100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB2896

 

Introduced 2/14/2018, by Sen. Andy Manar

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Illinois Bicentennial Office and Commission Act. Creates the Office of the Illinois Bicentennial. Provides for the duties and functions of the Bicentennial Office. Dissolves the Bicentennial Office on December 31, 2018. Creates the Illinois Bicentennial Commission. Provides for the membership of the Commission. Provides that members of the Commission shall receive no compensation or reimbursement for serving as members. Provides that the chairperson or co-chairpersons of the Commission shall be designated by the Governor. Provides for the functions and meetings of the Commission. Dissolves the Commission on December 31, 2018. Provides for the revocation of a previous Executive Order creating the State Bicentennial Commission, along with transfer provisions. Provides a savings clause. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2020. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB2896LRB100 17335 RJF 32499 b

1    AN ACT concerning State 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
5Illinois Bicentennial Office and Commission Act.
 
6    Section 5. Purpose. August 26, 2018 will mark the 200th
7anniversary of the adoption of the Illinois Constitution of
81818 at the Kaskaskia Convention, and December 3, 2018 will
9mark the 200th anniversary of the admission of Illinois to the
10Union as a state. The bicentennial of our statehood is an
11opportunity to recognize and celebrate the many cultural,
12economic, academic, and political contributions that Illinois
13and its residents have made to the nation and the world. The
14bicentennial is also an opportunity to invite the world to
15Illinois and to showcase our core assets, including our
16community of global leaders; diverse and well-educated
17workforce; prominent institutions for technology, innovation,
18and higher education; exceptional quality of life with abundant
19outdoor recreation, magnificent arts and culture, endless
20nightlife and entertainment, and world-class dining and
21hotels; central and modern infrastructure; and fertile
22farmland and abundant fresh water.
23    Executive Order 7 (2014) established a 77-member State

 

 

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1Bicentennial Commission empowered to hire personnel to plan the
2State's bicentennial celebration program. Illinoisans should
3expect that membership on their Bicentennial Commission not be
4merely symbolic, but should see that commissioners work with
5and for them to advance their vision of Illinois' past and
6future. A Bicentennial Commission representing the diversity
7and ingenuity of our State should play an active role advising
8the State with the planning of the bicentennial, but a
9Commission of 77 members is unworkable for achieving that goal.
10Both the Governor and the General Assembly recognize the
11importance of the bicentennial celebration as a way to honor
12the citizens and the history of our great State, and set a
13course for success over our next 200 years. The Governor and
14the General Assembly also believe that the various State
15agencies should work together with the Commission and the
16State's citizens and businesses to share their vision and
17projects to mark the 200th anniversary. To that end, the Office
18of the Illinois Bicentennial and the Bicentennial Commission
19are needed to properly develop and implement the celebration
20festivities of Illinois' bicentennial year.
 
21    Section 10. Office of the Illinois Bicentennial.
22    (a) There is hereby created the Governor's Office of the
23Illinois Bicentennial, or the "Bicentennial Office", which
24shall be headed by an Executive Director, who shall be
25appointed by the Governor. The Office of the Governor shall

 

 

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1provide administrative support to the Bicentennial Office as
2appropriate.
3    (b) The Bicentennial Office shall have the following duties
4and functions:
5        (1) The Bicentennial Office shall develop and
6    implement a Statewide program to celebrate the
7    bicentennial of the adoption of Illinois' first
8    constitution and its admission to the Union as a state and
9    showcase Illinois' hard-working citizens and world-class
10    assets.
11        (2) The Bicentennial Office shall work collaboratively
12    with members of the public, State agencies, units of local
13    government, and public and private organizations to
14    identify significant achievements in Illinois history to
15    highlight through celebration.
16        (3) The Bicentennial Office shall seek opportunities
17    to promote the successes to come in Illinois' next 200
18    years.
19        (4) The Bicentennial Office shall promote coordination
20    among State agencies involved in the bicentennial
21    celebration; develop partnerships with the non-profit and
22    private sectors to create new funding sources for the
23    celebration; and work with units of local government also
24    developing local bicentennial celebrations. It shall
25    develop strategic goals to ensure the celebration of the
26    bicentennial is successful while using taxpayer funds or

 

 

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1    funds donated by private individuals or entities in
2    responsible and transparent manner.
3        (5) The Bicentennial Office shall promote and market
4    the bicentennial celebration to Illinois citizens and also
5    work to attract tourists to Illinois to learn about this
6    State's history and accomplishments.
7        (6) The Bicentennial Office shall provide periodic
8    reports to the Governor and the public on the strategic
9    goals set by the Bicentennial Office and its progress in
10    meeting its goals.
11        (7) The Bicentennial Office may solicit and access
12    donations of labor, services, or other things of value from
13    any public or private agency or person, in compliance with
14    all applicable State and federal law, including the State
15    Officials and Employees Ethics Act.
16        (8) The Bicentennial Office shall prepare events
17    around the State for each State holiday, except general
18    election day.
19        (9) The Bicentennial Office may hire staff to
20    facilitate its duties, functions, and goals under this Act.
21    (c) The Bicentennial Office shall be dissolved on December
2231, 2018. Upon such dissolution, all personnel records,
23documents, books, correspondence, and other property, both
24real and personal, of the Bicentennial Office shall become
25property of the Office of the Governor or shall be transferred
26to the State Archives.
 

 

 

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1    Section 15. Illinois Bicentennial Commission.
2    (a) There is hereby created the Illinois Bicentennial
3Commission. The Commission shall advise and assist the
4Bicentennial Office in planning and implementing the State's
5bicentennial celebration. The Bicentennial Office and certain
6State agencies, including the Department of Commerce and
7Economic Opportunity, the Department of Natural Resources, the
8Department of Agriculture, and the Historic Preservation
9Agency, including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and
10Museum, shall provide administrative and technical assistance
11to the Commission.
12    (b) The Commission shall consist of the following members:
13        (1) no more than 40 members appointed by the Governor,
14    not including non-voting member appointees;
15        (2) one member appointed by the President of the
16    Senate;
17        (3) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
18    Senate;
19        (4) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
20    Representatives;
21        (5) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
22    House of Representatives;
23        (6) one member appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
24        (7) one member appointed by the Attorney General;
25        (8) one member appointed by the Secretary of State;

 

 

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1        (9) one member appointed by the Comptroller;
2        (10) one member appointed by the Treasurer;
3        (11) one member appointed by the Mayor of the City of
4    Chicago;
5        (12) one member appointed by the Mayor of the City of
6    Springfield; and
7        (13) non-voting members appointed by the Governor as
8    representatives of public and private agencies and
9    organizations partnering with the Commission.
10    (c) Members of the Commission shall receive no compensation
11or reimbursement for serving as members. The chairperson or
12co-chairpersons of the Commission shall be designated by the
13Governor, and the Commission shall meet at the call of the
14chairperson or co-chairpersons. A majority of the appointed and
15serving members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for
16the transaction of business. The Commission is subject to, and
17shall comply with, the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of
18Information Act. The Commission shall be an advisory body to
19the Bicentennial Office that shall not make binding
20recommendations or determinations.
21    (d) The Commission may solicit and access donations of
22labor, services, or other things of value from any public or
23private agency or person in compliance with all applicable
24State and federal law, including the State Officials and
25Employees Ethics Act.
26    (e) The Commission shall be dissolved on December 31, 2018.

 

 

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1Upon such dissolution, all personnel records, documents,
2books, correspondence, and other property, both real and
3personal, of the Commission shall become property of the Office
4of the Governor or shall be transferred to the State Archives.
 
5    Section 20. Revocation of Executive Order 7 (2014);
6transfer provisions.
7    (a) Executive Order 7 (2014) is revoked and rescinded.
8    (b) The State Bicentennial Commission established by
9Executive Order 7 (2014) is abolished.
10    (c) All records, property, and other associated items in
11any way pertaining to the functions of the State Bicentennial
12Commission shall be delivered and transferred to the
13Bicentennial Office established under this Act.
14    (d) The unexpended balances of any appropriations or funds,
15grants, donations, or other moneys available for use by the
16State Bicentennial Commission shall be transferred to the
17Bicentennial Office for use by such office, and shall be
18expended for similar purposes for which the appropriations,
19funds, grants, or other moneys were originally made or given to
20the State Bicentennial Commission.
21    (e) Any employee of the State Bicentennial Commission is
22transferred to the Bicentennial Office. The status and rights
23of any such employee, the State, and its agencies under the
24Personnel Code shall not be affected by such transfer.
 

 

 

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1    Section 25. Savings clause. This Act does not contravene,
2and shall not be construed to contravene, any federal or State
3law or any collective bargaining agreement. This Act shall not
4affect any act undertaken, ratified, or cancelled, or any right
5occurring or established or any action or proceeding commenced
6in an administrative, civil, or criminal case before this Act
7takes effect, but these actions or proceedings may be
8prosecuted and continued by the Department.
 
9    Section 30. Repeal. This Act is repealed January 1, 2020.
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.