  proposition.   Upon
28    expiration  of  that  limited  period,  the rate at which the
29    district may annually levy its tax for  educational  purposes
30    shall be the rate provided under Section 17-2, or the rate at
31    which  the  district  last  levied  its  tax  for educational
32    purposes prior to approval of the proposition authorizing the
33    levy of that tax at an increased rate, whichever is greater.
34        The school board shall certify  the  proposition  to  the
 
SB975 Enrolled             -9-                 LRB9205635MWcd
 1    proper  election  authorities  in accordance with the general
 2    election law.
 3        The provisions of this Section concerning notice  of  the
 4    tax  rate  increase  referendum  apply  only  to consolidated
 5    primary elections held prior to January 1, 2002 at which  not
 6    less  than  55% of the voters voting on the tax rate increase
 7    proposition  voted  in  favor  of  the  tax   rate   increase
 8    proposition.
 9    (Source: P.A. 88-376.)

10        (105 ILCS 5/19-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 19-3)
11        Sec.  19-3.  Boards  of  education.   Any school district
12    governed by a board of education and having a  population  of
13    not  more  than  500,000  inhabitants,  and not governed by a
14    special Act may borrow money for  the  purpose  of  building,
15    equipping,   altering   or   repairing  school  buildings  or
16    purchasing  or  improving  school  sites,  or  acquiring  and
17    equipping playgrounds, recreation grounds,  athletic  fields,
18    and  other  buildings  or  land  used  or  useful  for school
19    purposes or for the purpose of purchasing  a  site,  with  or
20    without  a building or buildings thereon, or for the building
21    of a house or houses on such site, or for the building  of  a
22    house  or  houses  on the school site of the school district,
23    for residential purposes of the superintendent, principal, or
24    teachers of the school district,  and  issue  its  negotiable
25    coupon  bonds  therefor signed by the president and secretary
26    of the board, in denominations of not less than $100 nor more
27    than $5,000, payable at such place and at such time or times,
28    not exceeding 20 years from date of issuance, as the board of
29    education may  prescribe, and bearing interest at a rate  not
30    to   exceed   the   maximum   rate  authorized  by  the  Bond
31    Authorization Act, as amended at the time of  the  making  of
32    the  contract,  payable  annually, semiannually or quarterly,
33    but no such bonds shall be issued unless the  proposition  to
 
SB975 Enrolled             -10-                LRB9205635MWcd
 1    issue  them  is  submitted to the voters of the district at a
 2    referendum held at a regularly scheduled election  after  the
 3    board  has  certified  the proposition to the proper election
 4    authorities in accordance with the general  election  law,  a
 5    majority of all the votes cast on the proposition is in favor
 6    of  the  proposition,  and notice of such bond referendum (if
 7    heretofore or hereafter held at any general  or  consolidated
 8    election)  has  been  given either (i) in accordance with the
 9    second  paragraph  of  Section  12-1  of  the  Election  Code
10    irrespective of whether such notice included any reference to
11    the public question as it appeared on the ballot, or (ii) for
12    an election held on or after November 1, 1998, in  accordance
13    with   Section  12-5  of  the  Election  Code,  or  (iii)  by
14    publication of a true and legible copy of the specimen ballot
15    label containing the proposition in  the  form  in  which  it
16    appeared  or  will appear on the official ballot label on the
17    day of the election  at least 5 days before the  day  of  the
18    election  in at least one newspaper published in and having a
19    general circulation in each county in which the  district  is
20    located, irrespective of any other requirements of Article 12
21    or  Section  24A-18  of  the  Election  Code,  nor  shall any
22    residential site  be  acquired  unless  such  proposition  to
23    acquire  a site is submitted to the voters of the district at
24    a referendum held at a regularly scheduled election after the
25    board has certified the proposition to  the  proper  election
26    authorities in accordance with the general election law and a
27    majority of all the votes cast on the proposition is in favor
28    of  the proposition.  Nothing in this Act or in any other law
29    shall  be  construed  to  require  the  notice  of  the  bond
30    referendum to be published over the  name  or  title  of  the
31    election  authority  or  the listing of maturity dates of any
32    bonds either in the notice of bond election or ballot used in
33    the bond election. The provisions of this Section  concerning
34    notice  of the bond referendum apply only to (i) consolidated
 
SB975 Enrolled             -11-                LRB9205635MWcd
 1    primary elections held prior to January 1, 2002 at which  not
 2    less  than  60%  of the voters voting on the bond proposition
 3    voted in favor  of  the  bond  proposition,  and  (ii)  other
 4    elections  held  before  July  1, 1999; otherwise thereafter,
 5    notices required in connection with the submission of  public
 6    questions  shall  be  as  set  forth  in  Section 12-5 of the
 7    Election  Code.    Such  proposition  may  be  initiated   by
 8    resolution of the school board.
 9        With  respect  to  instruments  for  the payment of money
10    issued under this Section either before,  on,  or  after  the
11    effective  date  of  this  amendatory  Act of 1989, it is and
12    always has been the intention of  the  General  Assembly  (i)
13    that   the  Omnibus  Bond  Acts  are  and  always  have  been
14    supplementary  grants  of  power  to  issue  instruments   in
15    accordance  with  the  Omnibus  Bond  Acts, regardless of any
16    provision of this Act that may appear to be or to  have  been
17    more restrictive than those Acts, (ii) that the provisions of
18    this  Section  are  not  a  limitation  on  the supplementary
19    authority granted by the Omnibus Bond Acts,  and  (iii)  that
20    instruments    issued   under   this   Section   within   the
21    supplementary authority granted by the Omnibus Bond Acts  are
22    not  invalid  because  of  any provision of this Act that may
23    appear to be or to have  been  more  restrictive  than  those
24    Acts.
25        The  proceeds of any bonds issued under authority of this
26    Section shall  be  deposited  and  accounted  for  separately
27    within the Site and Construction/Capital Improvements Fund.
28    (Source: P.A.  90-811,  eff.  1-26-99;  90-812, eff. 1-26-99;
29    91-57, eff. 6-30-99.)

30        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 
SB975 Enrolled             -12-                LRB9205635MWcd
 1    becoming law.

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