(70 ILCS 1855/38) (from Ch. 19, par. 488)
    Sec. 38. If there is territory contiguous to the District which has no legal voters residing therein, a petition to annex such territory, signed by all the owners of record of such territory may be filed with the circuit court for St. Clair county. A time and place for a hearing on the subject of the petition shall be fixed and notice thereof shall be given in the manner provided in Section 37. At such hearing any owner of land in the territory proposed to be annexed, the District and any resident of the District may appear and be heard touching on the sufficiency of the petition. If the court finds that the petition satisfies the requirements of this Section it shall enter an order stating that thenceforth such territory shall be an integral part of the Southwest Regional Port District and subject to all of the benefits of service and responsibilities, including the assumption of a proportionate share of the general obligation bonded indebtedness, if any, of the District. The circuit clerk shall transmit a certified copy of the order of the court to the circuit clerk of any other county in which the annexed territory is situated.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3699.)