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| Public Act 099-0802 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning transportation.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Heroes | ||||
Way Designation Program Act. | ||||
Section 5. Purpose. This Act establishes a designation | ||||
program, to be known as the "Heroes Way Designation Program", | ||||
to honor the fallen Illinois heroes who have been killed in | ||||
action while performing active military duty with the United | ||||
States Armed Forces. | ||||
Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
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"Department" means the Illinois Department of | ||||
Transportation.
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"Secretary" means the Secretary of the Illinois Department | ||||
of Transportation.
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"United States Armed Forces" means any branch of the United | ||||
States Military, including National Guard and military reserve | ||||
components. | ||||
Section 15. Heroes Way Designation Program.
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(a) Any person who is related by marriage, adoption, or | ||||
consanguinity within the second degree to a member of the | ||||
United States Armed Forces who was killed in action while | ||
performing active military duty with the Armed Forces, and who | ||
was a resident of this State at the time he or she was killed in | ||
action, may apply for a designation allowing the placement of | ||
an honorary sign alongside roads designated under the | ||
provisions of this Act.
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(b) The honorary signs may be placed upon interstate or | ||
state-numbered highway interchanges or upon bridges or | ||
segments of highway under the jurisdiction of the Department | ||
according to the provisions of this Section, and any applicable | ||
federal and State limitations or conditions on highway signage, | ||
including location and spacing.
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(c) Any person described under subsection (a) of this | ||
Section who desires to have an interstate or state-numbered | ||
highway interchange or bridge or segment of highway under the | ||
jurisdiction of the Department designated after his or her | ||
family member shall petition the Department by submitting an | ||
application in a form prescribed by the Secretary. The form | ||
shall include the amount of the fee under subsection (d) of | ||
this Section. The application must meet the following | ||
requirements:
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(1) describe the interstate or state-numbered highway | ||
interchange or bridge or segment of highway under the | ||
jurisdiction of the Department for which the designation is | ||
sought and the proposed name of the interchange, bridge, or | ||
relevant segment of highway. The application shall include | ||
the name of at least one current member of the General | ||
Assembly who will sponsor the designation. The application | ||
may contain written testimony for support of the | ||
designation;
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(2) a signed form, prescribed by the Secretary, | ||
certifying that the applicant is related by marriage, | ||
adoption, or consanguinity within the second degree to the | ||
member of the United States Armed Forces who was killed in | ||
action; and
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(3) the name of the member of the United States Armed | ||
Forces for whom the designation is sought must be listed on | ||
the National Gold Star Family Registry.
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(d) After determining that the petitioner meets all of the | ||
application requirements of subsection (c), the Department | ||
shall submit a recommendation containing the proposed | ||
designations to the sponsor in the General Assembly named in | ||
the application. The Department shall be notified upon the | ||
approval or denial of a proposed designation. Upon the approval | ||
of a proposed designation, the petitioner shall submit a fee to | ||
be determined by the Secretary to cover the costs of | ||
constructing and maintaining the proposed signs on the | ||
interchange, bridge, or segment of highway. The fee shall not | ||
exceed the cost of constructing and maintaining each sign. | ||
(e) The Department shall give notice of any proposed | ||
designation under this Section on the Department's official | ||
public website.
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(f) Two signs shall be erected for each interchange, | ||
bridge, or segment of highway designation processed under this | ||
Section.
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(g) No interchange, bridge, or segment of highway may be | ||
named or designated under this Section if it carries an | ||
existing designation. A designated member of the United States | ||
Armed Forces shall not be eligible for more than one | ||
interchange, bridge, or segment of highway designation under | ||
this Section.
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(h) All moneys received by the Department for the | ||
construction and maintenance of interchange, bridge, or | ||
segment of highway signs shall be deposited in the "Road Fund" | ||
of the State treasury.
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(i) The documents and fees required under this Section | ||
shall be submitted to the Department.
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