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| [ Introduced ] | [ Senate Amendment 001 ] |
91_SB0650eng SB650 Engrossed LRB9105598DHmg 1 AN ACT to create the Illinois Natural Resources Congress. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 5 Illinois Natural Resources Congress Act. 6 Section 5. Natural Resources Congress. There is 7 established the Illinois Natural Resources Congress. 8 Section 10. Purpose. The purpose of the Congress is to 9 propose and advocate actions that can be taken by elected and 10 appointed officials to protect, conserve, and appropriately 11 use the natural resources of the State to ensure that 12 opportunities are available for the enjoyment of natural 13 resources to enhance quality of life for all Illinois 14 citizens and future generations. The Illinois Natural 15 Resources Congress shall recommend to the Natural Resources 16 Council long-range goals, strategies, and programs that would 17 balance the protection and use of the natural resources of 18 Illinois while protecting private property rights and 19 ensuring a sustainable, economically viable agriculture and 20 business climate. 21 Section 15. Duties. The Illinois Natural Resources 22 Congress shall, from time to time, make recommendations to a 23 Natural Resources Council. 24 The Illinois Natural Resources Congress shall be composed 25 of representatives of organizations in Illinois, including 26 but not limited to not-for-profit entities, businesses, or 27 other entities, whose goals and actions are to provide 28 consistency, clarity, and coherence to present and future 29 policies, programs, and strategies affecting Illinois' water SB650 Engrossed -2- LRB9105598DHmg 1 and land resources. Members of the Congress shall serve 2 without compensation or reimbursed expenses. The Congress 3 shall establish operating bylaws that ensure each member has 4 a voting right on the bylaws and on any recommendation that 5 is forwarded by the Congress to the Natural Resources 6 Council. It shall take a two-thirds vote of the members of 7 the Congress to approve the bylaws and recommendations to the 8 Council. A copy of the bylaws shall be filed with the 9 Council. Recommendations submitted to the Council shall 10 detail the goal and impact of those recommendations on 11 recreation, natural resources, the State's economy, 12 agriculture and business, and property rights. 13 Section 20. Natural Resources Council. There is created 14 a Natural Resources Council consisting of the Director or 15 Secretary, as appropriate, of each of the following State 16 agencies: the Department of Agriculture; the Department of 17 Commerce and Community Affairs; the Department of Natural 18 Resources; the Department of Transportation; the Illinois 19 Environmental Protection Agency; the Department of Public 20 Health; and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. 21 The Council shall meet as necessary to receive and 22 evaluate recommendations from the Congress and take 23 appropriate action. Members of the Council may provide 24 in-kind services to the Congress. 25 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 26 becoming law.