Bill Text: IL SB0693 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Act. Provides that each chairperson of the Seneca Regional Port District, the Ottawa Port District, the Illinois Valley Regional Port District, the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District, and the Havana Port District shall appoint a member to the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission (rather than a board member from each of those districts shall be appointed by the chairperson of those district boards to the Commission). Provides that one of the Commission's duties is to coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives within the areas over which it has jurisdiction under this Act (removing language providing that this duty is in order to enhance the reporting and benefits of statistical data). Allows the Commission to acquire, purchase, install, lease, construct, own, hold, maintain, equip, use, control, or operate specified port-related facilities required or incidental to the construction, outfitting, dry docking, or repair of ships or vessels, or water, air, or rail terminals, or roadways or approaches to the facilities or other necessary port-related structures or facilities. Prohibits the Commission from exercising control over the operation of port districts established by any other law of the State, except by voluntary agreement between the port district and the Commission. Allows the Commission to enhance the reporting and benefits of statistical data as it relates to its duties or powers. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-04-24 - Assigned to Executive Committee [SB0693 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB0693-Engrossed.html

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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 Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Act is
amended by changing Sections 5, 10, and 15 as follows:
(70 ILCS 1816/5)
Sec. 5. Creation; membership; administrative support.
(a) The Illinois Waterway Ports Commission is hereby
created. The Commission shall exercise jurisdiction with
respect to the duties and powers delegated to it under this Act
within the following port districts and counties: the Seneca
Regional Port District, the Ottawa Port District, the Illinois
Valley Regional Port District, the Heart of Illinois Regional
Port District, and the Havana Port District and Fulton, Mason,
Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau, LaSalle,
and Grundy counties.
(b) The Commission shall consist of the following 9
appointed members:
(1) a member appointed by the Chairperson of the Board
of the Seneca Regional Port District, appointed by the
Chairperson of the Board;
(2) a member appointed by the Chairperson of the Board
of the Ottawa Port District, appointed by the Chairperson

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of the Board;
(3) a member appointed by the Chairperson of the Board
of the Illinois Valley Regional Port District, appointed
by the Chairperson of the Board;
(4) a member appointed by the Chairperson of the Board
of the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District, appointed
by the Chairperson of the Board;
(5) a member appointed by the Chairperson of the Board
of the Havana Regional Port District, appointed by the
Chairperson of the Board;
(6) a member from a not-for-profit organization that
assists with local government planning within the northern
territory of the Commission, appointed by the majority
vote of the chairpersons of the Seneca Regional Port
District, Ottawa Port District, Illinois Valley Regional
Port District, Heart of Illinois Regional Port District,
and Havana Regional Port District;
(7) a member appointed by the Tri-County Regional
Planning Commission from the Tri-County Regional Planning
Commission;
(8) a member from a not-for-profit organization that
assists with local government planning within the southern
territory of the Commission, appointed by the majority
vote of the chairpersons of the Seneca Regional Port
District, Ottawa Port District, Illinois Valley Regional
Port District, Heart of Illinois Regional Port District,

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and Havana Regional Port District;
(9) a member that is recommended by the Chairperson of
the Board of the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District
and appointed by the majority vote of the chairpersons of
the Seneca Regional Port District, Ottawa Port District,
Illinois Valley Regional Port District, Heart of Illinois
Regional Port District, and Havana Regional Port District.
The members shall be appointed no later than 90 days after
the effective date of this Act. The members shall hold office
for a period of 6 years, or until a successor has been
appointed, and the members shall serve without compensation.
At the expiration of the term of an appointed member, the
person, organization, chairperson, or chairpersons who
appointed the member shall appoint a successor who shall hold
office for 6 years or until a successor has been appointed.
(c) The members of the Commission shall elect a
chairperson of the Commission for a 2-year term after all the
members are selected. A member of the Commission shall not
serve more than 2 terms as chairperson.
(d) If a vacancy occurs in the Commission membership, the
vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(e) The Commission shall meet no less than once a year.
(f) The Heart of Illinois Regional Port District shall
provide administrative support and other support to the
Commission.

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(Source: P.A. 103-214, eff. 6-30-23.)
(70 ILCS 1816/10)
Sec. 10. Duties. The Commission has the following duties:
(1) to coordinate and synchronize common efforts and
initiatives within the areas over which it has jurisdiction
under this Act in order to enhance the reporting and benefits
of statistical data;
(2) to make recommendations to the Governor, the General
Assembly, Congress, and federal agencies on regional issues
that impact multimodal transportation, economic development,
environmental sustainability, and climate resiliency within
the areas over which it has jurisdiction under this Act;
(3) to coordinate and synchronize common efforts and
initiatives with the Mid-America Port Commission and the
Joliet Regional Port District;
(4) to coordinate and synchronize federal activities
associated with the nonfederal sponsorship and development of
the M-55 Illinois-Gulf Marine Highway; and
(5) to request funding or assist in requesting funding, as
it deems necessary, for those areas over which it has
jurisdiction under this Act.
(Source: P.A. 103-214, eff. 6-30-23.)
(70 ILCS 1816/15)
Sec. 15. Powers.

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(a) The Commission may request funding from any federal,
state, municipal, or local government or any other person or
organization for purposes of the Commission within the
Commission's jurisdiction. The individual port districts
within the Commission's jurisdiction retain authority to
request funding from any federal, state, municipal, or local
government or any other person or organization for purposes of
the individual port districts within the Commission area.
(b) The Commission may enter into a memorandum of
understanding or intergovernmental agreement with the State, a
unit of local government, or a federal governmental
organization in the performance of its duties. The Commission
may not exercise control over an a operation of a port district
established by any other law except by voluntary agreement
between the port district and the Commission.
(c) The Commission may acquire, purchase, install, lease,
construct, own, hold, maintain, equip, use, control, or
operate ports, harbors, waterways, channels, wharves, piers,
docks, quays, elevators, tipples, compresses, bulk loading and
unloading facilities, warehouse, dry docks, marine support
railways, tugboats, ships, vessels, shipyards, shipbuilding
facilities, machinery and equipment dredges, or any other
facilities required or incidental to the construction,
outfitting, dry docking, or repair of ships or vessels, or
water, air, or rail terminals, or roadways or approaches to
the facilities or other structures or facilities necessary for

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the convenient use of the same in the aid of commerce,
including the dredging, deepening, extending, widening, or
enlarging of any ports, harbors, rivers, channels, or
waterways, the damming of inland waterways, the establishment
of a water basin, the acquisition and development of
industrial sites, or the reclaiming of submerged lands.
(d) The Commission may not exercise control over the
operation of port districts established by any other law of
the State, except by voluntary agreement between the port
district and the Commission.
(e) (c) The Commission may perform any other act that may
be useful in performing its duties under Section 10 or powers
under this Section, including, but not limited to, enhancing
the reporting and benefits of statistical data.
(Source: P.A. 103-214, eff. 6-30-23; revised 9-25-23.)