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| Public Act 097-0316 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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WHEREAS, Many of the local governmental units in the State | ||||
of Illinois were
established under provisions of the Illinois | ||||
Constitution of 1870; and
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WHEREAS, There have been rapid changes in the population of | ||||
Illinois in
numbers, in concentration, and in movement, as well | ||||
as vast economic, social,
and technological changes, that | ||||
strain the ability of Illinois local
governments adequately to | ||||
furnish necessary services; and
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WHEREAS, Illinois local governments were conceived to | ||||
serve a rural society;
in areas not experiencing the impact of | ||||
modern changes, they may be adequate,
but in areas of great | ||||
change, notably the urban areas, they are not
sufficiently | ||||
flexible, do not have adequate powers and financing, and are | ||||
not
responsive to present-day needs in transportation, health, | ||||
water supply, water
pollution, air pollution, recreation, | ||||
disposal of sewage, and disposal of
refuse; and
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WHEREAS, The inadequacies in Illinois local governments | ||||
have resulted in the
creation of numerous functional local | ||||
governments all competing for financial
and jurisdictional | ||||
support from the same area; therefore,
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Local | ||
Government
Consolidation Commission Act of 2011.
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Section 5. Commission; creation; members. There is created | ||
a Local Government Consolidation Commission, to consist of
17 | ||
members, 3 to be members of the Senate appointed by the | ||
President of the
Senate, 3 to
be members of the Senate | ||
appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, 3 to be
members of
the | ||
House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, | ||
3 to be
members of
the House of Representatives appointed by | ||
the House Minority Leader, and 5 to
be
citizens of the State | ||
appointed by the Governor as follows: | ||
(1) one member selected from recommendations provided by an | ||
association representing counties; | ||
(2) one member selected from recommendations provided by an | ||
association representing municipalities; | ||
(3) one member selected from recommendations provided by an | ||
association representing townships; | ||
(4) one member selected from recommendations provided by an | ||
association representing park districts; and | ||
(5) one member who serves as an elected officer of a local | ||
governmental entity in Illinois other than a county, | ||
municipality, township, or park district.
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Section 10. Study; recommendations. The Commission shall | ||
make a survey of
the entire structure of
local governments and | ||
of their organization, powers, jurisdiction, and functions.
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Among other things, and without limiting its activities, the | ||
Commission shall:
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(1) Study all laws governing the organization, powers, | ||
jurisdiction,
and functions of local governments.
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(2) Study the inter-relationships of local governments to | ||
each other and to
federal and State governments.
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(3) Formulate specific recommendations for legislation or | ||
constitutional
amendments to (i) permit effective management | ||
of local affairs, (ii) encourage
local policy decision making, | ||
(iii) reduce the multiplicity of local
governments,
(iv) | ||
eliminate overlapping and duplicating of unnecessary powers, | ||
(v) increase
efficiency and economy in local governments, and | ||
(vi) allow optional forms of
local governments and increase | ||
their authority for cooperation among the levels
of government.
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Section 15. Meetings; officers. The members of the | ||
Commission shall meet and
the Commission
shall be organized | ||
within 90 days after the effective date of this
Act, and shall | ||
at that time elect a chair from among the members. The
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Commission may adopt its own rules of procedure. The Commission | ||
may employ or
use the services of specialists in public | ||
administration and governmental
management and any other | ||
trained consultants, analysts, investigators, and
assistants | ||
it may consider necessary, on either a full-time or a part-time
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basis.
The Commission shall fix the compensation for any paid | ||
employees, which shall
be paid from moneys appropriated to the | ||
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for that | ||
purpose.
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Section 20. Compensation; expenses. The members of the | ||
Commission shall
serve without compensation. The Department of | ||
Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall provide support for the | ||
Commission, and pay members' actual traveling and other | ||
expenses incurred in the performance of
the duties of the | ||
Commission, from moneys appropriated
to the Department for | ||
those purposes.
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Section 25. Report. The Commission shall render its final | ||
report to the
General
Assembly not later than December 31, | ||
2012, setting out its findings and
recommendations and | ||
proposing those measures it considers necessary to effect
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essential changes and improvements in the existing laws | ||
relating to any or
all of the matters enumerated in Section 10 | ||
of this Act.
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(20 ILCS 3986/Act rep.)
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Section 30. The Local Government
Consolidation Commission | ||
Act is repealed.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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