Bill Text: IL HB2714 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Heroes Way Designation Program Act. Permits any federally-chartered or state-charted veterans service organization to apply for designation of an honorary road sign for any member of the United States Armed Forces who was killed in action, if no eligible family member is available to apply for designation of an honorary road sign.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-06 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB2714 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB2714-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2714 Introduced , by Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
605 ILCS 127/10
605 ILCS 127/15
Amends the Heroes Way Designation Program Act. Permits any federally-chartered or state-charted veterans service organization to apply for designation of an honorary road sign for any member of the United States Armed Forces who was killed in action, if no eligible family member is available to apply for designation of an honorary road sign.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning roads and bridges.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Heroes Way Designation Program Act is
amended by changing Sections 10 and 15 as follows:
(605 ILCS 127/10)
Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Department" means the Illinois Department of
Transportation.
"Federally-chartered veterans service organization" means
any veterans service organization chartered by the United
States Congress and incorporated in Illinois.
"Secretary" means the Secretary of the Illinois Department
of Transportation.
"State-chartered veterans service organization" means any
veterans service organization chartered by the Attorney
General as provided in the Veteran Service Organizations State
Charter Act.
"United States Armed Forces" means any branch of the
United States Military, including National Guard and military
reserve components.
(Source: P.A. 99-802, eff. 1-1-17.)

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(605 ILCS 127/15)
Sec. 15. Heroes Way Designation Program.
(a) Any person who is related by marriage, adoption, or
consanguinity within the second degree to a member of the
United States Armed Forces who was killed in action while
performing active military duty with the Armed Forces, and who
was a resident of this State at the time he or she was killed
in action, may apply for a designation allowing the placement
of an honorary sign alongside roads designated under the
provisions of this Act.
(a-5) If no person described under subsection (a) is
available, then any federally-chartered or state-charted
veterans service organization may apply for a designation
allowing the placement of an honorary sign alongside roads
designated under the provision of this Act for any member of
the United States Armed Forces who was killed in action while
performing active military duty with the Armed Forces, and who
was a resident of this State at the time he or she was killed
in action.
(b) The honorary signs may be placed upon interstate or
state-numbered highway interchanges or upon bridges or
segments of highway under the jurisdiction of the Department
according to the provisions of this Section, and any
applicable federal and State limitations or conditions on
highway signage, including location and spacing.
(c) Any person described under subsection (a) or any

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federally-chartered or state-charted veterans service
organization described under subsection (a-5) that of this
Section who desires to have an interstate or state-numbered
highway interchange or bridge or segment of highway under the
jurisdiction of the Department designated after a member of
the United States Armed Forces who was killed in action his or
her family member shall petition the Department by submitting
an application in a form prescribed by the Secretary. The form
shall include the amount of the fee under subsection (d) of
this Section. The application must meet the following
requirements:
(1) describe the interstate or state-numbered highway
interchange or bridge or segment of highway under the
jurisdiction of the Department for which the designation
is sought and the proposed name of the interchange,
bridge, or relevant segment of highway. The application
shall include the name of at least one current member of
the General Assembly who will sponsor the designation. The
application may contain written testimony for support of
the designation;
(2) a signed form, prescribed by the Secretary,
certifying that the applicant is either (i) related by
marriage, adoption, or consanguinity within the second
degree to the member of the United States Armed Forces who
was killed in action or (ii) is a federally-chartered or
state-charted veterans service organization; and

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(3) the name of the member of the United States Armed
Forces for whom the designation is sought must be listed
on the National Gold Star Family Registry.
(d) After determining that the petitioner meets all of the
application requirements of subsection (c), the Department
shall submit a recommendation containing the proposed
designations to the sponsor in the General Assembly named in
the application. The Department shall be notified upon the
approval or denial of a proposed designation. Upon the
approval of a proposed designation, the petitioner shall
submit a fee to be determined by the Secretary to cover the
costs of constructing and maintaining the proposed signs on
the interchange, bridge, or segment of highway. The fee shall
not exceed the cost of constructing and maintaining each sign.
(e) The Department shall give notice of any proposed
designation under this Section on the Department's official
public website.
(f) Two signs shall be erected for each interchange,
bridge, or segment of highway designation processed under this
Section.
(g) No interchange, bridge, or segment of highway may be
named or designated under this Section if it carries an
existing designation. A designated member of the United States
Armed Forces shall not be eligible for more than one
interchange, bridge, or segment of highway designation under
this Section.

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(h) All moneys received by the Department for the
construction and maintenance of interchange, bridge, or
segment of highway signs shall be deposited in the "Road Fund"
of the State treasury.
(i) The documents and fees required under this Section
shall be submitted to the Department.
(Source: P.A. 99-802, eff. 1-1-17.)