Public Act 095-0020
 
HB0033 Enrolled LRB095 03557 DRH 23561 b

    AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Rivers, Lakes, and Streams Act is amended by
adding Section 23b as follows:
 
    (615 ILCS 5/23b new)
    Sec. 23b. Dams; signs and buoys.
    (a) The Department of Natural Resources shall establish
specifications for signs and devices that provide warnings of
the presence of dams for persons using the public waters of the
State. The Department shall establish such specifications
pursuant to administrative rule.
    (b) For dams located in public waters and that are not
subject to federal regulation regarding safety standards, the
Department of Natural Resources shall examine each dam to
determine hazards that may exist at each dam.
    (c) The Department of Natural Resources shall, after
conducting the examination required under subsection (b) of
this Section, submit administrative rules setting forth
appropriate safety devices to be required at each dam.
    (d) The Department of Natural Resources shall be authorized
to designate enforceable exclusion zones around dams pursuant
to administrative rule. Violation of such exclusion zones shall
constitute a Class A misdemeanor.
    (e) Except for willful and wanton misconduct, neither the
Department of Natural Resources nor employees or agents of the
Department shall be liable for damages, injuries, or deaths
occurring at dams located in public waters by reason of the
Department's regulation thereof pursuant to this Section.
Nothing in this Act shall relieve an owner or operator of a dam
from the legal duties, obligations, and liabilities arising
from ownership or operation.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/2/2007