Bill Text: IL SB3974 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Mississippi River Coordinating Council Act. Provides that the Mississippi River Coordinating Council shall include a standing subcommittee called the Mississippi River Parkway Subcommittee, which shall consist of 6 public members residing in counties in the State that are adjacent to the Mississippi River and ex-officio members from the State with specific knowledge of the Mississippi River. Provides that the chairperson of the Council shall appoint the Subcommittee members and that the Subcommittee members shall be non-voting members of the Council. Sets forth the duties of the Subcommittee. Effective January 1, 2011.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-11-18 - Referred to Assignments [SB3974 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SB3974-Introduced.html

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96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2009 and 2010 SB3974 Introduced 11/18/2010, by Sen. John M. Sullivan SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
20 ILCS 4003/10
20 ILCS 4003/15
20 ILCS 4003/17 new
20 ILCS 4003/20
Amends the Mississippi River Coordinating Council Act. Provides that the Mississippi River Coordinating Council shall include a standing subcommittee called the Mississippi River Parkway Subcommittee, which shall consist of 6 public members residing in counties in the State that are adjacent to the Mississippi River and ex-officio members from the State with specific knowledge of the Mississippi River. Provides that the chairperson of the Council shall appoint the Subcommittee members and that the Subcommittee members shall be non-voting members of the Council. Sets forth the duties of the Subcommittee. Effective January 1, 2011.
LRB096 24306 RLJ 43786 b
A BILL FOR
SB3974 LRB096 24306 RLJ 43786 b
AN ACT concerning State government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Mississippi River Coordinating Council Act
is amended by changing Sections 10, 15, and 20 and adding
Section 17 as follows:
(20 ILCS 4003/10)
Sec. 10. Mississippi River Coordinating Council.
(a) There is established the Mississippi River
Coordinating Council (Council), consisting of 13 voting
members to be appointed by the Governor. One member shall be
the Lieutenant Governor who shall serve as a voting member and
as chairperson of the Council. The agency members of the
Council shall include the Directors, or their designees, of the
following: the Department of Agriculture, the Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, and the
Department of Transportation. In addition, the Council shall
include one member representing Soil and Water Conservation
Districts located in the proximity of the Mississippi River and
its tributaries, and 6 members representing local communities,
not-for-profit organizations working to protect the
Mississippi River and its tributaries, businesses,

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agriculture, recreation, conservation, and the environment.
Additionally, the Council shall include a standing
subcommittee called the Mississippi River Parkway Subcommittee
(Subcommittee). The Subcommittee shall consist of 6 public
members residing in counties in the State that are adjacent to
the Mississippi River and ex-officio members from the State
with specific knowledge of the Mississippi River. The
Subcommittee members, including the chairperson, shall be
appointed by the chairperson of the Council. The Subcommittee
members shall be non-voting members of the Council. The
chairperson of the Subcommittee shall also serve as the
Illinois representative to the National Mississippi River
Parkway Commission.
(b) The Governor may appoint, as ex-officio members,
individuals representing the interests of the states who border
the Mississippi River and individuals representing federal
agencies.
(c) Members of the Council shall serve 2-year terms, except
that of the initial appointments, 5 members shall be appointed
to serve 3-year terms and 4 members to serve one-year terms.
(d) The Council shall meet at least quarterly.
(e) The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be
responsible for the operations of the Council, including,
without limitation, funding and oversight of the Council's
activities. The Office may reimburse members of the Council for
travel expenses.

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(f) This Section is subject to the provisions of Section
405-500 of the Department of Central Management Services Law.
(Source: P.A. 94-996, eff. 1-1-07.)
(20 ILCS 4003/15)
Sec. 15. Duties of the Council. The Council shall:
(1) periodically review activities and programs
administered by State and federal agencies that directly
impact the Mississippi River and its tributaries;
(2) work with local communities and organizations to
encourage partnerships that enhance awareness and
capabilities to address watershed and water resource
concerns and to encourage strategies that protect,
restore, and expand critical habitats and soil
conservation and water quality practices;
(3) work with State and federal agencies to optimize
the expenditure of funds affecting the Mississippi River
and its tributaries;
(4) advise and make recommendations to the Governor and
State agencies on ways to better coordinate the expenditure
of appropriated funds affecting the Mississippi River and
its tributaries;
(5) encourage local communities to develop water
management plans to address stormwater, erosion, flooding,
sedimentation, and pollution problems and encourage
projects for the natural conveyance and storage of

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floodwaters, the enhancement of wildlife habitat and
outdoor recreation opportunities, the recovery,
management, and conservation of the Mississippi River and
its tributaries, the preservation of farmland, prairies,
and forests, and the use of measurable economic development
efforts that are compatible with the ecological health of
the State; and
(6) help identify possible sources of additional
funding for Mississippi River water management projects;
and .
(7) receive, review, and analyze information submitted
by the Subcommittee under Section 17 and issue reports
concerning that information as it deems appropriate.
(Source: P.A. 94-996, eff. 1-1-07.)
(20 ILCS 4003/17 new)
Sec. 17. Duties of the Subcommittee. The Subcommittee
shall:
(1) Analyze the programs established by or associated
with interstate compacts, planning groups, commissions,
State agencies, local agencies, and any other related
entities that are involved in air, water, and land use
activities along the Mississippi River to determine their
relationship to the objectives of the Subcommittee.
(2) Submit reports to the Council detailing the
Subcommittee's progress in meeting the requirements of

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paragraph (1) including without limitation observations,
conclusions, and recommendations concerning specific State
and local agencies. The reports must be submitted to the
Council at least twice a year.
(3) Advise the Department of Transportation, the
Department of Natural Resources, the Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of
Agriculture, counties, townships, municipalities, and road
districts concerning projects and activities related to
the Great River Road, a national scenic and recreational
highway.
(4) Cooperate with and provide assistance to the
National Mississippi River Parkway Commission in promoting
the development and use of the Great River Road and its
facilities. Subject to appropriation, the Subcommittee may
pay an annual fee for its participation in the programs of
the National Mississippi River Parkway Commission.
(20 ILCS 4003/20)
Sec. 20. Agency duties. State agencies represented on the
Council shall provide to the Council, on request, information
concerning agency programs, data, and activities that impact
the restoration and preservation of the Mississippi River and
its tributaries. The Secretary of Transportation, the Director
of Agriculture, the Director of Historic Preservation, the
Director of Natural Resources, and the Director of Commerce and

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Economic Opportunity shall each designate at least one employee
from his or her respective agency to assist the Subcommittee in
the performance of its functions and duties.
(Source: P.A. 94-996, eff. 1-1-07.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
1, 2011.