HB4937 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 36226 AWJ 66319 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB4937

Introduced 2/7/2024, by Rep. Yolonda Morris

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Teacher Admission at Local Public Museums Act. Defines "Illinois teacher" and "local public museum". Provides that a local public museum shall provide free admission to an Illinois teacher. Allows the local public museum to require that a person provide identification or documentation showing that the person is an Illinois teacher. Provides that the Act does not apply to an exhibit in or portion of the local public museum that requires an additional payment in addition to the cost to enter the local public museum, or special events held at a local public museum not open to the general public. Provides that, to the extent the Act conflicts with any other provision of law, the Act controls. Limits home rule powers by providing that the regulation of free admission for Illinois teachers at local public museums is an exclusive power and function of the State.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Teacher Admission at Local Public Museums Act.

Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Illinois teacher" means a person who is a teacher at an elementary or secondary school in Illinois.

"Local public museum" means a facility that is (i) is operating for the purposes of promoting cultural development through special activities or programs or through performing arts that are performed in an indoor setting, and acquiring, conserving, preserving, studying, interpreting, enhancing, and, in particular, organizing and continuously exhibiting specimens, artifacts, articles, documents, and other things of historical, anthropological, archaeological, industrial, scientific or artistic import, to the public for its instruction and enjoyment and (ii) operated by or located upon land owned by a unit of local government. "Local public museum" includes museums operated by historical societies; museums at historic sites, landmarks, parks, monuments; museums containing archived information; art, history, science, and natural history museums; and botanical gardens, arboreta, zoos, nature centers, planetaria, or aquaria.

Section 10. Free Illinois teacher admission at local public museums. A local public museum shall provide free admission to an Illinois teacher. The local public museum may require that a person provide identification or documentation showing that the person is an Illinois teacher.

Section 15. Exceptions. This Act does not apply to:

(1) an exhibit in or portion of the local public museum that requires an additional payment in addition to the cost to enter the local public museum; or

(2) special events held at a local public museum not open to the general public.

Section 20. Conflict with other law. To the extent this Act conflicts with any other provision of law, this Act controls.

Section 25. Home rule. The regulation of free admission for Illinois teachers at local public museums is an exclusive power and function of the State. A home rule unit may not regulate free admission for Illinois teachers at local public museums. This Act is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.