100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB1818

 

Introduced , by Rep. Tim Butler

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Bicentennial Families Act. Provides that any Illinois family that can trace its descent in this State back at least 200 years may apply to the Illinois State Archives to have that family recognized as a "Bicentennial Family". Provides requirements to qualify for recognition as a "Bicentennial Family". Provides for the duties of the State Archives in recognition of a "Bicentennial Family". Provides that all fees and costs of the application process and production of the "Bicentennial Family" certificate shall be provided by the applying family. Defines terms.


LRB100 00322 RJF 10326 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB1818LRB100 00322 RJF 10326 b

1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Bicentennial Families Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions.
7    "Bicentennial Family" means an Illinois family that is
8either lineal descendants or collateral descendants of a person
9or persons having resided in this State at least 200 years
10prior to that family's application to be recognized as a
11"Bicentennial Family", and the family has remained in this
12State since that ancestor.
13    "Collateral descendant" means a relative descended from a
14brother or sister of an ancestor, such as a niece, nephew, or
15cousin.
16    "Director" means the Director of the Illinois State
17Archives.
18    "Lineal descendant" means a person who is in a direct line
19of descent from an ancestor, such as a child, grandchild, or
20great-grandchild, and so on.
 
21    Section 10. Bicentennial families.
22    (a) Any Illinois family that can trace its descent in this

 

 

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1State back at least 200 years may apply to the Illinois State
2Archives to have that family recognized as a "Bicentennial
3Family".
4    (b) To qualify for recognition as a "Bicentennial Family",
5the applicant must: (1) be an Illinois resident; (2) be a
6member of the family seeking to be recognized as a
7"Bicentennial Family"; and (3) provide documentation to the
8State Archives showing that his or her family is either lineal
9descendants or collateral descendants of a person or persons
10that resided in this State at least 200 years prior to that
11family's application to be recognized as a "Bicentennial
12Family", and the family has remained in this State since that
13ancestor.
14    (c) Upon receipt of the relevant documentation, the State
15Archives shall verify whether the requesting family qualifies
16to be recognized as a "Bicentennial Family". If the family
17qualifies as a "Bicentennial Family", then the family shall be
18awarded a certificate in recognition of that status by the
19State Archives. The design of the certificate shall be wholly
20within the discretion of the Director, except that the
21certificate shall at a minimum bear the words "Bicentennial
22Family" and the year in which the applicant's earliest ancestor
23can be traced.
24    (d) All fees and costs of the application process and
25production of the certificate shall be provided by the applying
26family.