STATUS OF BILLS

S.B. 26 - KEATS — Amends Park District Code; allows park districts to engage in exchange of real property if such property is of substantially equal value and the same suitability. (Signed by the Governor September 22, 1979; effective immediately).

S.B. 157* - CARROLL ET AL — Appropriates $25,000 for fiscal year 1980 ordinary and contingent expenses of the Judicial Advisory Council. (Signed by Governor August 10, 1979; an appropriation of $2 million to local museums was reduced to $500,000 by amendatory veto).

S.B. 287 - EGAN ET AL — Amends Child Labor Law to allow minors under 16 to work in ice skating rinks owned and operated by a school or unit of local government. (Signed by Governor September 14, 1979; effective January 1, 1980).

S.B. 303 - SOMMER — Amends Park District Code. Allows that one of the four commissioners elected (on a seven member board) may serve a two year term of office. (Signed by Governor September 14, 1979; effective immediately)

S.B. 402 - RUPP — Amends Park District Code. Authorizes park districts to issue revenue bonds for purpose of constructing or expanding airports and landing fields in districts. (Signed by Governor September 16, 1979; effective January 1, 1980).

S.B. 463 - WEAVER ET AL — Amends Section 5-3 of Park District Code to increase amount of additional corporate tax, which may be authorized by referendum from not greater than .05% to not greater than .25%. (Signed by Governor August 30, 1979; effective January 1, 1980).

S.B. 577* - McMILLAN ET AL — Appropriations for ordinary and contingent expenses of Institute of Natural Resources for fiscal year beginning July 1, 1979.

H.B. 444 - GRIESHEIMER — Amends an Act providing for the creation of forest preserve districts in counties having a population less than 3,000,000. Prohibits districts from acquiring or condemning property within a municipality without consent of such municipality. Amended to apply to counties of 600,000 or less. (Signed by Governor September 24, 1979; effective January 1, 1980).

H.B. 611 - HUSKEY ET AL — Amends Park District Code section prohibiting members from having any interest in any contract with the park district. Provides exceptions similar to those for municipality officers. (Signed by Governor September 24, 1979; effective January 1, 1980).

H.B. 662 - YOURELL — New Act providing that State reimburse units of local government and school districts for their increased cost caused by State laws (enacted after January 1, 1980) creating new programs or expanding existing ones. (Signed by Governor September 20, 1970; effective January 1, 1981 — The Governor amended this bill concerning how the reimbursement claim board is appointed.)

H.B. 674 - WILLER ET AL — Amends the Park District Code. Provides that a park district seeking to become coterminous with one or more cities or villages may not annex, without a referendum, territory which has been in a particular municipality for more than one year, unless such territory so annexed is 120 acres or less. (Signed by Governor September 14, 1979; effective immediately).

H.B. 1028 - PIERCE ET AL — Amends Municipal Retirement Fund Article of Pension Code to include governing boards of special recreation joint agreements without designation of administrative district within that Article. Removes 3-year limit on duration of such joint agreements. (Signed by Governor September 16, 1979; effective January 1, 1980).

H.B. 1047-DONOVAN ET AL — Amends Park District Code. Authorizes park districts to issue revenue bonds for purpose of constructing airports and landing fields in districts. (Vetoed September 21, 1979).

H.B. 1422 DOYLE ET AL — Amends the Chicago Park Employees' Annuity and Benefit Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Increases rates of death benefit payments, provides for eligibility for ordinary disability benefit in cases of sickness incident to pregnancy and increases the salary minimum for the Secretary of the Retirement Board. (Signed by Governor September 16, 1979; effective immediately).

H.B. 1423 - DOYLE ET AL — Amends the Chicago Park Employees' and Retirement Board Employees' Annuity and Benefit Fund Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Revises the initial service requirement for participation in the Fund so that the 6 months of service must be continuous. Permits the Retirement Board to designate the actuarial table and interest rate upon recommendation of the actuary. Specifies 4 year minimum service requirement for retirement at age 60 or over. Provides for the contributions for and accumulation of retirement and spouses' pension credits to age 70, instead of age 67 of the employee. (Signed by Governor September 16, 1979; effective immediately).

H.B. 1464 -HOFFMAN ET AL — Amends Act concerning governmental tort immunity. Allows a local public entity to insure itself against and pay, from the tort fund, claims arising under Unemployment

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Legislative
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Insurance Act. Allows a local public entity to raise funds for these claims through its rate making power or taxing power. (Signed by Governor August 11, 1979; effective January 1, 1980).

H.B. 2191 -PARLEY ET AL — Amends an Act relating to civil service in park systems. Provides cut-off date for service during Viet Nam conflict which qualifies veterans for preference in classified positions of a park district. Changes mandatory retirement age from 65 to 70. (Signed by Governor September 21, 1979; effective immediately).

H.B. 2192 - PARLEY ET AL — Amends an Act in relation to the creation, maintenance, operation and improvement of the Chicago Park District. Enumerates various types of athletic, recreational and parking facilities which Chicago Park District is empowered to construct, equip and maintain and specifically empowers District to make and enforce regulations and charges thereof. (Vetoed September 24, 1979).

H.B. 2193 - PARLEY ET AL — Amends Chicago Park District Act. Specifies certain powers of the Chicago Park District including the impoundment of vessels, regulation of the chartering of vessels and the rental of storage space. Provides a penalty for any violation of regulations pertaining to vessels and authorizes commissioners to refuse chartering and mooring privileges to any person convicted of violating the regulations. (Signed by Governor September 21, 1979; effective January 1, 1980).

H.B. 2218 - PARLEY — Amends the Act relating to State revenue sharing with local governmental entities. Creates a "Park, Recreation and Open Space Distributive Fund" in an amount equal to 1/48 of net revenue realized from the Illinois Income Tax (approximately $40 million dollars) with monthly distributions, distributed as follows: to Chicago Park District, 10%; to "downstate" Park Districts, 60%: to Cook County Forest Preserve District, 10%; to "downstate" Forest Preserve and Conservation Districts, 20%. (1980 Spring Calendar).

H.B. 2219-PARLEY — Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Provides for depositing unclaimed lottery prize money into the Park, Recreation and Open Space Distributive Fund for distribution to park districts, forest preserve districts, and conservation districts in the same proportions as set forth in H.B. 2218. (1980 Spring Calendar).

H.B. 2569 - McPIKE — Abolishes ad valorem personal property tax and replaces revenues lost with additional income tax of 4.8% on corporations, partnerships and voluntary trusts and a tax on invested capital on payers of messages tax, gas revenue tax, and the public utilities revenue tax. (Signed by Governor August 14, 1979; effective July 1, 1979).

DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Urban Action Grants. For information about this program contact Donald Falls in Springfield at (217) 782-7564 or Fredi Schmutte in Chicago at (312) 793-4856.

Community Development Block Grants. For information contact Mike Sims, Springfield, (217) 782-7564; Fredi

Illinois Parks and Recreation 12 November/December, 1979

Schmutte, Chicago; or Cathy Powers, Marion, (618) 997-4371.

Workmen's Compensation Costs to Rise Again. Recently local governments received yet another dose of bad risk management news. In August, the Illinois Department of Insurance approved a rate increase for workmen's compensation insurance. Effective September 1, 1979, insurance companies will be permitted to charge new and renewed policy holders premium increases averaging 25% for local governments. Local governments who now have coverage in this area can expect this latest increase will be reflected in future premium quotes. The increase, coupled with others since 1975, has doubled the average cost of workmen's compensation insurance over the 1975 level. Expectations are that this latest round of increases will intensify interest in self-insurance, pooling, and overall risk management programs. Also, effective safety and loss prevention programs go a long way in controlling losses due to on-the-job inquiries.

The Department of Local Government Affairs now has available publications which may be of interest. They are:

Guide to Illinois State Services. Price: $3.50. All orders must be prepaid; checks made payable to Urban Planning Assistance Fund. Send your order to Office of Research and Planning, Illinois Department of Local Government Affairs, 303 E. Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62706. Fiscal Management Manual (Budget and Accounting for Park Districts). Available for $10.00 each. Contact the above office for further information regarding this publication.

ELECTION CONSOLIDATION MAP REQUIREMENTS

A law signed the last week of August by Governor James Thompson requires all local governments in Illinois to prepare maps showing the exact geographical boundaries of their political subdivisions as of January 1, 1980, according to State Board of Elections Chairman Michael J. Hamblet.

Hamblet pointed out that the local governments have until March 1, 1980, to submit the maps to the county clerk or city boards of election commissioners so that these officials may develop permanent record coding of the registered voters within their respective counties or cities. If any of the political subdivisions are divided into wards or districts, Hamblet added, then those units must also be reflected on the maps.

Hamblet explained that this is necessary because, effective December 1, 1980, the county clerks or boards of election commissioners will be responsible for all elections conducted within their jurisdictions.

Presently, county clerks administer only even-year partisan elections, while city boards of election commissioners administer only their city elections and even-year partisan elections.

The maps for use by the county clerks and city boards of election commissioners must be prepared by the following local units of government according to Hamlet: School districts, community college districts, PARK DISTRICTS, sanitary districts, cities and villages, townships, fire protection districts — all of which currently administer their own elections.

Hamblet said, "This is an important law that will help ensure a smooth transition to consolidated elections. Without accurate and up-to-date maps of the many local units of government within their jurisdictions, county clerks and city boards of election commissioners would find it virtually impossible to prepare precise lists of registered voters."

*Combined bills provide $1 1/2 million for grants to local museums. For additional information contact: Bruce R. McMillan, State Museum Building, Springfield, IL 62706.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 13 November/December, 1979