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91_HB2809
LRB9100118DHdv
1 AN ACT creating a commission to study the problems and
2 organic laws pertaining to local government.
3 WHEREAS, Many of the local governmental units in the
4 State of Illinois were established under provisions of the
5 Illinois Constitution of 1870; and
6 WHEREAS, There have been rapid changes in the population
7 of Illinois in numbers, in concentration, and in movement, as
8 well as vast economic, social, and technological changes,
9 that strain the ability of Illinois local governments
10 adequately to furnish necessary services; and
11 WHEREAS, Illinois local governments were conceived to
12 serve a rural society; in areas not experiencing the impact
13 of modern changes, they may be adequate, but in areas of
14 great change, notably the urban areas, they are not
15 sufficiently flexible, do not have adequate powers and
16 financing, and are not responsive to present-day needs in
17 transportation, health, water supply, water pollution, air
18 pollution, recreation, disposal of sewage, and disposal of
19 refuse; and
20 WHEREAS, The inadequacies in Illinois local governments
21 have resulted in the creation of numerous functional local
22 governments all competing for financial and jurisdictional
23 support from the same area; therefore,
24 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
25 represented in the General Assembly:
26 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
27 Local Government Consolidation Commission Act.
28 Section 5. Commission; creation; members. There is
29 created a Commission on Local Government, to consist of 15
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1 members, 5 to be members of the Senate no more than 3 of whom
2 shall be affiliated with the same political party, appointed
3 by the President of the Senate, 5 to be members of the House
4 of Representatives no more than 3 of whom shall be affiliated
5 with the same political party, appointed by the Speaker of
6 the House, and 5 to be citizens of the State appointed by the
7 Governor. Of the members appointed by the Governor, not more
8 than 3 shall be affiliated with the same political party.
9 Section 10. Study; recommendations. The Commission shall
10 make a survey of the entire structure of local governments
11 and of their organization, powers, jurisdiction, functions.
12 Among other things, and without limiting its activities, the
13 Commission shall:
14 (1) Study all laws governing the organization, powers,
15 jurisdiction, functions of local governments.
16 (2) Study the inter-relationships of local governments
17 to each other and to federal and State governments.
18 (3) Formulate specific recommendations for legislation
19 or constitutional amendments to (i) permit effective
20 management of local affairs, (ii) encourage local policy
21 decision making, (iii) reduce the multiplicity of local
22 governments, (iv) eliminate overlapping and duplicating of
23 unnecessary powers, (v) increase efficiency and economy in
24 local governments, and (vi) allow optional forms of local
25 governments and increase their authority for cooperation
26 among the levels of government.
27 Section 15. Meetings; officers. The members of the
28 Commission shall meet and the Commission shall be organized
29 within 90 days after the effective date of this Act, and
30 shall at that time elect a chair from among the members. The
31 Commission may adopt its own rules of procedure. The
32 Commission may employ or use the services of specialists in
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1 public administration and governmental management and any
2 other trained consultants, analysts, investigators, and
3 assistants it may consider necessary, on either a full-time
4 or a part-time basis. The Commission shall fix the
5 compensation for any paid employees, which shall be paid from
6 moneys appropriated for that purpose.
7 Section 20. Compensation; expenses. The members of the
8 Commission shall serve without compensation, but their actual
9 traveling and other expenses while engaged in performance of
10 the duties of the commission shall be paid from moneys
11 appropriated for that purpose.
12 Section 25. Report. The Commission shall render its
13 final report to the General Assembly not later than December
14 31, 2000, setting out its findings and recommendations and
15 proposing those measures it considers necessary to effect
16 essential changes and improvements in the existing laws
17 relating to any or all of the matters enumerated in Section
18 10 of this Act.
19 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20 becoming law.