Bill Text: IL HB4601 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that a fire protection district organized under the Act may appeal to the State Fire Marshal if a county denies a request for multiple access points to a new fire station. Provides that the fire protection district shall provide the State Fire Marshal with evidence of why multiple access point are required. Provides that the county may offer evidence to the State Fire Marshal that shows the specific reasons for denying a request for multiple access points. Provides that, unless the State Fire Marshal approves of the fire protection district's appeal, the county retains full authority over access points. Provides that neither the county or the fire protection district may appeal the State Fire Marshal's decision. Amends the State Fire Marshal Act. Requires the State Fire Marshal to issue a binding decision on a fire protection district's appeal under the Fire Protection District Act within 90 days of receiving the appeal, unless the Fire Marshal requests additional information.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2026-04-17 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB4601 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB4601-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB4601 Introduced , by Rep. Nabeela Syed SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
20 ILCS 2905/2 from Ch. 127 1/2, par. 2
70 ILCS 705/29 new
Amends the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that a fire protection district organized under the Act may appeal to the State Fire Marshal if a county denies a request for multiple access points to a new fire station. Provides that the fire protection district shall provide the State Fire Marshal with evidence of why multiple access point are required. Provides that the county may offer evidence to the State Fire Marshal that shows the specific reasons for denying a request for multiple access points. Provides that, unless the State Fire Marshal approves of the fire protection district's appeal, the county retains full authority over access points. Provides that neither the county or the fire protection district may appeal the State Fire Marshal's decision. Amends the State Fire Marshal Act. Requires the State Fire Marshal to issue a binding decision on a fire protection district's appeal under the Fire Protection District Act within 90 days of receiving the appeal, unless the Fire Marshal requests additional information.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning local government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The State Fire Marshal Act is amended by
changing Section 2 as follows:
(20 ILCS 2905/2) (from Ch. 127 1/2, par. 2)
Sec. 2. The Office shall have the following powers and
duties:
1. To exercise the rights, powers and duties which
have been vested by law in the Illinois State Police as the
successor of the Department of Public Safety, State Fire
Marshal, inspectors, officers and employees of the State
Fire Marshal, including arson investigation. Arson
investigations conducted by the State Fire Marshal's
Office shall be conducted by State Fire Marshal Arson
Investigator Special Agents, who shall be peace officers
as provided in the Peace Officer Fire Investigation Act.
2. To keep a record, as may be required by law, of all
fires occurring in the State, together with all facts,
statistics and circumstances, including the origin of
fires.
3. To exercise the rights, powers and duties which
have been vested in the Illinois State Police by the

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Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety Act.
4. To administer the Illinois Fire Protection Training
Act.
5. To aid in the establishment and maintenance of the
training facilities and programs of the Illinois Fire
Service Institute.
6. To disburse Federal grants for fire protection
purposes to units of local government.
7. To pay to or in behalf of the City of Chicago for
the maintenance, expenses, facilities and structures
directly incident to the Chicago Fire Department training
program. Such payments may be made either as
reimbursements for expenditures previously made by the
City, or as payments at the time the City has incurred an
obligation which is then due and payable for such
expenditures. Payments for the Chicago Fire Department
training program shall be made only for those expenditures
which are not claimable by the City under "An Act relating
to fire protection training", certified November 9, 1971,
as amended.
8. To administer grants to areas not located in a fire
protection district or in a municipality which provides
fire protection services, to defray the organizational
expenses of forming a fire protection district.
9. In cooperation with the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency, to administer the Illinois Leaking

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Underground Storage Tank program in accordance with
Section 4 of this Act and Section 22.12 of the
Environmental Protection Act.
10. To expend state and federal funds as appropriated
by the General Assembly.
11. To provide technical assistance, to areas not
located in a fire protection district or in a municipality
which provides fire protection service, to form a fire
protection district, to join an existing district, or to
establish a municipal fire department, whichever is
applicable.
12. To exercise such other powers and duties as may be
vested in the Office by law.
13. To issue a binding decision on a fire protection
district's appeal under Section 29 of the Fire Protection
District Act that balances emergency response needs with
the reasoning of the county within 90 days of receiving
the appeal, unless the Fire Marshal requests additional
information. If the Fire Marshal requests additional
information, then the Fire Marshal shall issue the
decision within 90 days of receiving the requested
information. The Fire Marshal shall conduct a site visit
before issuing a final decision.
(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)
Section 10. The Fire Protection District Act is amended by

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adding Section 29 as follows:
(70 ILCS 705/29 new)
Sec. 29. Right to appeal.
(a) As used in this Section, "access point" means a street
or driveway that provides a vehicle with entry or exit from a
fire station to an abutting street or highway.
(b) A fire protection district organized under this Act
may appeal to the State Fire Marshal if a county denies a
request for multiple access points to a new fire station. The
fire protection district shall provide the State Fire Marshal
with evidence of why multiple access point are required,
including:
(1) the equipment housed, maintained, and expected for
use in the new facility, including the number of apparatus
bays and emergency vehicles;
(2) why multiple access points are operationally
necessary for simultaneous deployment or emergency egress;
and
(3) the proposed location and function of each access
point, including whether an access point is intended for
only for emergency use or routine access points.
(c) The county may offer evidence to the State Fire
Marshal that shows the specific reasons for denying a request
for multiple access points, including:
(1) how a single access point is sufficient for fire

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operations;
(2) how a single access point could be modified to
accommodate fire operations;
(3) the safety concerns or traffic impacts of
justifying denial of multiple access points; and
(4) any alternative solutions to creating multiple
access points.
(d) Unless the State Fire Marshal approves of the fire
protection district's appeal, the county retains full
authority over access points, including the access point's
location, width, design specifications, required improvements,
and safety conditions. However, the county may not contradict
the decision of the State Fire Marshal.
(e) Neither the county or the fire protection district may
appeal the State Fire Marshal's decision.