Bill Amendment: IL HB5165 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly

NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List

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Bill Title: RIVER ACCESS MODERNIZATION ACT

Status: 2026-05-22 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [HB5165 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB5165-House_Amendment_002.html

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Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr.

Filed: 4/10/2026

 

 

 

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AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5165
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5165, AS AMENDED,
by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
following:
"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Public Waters Access Task Force Act.
Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the
following:
(1) Illinois' rivers provide significant ecological,
recreational, and economic benefits.
(2) Access to rivers for boating, paddling, angling,
and other outdoor recreation is essential to supporting
tourism, conservation, and public enjoyment of natural
resources.
(3) Many communities across the State face barriers to
safe, legal, and adequate river access.

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(4) A coordinated, statewide evaluation is necessary
to identify opportunities to expand and improve river
access while balancing conservation, landowner interests,
and public safety.
Section 10. Public Waters Access Task Force; creation.
(a) The Public Waters Access Task Force is created to
study and make recommendations for increasing and improving
public access to rivers for boaters, paddlers, and anglers
throughout the State.
(b) The Task Force shall consist of 9 members, appointed
as follows:
(1) one member appointed by the President of the
Senate;
(2) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
Senate;
(3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives;
(4) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives;
(5) four members representing nongovernmental
organizations, appointed by the Director of Natural
Resources, as follows:
(A) three members representing organizations
concerning outdoor recreation interests; and
(B) one member representing an organization

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concerning farm interests; and
(6) one member from the Department of Natural
Resources, appointed by the Director of Natural Resources.
(c) The Task Force shall be co-chaired by:
(1) the member appointed under paragraph (6) of
subsection (b); and
(2) one of the members appointed under paragraph (5)
of subsection (b), selected by a majority vote of the
members appointed under paragraph (5) of subsection (b).
Section 15. Duties of the Task Force. The Task Force
shall:
(1) evaluate current public access to rivers across
Illinois, including boat launches, public rights-of-way,
easements, and informal access points;
(2) identify barriers to river access, including
regulatory, physical, financial, and land-use challenges;
(3) consult with local governments, conservation
groups, landowners, recreational users, and other
stakeholders;
(4) review best practices from other states for
expanding river access while protecting natural resources
and respecting private property rights; and
(5) develop recommendations to increase and improve
river access, including potential legislative, regulatory,
and funding strategies.

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Section 20. Support. The Department of Natural Resources
shall provide administrative, technical, and logistical
support to the Task Force.
Section 25. Report; repeal.
(a) The Task Force shall submit a final report containing
its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the
General Assembly no later than one year after the effective
date of this Act.
(b) Upon submission of the final report, the Task Force is
dissolved.
(c) This Act is repealed 2 years after the effective date
of this Act.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.".