Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 097-0178

Home

Legislation & Laws

Senate

House

My Legislation

Site Map

Previous General Assemblies

Public Act 097-0178

Bill Status Printer-Friendly Version PDF

Public Act 0178 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Public Act 097-0178

SB0168 Enrolled LRB097 06789 RLJ 46880 b

    AN ACT concerning State government.

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

    Section 5. The Mississippi River Coordinating Council Act
is amended by changing Sections 10, 15, and 20 as follows:

    (20 ILCS 4003/10)
    Sec. 10. Mississippi River Coordinating Council.
    (a) There is established the Mississippi River
Coordinating Council (Council), consisting of 16 ~~13~~ voting
members to be appointed by the Governor. One member shall be
the Lieutenant Governor who shall serve as a voting member and
as chairperson of the Council. The agency members of the
Council shall include the Directors, or their designees, of the
following: the Department of Agriculture, the Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, the
Historic Preservation Agency, and the Department of
Transportation. In addition, the Council shall include one
member representing Soil and Water Conservation Districts
located in the proximity of the Mississippi River and its
tributaries, and 8 ~~6~~ members representing local communities,
not-for-profit organizations working to protect the
Mississippi River and its tributaries, businesses,
agriculture, recreation, conservation, and the environment, 2
of which must reside within a county that is adjacent to the
Mississippi River.
    (b) The Governor may appoint, as ex-officio members,
individuals representing the interests of the states who border
the Mississippi River and individuals representing federal
agencies.
    (c) Members of the Council shall serve 2-year terms, except
that of the initial appointments, 5 members shall be appointed
to serve 3-year terms and 4 members to serve one-year terms.
    (d) The Council shall meet at least quarterly.
    (e) The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be
responsible for the operations of the Council, including,
without limitation, funding and oversight of the Council's
activities. The Office may reimburse members of the Council for
travel expenses.
    (f) This Section is subject to the provisions of Section
405-500 of the Department of Central Management Services Law.
    (g) The members of the Council shall appoint one member of
the Council to serve as the Illinois representative to the
National Mississippi River Parkway Commission.
(Source: P.A. 94-996, eff. 1-1-07.)

    (20 ILCS 4003/15)
    Sec. 15. Duties of the Council.
    (a) The Council shall:
        (1) periodically review activities and programs
    administered by State and federal agencies that directly
    impact the Mississippi River and its tributaries;
        (2) work with local communities and organizations to
    encourage partnerships that enhance awareness and
    capabilities to address watershed and water resource
    concerns and to encourage strategies that protect,
    restore, and expand critical habitats and soil
    conservation and water quality practices;
        (3) work with State and federal agencies to optimize
    the expenditure of funds affecting the Mississippi River
    and its tributaries;
        (4) advise and make recommendations to the Governor and
    State agencies on ways to better coordinate the expenditure
    of appropriated funds affecting the Mississippi River and
    its tributaries;
        (5) encourage local communities to develop water
    management plans to address stormwater, erosion, flooding,
    sedimentation, and pollution problems and encourage
    projects for the natural conveyance and storage of
    floodwaters, the enhancement of wildlife habitat and
    outdoor recreation opportunities, the recovery,
    management, and conservation of the Mississippi River and
    its tributaries, the preservation of farmland, prairies,
    and forests, and the use of measurable economic development
    efforts that are compatible with the ecological health of
    the State; and
        (6) help identify possible sources of additional
    funding for Mississippi River water management projects
    and projects and activities related to the Great River
    Road, a national scenic and recreational highway.
    (b) Subject to appropriation, the Council may pay for a
membership to the National Mississippi River Commission.
(Source: P.A. 94-996, eff. 1-1-07.)

    (20 ILCS 4003/20)
    Sec. 20. Agency duties. State agencies represented on the
Council shall provide to the Council, on request, information
concerning agency programs, data, and activities that impact
the restoration and preservation of the Mississippi River and
its tributaries. The Secretary of Transportation, the Director
of Agriculture, the Director of the Environmental Protection
Agency, the Director of Historic Preservation, the Director of
Natural Resources, and the Director of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity shall each designate at least one employee from his
or her respective agency to assist the Council.
(Source: P.A. 94-996, eff. 1-1-07.)

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 7/22/2011

×