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Public Act 103-0036
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| HB2448 Enrolled | LRB103 30593 RLC 57032 b |
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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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 5. The Department of Natural Resources |
(Conservation) Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of |
Illinois is amended by changing Section 805-535 as follows:
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(20 ILCS 805/805-535) (was 20 ILCS 805/63b2.2)
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Sec. 805-535. Conservation Police Officers. In addition to
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the arrest powers prescribed by law, Conservation
Police |
Officers are conservators of the peace and as such have all |
powers
possessed by policemen, except that they may exercise |
those powers
anywhere
in this State. Conservation Police |
Officers acting under the authority
of this Section are |
considered employees of the Department and are subject
to its |
direction, benefits, and legal protection.
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Any person hired by the Department of Natural Resources |
after July 1, 2022
for a sworn law enforcement position or |
position that has arrest authority
must meet the following |
minimum professional standards:
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(1) At the time of hire, the person must be not less |
than 21 years of age, or 20 years of age and have |
successfully completed an associate's degree or 60 credit |
hours at an accredited college or university. Any person |
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so hired after successful completion of an associate's |
degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or |
university shall not have power of arrest, nor shall he or |
she be permitted to carry firearms, until he or she |
reaches 21 years of age;
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(2) The person must possess the skill level and |
demonstrate the ability
to
swim at a competency level |
approved by the Department in an administrative rule; and
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(3) The person must successfully obtain certification |
pursuant to the Illinois Police Training Act and must also |
successfully complete the
Conservation
Police Academy |
training program, consisting of not less than 400 hours of
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training, within
one year of hire.
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Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, all persons |
who meet one of the following requirements are deemed to have |
met the collegiate education requirements: |
(i) have been honorably discharged and who have been |
awarded a Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign |
Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign |
Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, or Global War on Terrorism |
Expeditionary Medal by the United States Armed Forces; |
(ii) are active members of the Illinois National Guard |
or a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces |
and who have been awarded a Southwest Asia Service Medal, |
Kosovo Campaign Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, |
Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, or Global |
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War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal as a result of |
honorable service during deployment on active duty; |
(iii) have been honorably discharged and served in a |
combat mission by proof of hostile fire pay or imminent |
danger pay during deployment on active duty; or |
(iv) have at least 3 years of full active and |
continuous military duty and received an honorable |
discharge before hiring. |
The Department of Natural Resources must adopt an |
administrative rule
listing those disciplines that qualify as |
directly related areas of study.
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(Source: P.A. 102-837, eff. 5-13-22.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
becoming law.
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