Bill Text: IL HB0348 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law making conforming changes. Further amends the new Article 24 of the Township Code as follows: removes provisions regarding the scope of the Article; modifies the petition requirements to dissolve a township, including signature requirements and publication of the petition on the county's website; modifies the referendum wording; clarifies that road districts that are to be dissolved must be wholly within the boundaries of the township; adds examples of duties that are transferred to the county; limits specified taxes and proceeds of the sale of specified properties to the use and benefit of the geographic area of the dissolved township; provides that reductions in spending within the boundaries of the former township and specified tax levies may be used to pay down liabilities of the former township; provides that if a no municipality makes an offer or a municipality doesn't make a satisfactory offer (rather than only no offers made) to take over part of a dissolved road district, then the county may retain the powers over the road district; provides that elected and appointed township officers and road commissioners shall cease to hold office on the date of dissolution of the township and road districts, no longer be compensated, and do not have legal recourse relating to the ceasing of their elected or appointed positions upon the ceasing of their offices. Effective immediately.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-08-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 101-0230 [HB0348 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2019-HB0348-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law making conforming changes. Further amends the new Article 24 of the Township Code as follows: removes provisions regarding the scope of the Article; modifies the petition requirements to dissolve a township, including signature requirements and publication of the petition on the county's website; modifies the referendum wording; clarifies that road districts that are to be dissolved must be wholly within the boundaries of the township; adds examples of duties that are transferred to the county; limits specified taxes and proceeds of the sale of specified properties to the use and benefit of the geographic area of the dissolved township; provides that reductions in spending within the boundaries of the former township and specified tax levies may be used to pay down liabilities of the former township; provides that if a no municipality makes an offer or a municipality doesn't make a satisfactory offer (rather than only no offers made) to take over part of a dissolved road district, then the county may retain the powers over the road district; provides that elected and appointed township officers and road commissioners shall cease to hold office on the date of dissolution of the township and road districts, no longer be compensated, and do not have legal recourse relating to the ceasing of their elected or appointed positions upon the ceasing of their offices. Effective immediately.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-08-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 101-0230 [HB0348 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2019-HB0348-Introduced.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning local government.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Legislative intent. It is the intent of the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | General Assembly that this Act further the intent of Section 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, which states, in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | relevant part, that townships "may be consolidated or merged, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | and one or more townships may be dissolved or divided, when | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | approved by referendum in each township affected". | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Transferring the powers and duties of one or more dissolved | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | McHenry County townships into the county, as the supervising | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | unit of local government within which the township or townships | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | are situated, will reduce the overall number of local | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | governmental units within our State. This reduction is declared | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | to be a strong goal of Illinois public policy.
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16 | Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | 28-7 as follows:
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18 | (10 ILCS 5/28-7) (from Ch. 46, par. 28-7)
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19 | Sec. 28-7.
Except as provided in Article 24 of the Township | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | Code, in In any case in which Article VII or paragraph (a) of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | Section 5 of
the
Transition Schedule of the Constitution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | authorizes any action to be
taken by or with respect to any |
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1 | unit of local government, as defined in
Section 1 of Article | ||||||
2 | VII of the Constitution, by or subject to approval
by | ||||||
3 | referendum, any such public question shall be initiated in
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4 | accordance with this Section.
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5 | Any such public question may be initiated by the governing | ||||||
6 | body of the
unit of local government by resolution or by the | ||||||
7 | filing with the clerk or
secretary of the
governmental unit of | ||||||
8 | a petition signed by a number of qualified electors
equal to or | ||||||
9 | greater than at least 8% of the total votes cast for candidates | ||||||
10 | for Governor in the preceding gubernatorial election, | ||||||
11 | requesting the submission of the proposal
for such action to | ||||||
12 | the voters
of the governmental unit at a regular election.
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13 | If the action to be taken requires a referendum involving 2 | ||||||
14 | or more
units of local government, the proposal shall be | ||||||
15 | submitted to the voters
of such governmental units by the | ||||||
16 | election authorities with jurisdiction
over the territory of | ||||||
17 | the governmental units. Such multi-unit proposals
may be | ||||||
18 | initiated by appropriate
resolutions by the respective | ||||||
19 | governing bodies or by
petitions of the voters of the several | ||||||
20 | governmental units filed with the
respective clerks or | ||||||
21 | secretaries.
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22 | This Section is intended to provide a method of submission | ||||||
23 | to
referendum in all cases of proposals for actions which are | ||||||
24 | authorized by
Article VII of the Constitution by or subject to | ||||||
25 | approval by referendum
and supersedes any conflicting | ||||||
26 | statutory provisions except those
contained in Division 2-5 of |
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1 | the Counties Code or Article 24 of the Township Code .
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2 | Referenda provided for in this Section may not be held more | ||||||
3 | than once
in any 23-month period on the same proposition, | ||||||
4 | provided that in any
municipality a referendum to elect not to | ||||||
5 | be a home rule unit may be held
only once within
any 47-month | ||||||
6 | period.
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7 | (Source: P.A. 100-863, eff. 8-14-18.)
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8 | Section 10. The Counties Code is amended by adding Section | ||||||
9 | 5-1184 as follows:
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10 | (55 ILCS 5/5-1184 new) | ||||||
11 | Sec. 5-1184. Dissolution of townships in McHenry County. If | ||||||
12 | a township in McHenry County dissolves as provided in Article | ||||||
13 | 24 of the Township Code, McHenry County shall assume the | ||||||
14 | powers, duties, and obligations of each dissolved township as | ||||||
15 | provided in Article 24 of the Township Code.
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16 | Section 15. The Township Code is amended by adding Article | ||||||
17 | 24 as follows:
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18 | (60 ILCS 1/Art. 24 heading new) | ||||||
19 | ARTICLE 24. DISSOLUTION OF | ||||||
20 | TOWNSHIPS IN
MCHENRY COUNTY | ||||||
21 | (60 ILCS 1/24-5 new) |
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1 | Sec. 24-5. Scope. The method of dissolution of a township | ||||||
2 | in McHenry County under this Article shall be in addition to | ||||||
3 | any other method of dissolving a township provided by law or | ||||||
4 | otherwise.
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5 | (60 ILCS 1/24-10 new) | ||||||
6 | Sec. 24-10. Definition. As used in this Article, "electors" | ||||||
7 | means the registered voters of any single township in McHenry | ||||||
8 | County.
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9 | (60 ILCS 1/24-15 new) | ||||||
10 | Sec. 24-15. Dissolving a township in McHenry County. By | ||||||
11 | resolution, the board of trustees of any township located in | ||||||
12 | McHenry County may submit a proposition to dissolve the | ||||||
13 | township to the electors of that township at the election next | ||||||
14 | following in accordance with the general election law. The | ||||||
15 | ballot shall be as provided for in Section 24-30.
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16 | (60 ILCS 1/24-20 new) | ||||||
17 | Sec. 24-20. Petition requirements; notice. | ||||||
18 | (a) Subject to the petition requirements of Section 28-3 of | ||||||
19 | the Election Code, petitions for a referendum to dissolve a | ||||||
20 | township located in McHenry County must be filed with the | ||||||
21 | governing board of the township, the county board of McHenry | ||||||
22 | County, and the McHenry County Clerk not less than 122 days | ||||||
23 | prior to any election held throughout the township. Petitions |
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1 | must include:
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2 | (1) the name of the dissolving township;
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3 | (2) the date of dissolution; and
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4 | (3) signatures of a number of electors equal to or | ||||||
5 | greater than 5% of the total votes cast in the township in | ||||||
6 | the preceding election that is of an election type | ||||||
7 | comparable to the election for which the petition is being | ||||||
8 | filed; all signatures gathered under this paragraph (3) | ||||||
9 | must be signed within 365 days prior to the filing of a | ||||||
10 | petition.
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11 | (b) The proposed date of dissolution shall be at least 90 | ||||||
12 | days after the date of the election at which the referendum is | ||||||
13 | to be voted upon.
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14 | (c) If a valid petition is filed under subsection (a), then | ||||||
15 | the McHenry County Clerk shall, by publication in one or more | ||||||
16 | newspapers of general circulation within the county, not less | ||||||
17 | than 90 days prior to the election at which the referendum is | ||||||
18 | to be voted on, give notice in substantially the following | ||||||
19 | form:
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20 | NOTICE OF PETITION TO DISSOLVE (dissolving township).
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21 | Residents of (dissolving township) and McHenry County are | ||||||
22 | notified that a petition has been filed with (dissolving | ||||||
23 | township) and McHenry County requesting a referendum to | ||||||
24 | dissolve (dissolving township) on (date of dissolution) | ||||||
25 | with all real and personal property, and any other assets, |
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1 | together with all personnel, contractual obligations, and | ||||||
2 | liabilities being transferred to McHenry County.
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3 | (60 ILCS 1/24-25 new) | ||||||
4 | Sec. 24-25. Ballot placement. A petition that meets the | ||||||
5 | requirements of Section 24-20 shall be placed on the ballot in | ||||||
6 | the form provided for in Section 24-30 at the election next | ||||||
7 | following.
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8 | (60 ILCS 1/24-30 new) | ||||||
9 | Sec. 24-30. Referendum; voting. | ||||||
10 | (a) Subject to the requirements of Section 16-7 of the | ||||||
11 | Election Code, the referendum described in Section 24-25 shall | ||||||
12 | be in substantially the following form on the ballot: | ||||||
13 | -
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14 | Shall the (dissolving YES
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15 | township) be dissolved on (date
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16 | of dissolution) with all of --------------
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17 | its property, assets, personnel,
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18 | obligations, and liabilities being NO
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19 | transferred to McHenry County?
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20 | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ||||||
21 | (b) The referendum is approved when a majority of those | ||||||
22 | voting in the election from the dissolving township approve the | ||||||
23 | referendum.
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1 | (60 ILCS 1/24-35 new) | ||||||
2 | Sec. 24-35. Dissolution; transfer of rights and duties. | ||||||
3 | When the dissolution of a township has been approved under | ||||||
4 | Section 24-30:
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5 | (1) On or before the date of dissolution, all real and | ||||||
6 | personal property, and any other assets, together with all | ||||||
7 | personnel, contractual obligations, and liabilities of the | ||||||
8 | dissolving township and road districts shall be | ||||||
9 | transferred to McHenry County. All funds of the dissolved | ||||||
10 | township and road districts shall be used solely on behalf | ||||||
11 | of the residents of the geographic area within the | ||||||
12 | boundaries of the dissolved township.
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13 | (2) On the date of dissolution, the dissolving township | ||||||
14 | is dissolved.
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15 | (3) On and after the date of dissolution, all rights | ||||||
16 | and duties of the dissolved township may be exercised by | ||||||
17 | the McHenry County Board solely on behalf of the residents | ||||||
18 | of the geographic area within the boundaries of the | ||||||
19 | dissolved township. | ||||||
20 | (4) The McHenry County Board shall not extend a | ||||||
21 | property tax levy that is greater than 90% of the property | ||||||
22 | tax levy extended by the dissolved township or road | ||||||
23 | districts for the duties taken on by McHenry County. This | ||||||
24 | property tax levy may not be extended outside the | ||||||
25 | boundaries of the dissolved township. In all subsequent | ||||||
26 | years, this levy shall be bound by the provisions of the |
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1 | Property Tax Extension Limitation Law. | ||||||
2 | (5) All road districts wholly within the boundaries of | ||||||
3 | the dissolving township are dissolved on the date of | ||||||
4 | dissolution of the dissolving township, and all powers and | ||||||
5 | responsibilities of each road district are transferred to | ||||||
6 | McHenry County except as provided in paragraph (6). | ||||||
7 | (6) The county board of McHenry County shall give | ||||||
8 | written notice to each municipality whose governing board | ||||||
9 | meets within the boundaries of a dissolving township that | ||||||
10 | the municipality may make an offer, on or before 60 days | ||||||
11 | after the date of dissolution of the dissolving township, | ||||||
12 | that the municipality will assume all of the powers and | ||||||
13 | responsibilities of a road district or road districts | ||||||
14 | wholly inside the dissolving township. The notice shall be | ||||||
15 | sent to each municipality on or before 30 days after the | ||||||
16 | date of dissolution of the township. Any eligible | ||||||
17 | municipality may, with consent of its governing board, make | ||||||
18 | an offer to assume all of the powers and responsibilities | ||||||
19 | of the dissolving township's road district or road | ||||||
20 | districts. A municipality may offer to assume the powers | ||||||
21 | and responsibilities only for a limited period of time. If | ||||||
22 | one or more offers are received by McHenry County on or | ||||||
23 | before 60 days after the date of dissolution of the | ||||||
24 | dissolving township, the county board of McHenry County | ||||||
25 | shall select the best offer or offers that the board | ||||||
26 | determines would be in the best interest and welfare of the |
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1 | affected resident population. If no municipality makes an | ||||||
2 | offer, the powers and duties of the dissolving township's | ||||||
3 | road district or road districts are retained by McHenry | ||||||
4 | County. The municipality that assumes the powers and duties | ||||||
5 | of the dissolving township's road district or road | ||||||
6 | districts shall not extend a road district property tax | ||||||
7 | levy under Division 5 of Article 6 of the Illinois Highway | ||||||
8 | Code that is greater than 90% of the road district property | ||||||
9 | tax levy that was extended by the county on behalf of the | ||||||
10 | dissolving township's road district or road districts for | ||||||
11 | the duties taken on by the municipality.
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12 | Section 20. The Illinois Highway Code is amended by adding | ||||||
13 | Section 6-140 as follows:
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14 | (605 ILCS 5/6-140 new) | ||||||
15 | Sec. 6-140. Abolishing a road district within Lake County | ||||||
16 | or McHenry County with less than 15 miles of roads. Any | ||||||
17 | township in Lake County or McHenry County shall abolish a road | ||||||
18 | district of that township if the roads of the road district are | ||||||
19 | less than 15 centerline miles in length, as determined by the | ||||||
20 | county engineer or county superintendent of highways. A road | ||||||
21 | district is abolished on the expiration of the term of office | ||||||
22 | of the highway commissioner of the road district facing | ||||||
23 | abolition following the determination by the county engineer or | ||||||
24 | county superintendent of highways of the length, in centerline |
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1 | mileage, of the roads within the road district to be abolished. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | On the date of abolition: all the rights, powers, duties, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | responsibilities of the road district shall by operation of law | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | vest in and be assumed by the township; the township board of | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | trustees shall assume all taxing authority of a road district | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | abolished under this Section and shall exercise all duties and | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | responsibilities of the highway commissioner as provided in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | this Code; and for purposes of distribution of revenue, the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | township shall assume the powers, duties, and obligations of | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | the road district. The township board of trustees may enter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | into a contract with the county, a municipality, or a private | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | contractor to administer the roads added to its jurisdiction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | under this Section.
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15 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | becoming law. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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