HB0268 EngrossedLRB097 06005 RLJ 46076 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    WHEREAS, Many of the local governmental units in the State
3of Illinois were established under provisions of the Illinois
4Constitution of 1870; and
5    WHEREAS, There have been rapid changes in the population of
6Illinois in numbers, in concentration, and in movement, as well
7as vast economic, social, and technological changes, that
8strain the ability of Illinois local governments adequately to
9furnish necessary services; and
10    WHEREAS, Illinois local governments were conceived to
11serve a rural society; in areas not experiencing the impact of
12modern changes, they may be adequate, but in areas of great
13change, notably the urban areas, they are not sufficiently
14flexible, do not have adequate powers and financing, and are
15not responsive to present-day needs in transportation, health,
16water supply, water pollution, air pollution, recreation,
17disposal of sewage, and disposal of refuse; and
18    WHEREAS, The inadequacies in Illinois local governments
19have resulted in the creation of numerous functional local
20governments all competing for financial and jurisdictional
21support from the same area; therefore,
 
22    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
23represented in the General Assembly:
 

 

 

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1    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Local
2Government Consolidation Commission Act of 2011.
 
3    Section 5. Commission; creation; members. There is created
4a Local Government Consolidation Commission, to consist of 17
5members, 3 to be members of the Senate appointed by the
6President of the Senate, 3 to be members of the Senate
7appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, 3 to be members of the
8House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House,
93 to be members of the House of Representatives appointed by
10the House Minority Leader, and 5 to be citizens of the State
11appointed by the Governor as follows:
12    (1) one member selected from recommendations provided by an
13association representing counties;
14    (2) one member selected from recommendations provided by an
15association representing municipalities;
16    (3) one member selected from recommendations provided by an
17association representing townships;
18    (4) one member selected from recommendations provided by an
19association representing park districts; and
20    (5) one member who serves as an elected officer of a local
21governmental entity in Illinois other than a county,
22municipality, township, or park district.
 
23    Section 10. Study; recommendations. The Commission shall
24make a survey of the entire structure of local governments and

 

 

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1of their organization, powers, jurisdiction, and functions.
2Among other things, and without limiting its activities, the
3Commission shall:
4    (1) Study all laws governing the organization, powers,
5jurisdiction, and functions of local governments.
6    (2) Study the inter-relationships of local governments to
7each other and to federal and State governments.
8    (3) Formulate specific recommendations for legislation or
9constitutional amendments to (i) permit effective management
10of local affairs, (ii) encourage local policy decision making,
11(iii) reduce the multiplicity of local governments, (iv)
12eliminate overlapping and duplicating of unnecessary powers,
13(v) increase efficiency and economy in local governments, and
14(vi) allow optional forms of local governments and increase
15their authority for cooperation among the levels of government.
 
16    Section 15. Meetings; officers. The members of the
17Commission shall meet and the Commission shall be organized
18within 90 days after the effective date of this Act, and shall
19at that time elect a chair from among the members. The
20Commission may adopt its own rules of procedure. The Commission
21may employ or use the services of specialists in public
22administration and governmental management and any other
23trained consultants, analysts, investigators, and assistants
24it may consider necessary, on either a full-time or a part-time
25basis. The Commission shall fix the compensation for any paid

 

 

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1employees, which shall be paid from moneys appropriated to the
2Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for that
3purpose.
 
4    Section 20. Compensation; expenses. The members of the
5Commission shall serve without compensation. The Department of
6Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall provide support for the
7Commission, and pay members' actual traveling and other
8expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of the
9Commission, from moneys appropriated to the Department for
10those purposes.
 
11    Section 25. Report. The Commission shall render its final
12report to the General Assembly not later than December 31,
132012, setting out its findings and recommendations and
14proposing those measures it considers necessary to effect
15essential changes and improvements in the existing laws
16relating to any or all of the matters enumerated in Section 10
17of this Act.
 
18    (20 ILCS 3986/Act rep.)
19    Section 30. The Local Government Consolidation Commission
20Act is repealed.
 
21    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22becoming law.