The March 16th Primary has given Illinois its first real perspective of the effects of the cutback amendment. To be sure the impact is far reaching and again raises questions as to whether or not Illinois citizens have voted themselves a higher quality of representation by having a lower quantity of legislators. What there is no question about is the fact that by the beginning of the 83rd General Assembly Illinois will have lost some of its finest legislators through the vagaries of redistricting.

Currently 80 members of the 82nd General Assembly will not be returning for the 1983 session to be same House in which they served during the 82nd General Assembly.

This number includes 47 Mouse members and 11 Senators who as of the primary will not be returning to the legislature at all. There is also one Senator running for a House seat and 21 Representatives running for Senate seats, 9 of which will be challenging an incumbent Senator, with several Representatives having no opposition at all in November. Fifteen legislative districts have incumbent Representatives pitted against each other for the fall race. The primary pitted 12 incumbents against each other and a total of 18 incumbent Senators or House members lost their seats in the primary. White the remap of legislative districts will cause a substantial turnover in the amount of incumbent legislators it also provides safe districts enabling 24 Senators and 50 Representatives to run unopposed in the General Election on November 2, 1982.

Legislation to Watch

The following bills affecting Park, Forest Preserve and Conservation districts have been introduced before the Illinois General Assembly since its adjournment on June 30, 1981. These bills are a continuation of those listed in this section of the January/February IPR Magazine.

SENATE

S.B. 1324-GROTBERG-Amends the Municipal Code, the Public Corporation Bond Interests Act and the Industrial Building Bond Revenue Act. Permits an annual interest ceiling of the greater of 12% or 85% of the prime commercial rate on municipal industrial bonds and public corporation evidences of indebtedness. Effective immediately.

S.B. 1333-EGAN-Amends the Revenue Act of 1939 to eliminate property tax equalization by the Department of Revenue. However, for purposes of apportionment of aid to public schools, the Department will continue to determine equalization factors. Effective immediately.

S.B. 1348-COFFEY-Amends "The Truth in Taxation Act" to provide that in addition to the notice and hearing provisions for tax levy increases over 105% a referendum also be held on the issue by the taxing district seeking the increase. Effective immediately.

S.B. 1517-PHILIP, WEAVER, GROTBERG, DEANGELIS-Amends the Revenue Act of 1939 to change the level of real property assessment from 33 1/3 % to 30%. Also amends the State Mandates Act to exempt from the Mandates Act such changes in the level of assessment under the Revenue Act of 1939. Effective immediately and applicable to assessments made in 1982 and thereafter.

S.B. 1521-NIMROD-Amends the Revenue Act of 1939 to freeze property tax extensions at the 1981 assessment year level for tax extensions from 1982 to 1984 in taxing districts outside Cook County and at the 1980 assessment year level plus the increase due to an increase in assessment for 1981 and 1982 in the first and second quadrants distributed evenly among all 4 quadrants for taxing districts located within Cook County. The voters may by referendum approve an increase in extensions beyond the freeze level. After the 1984 assessment year, the increase may be no greater than 3% more than the preceding year.

S.B. 1555-GROTBERG, PHILIP, WEAVER, DEANGELIS, KEATS-Amends the Prevaling Wage Law. Permits a public body representing a population of 20,000 or less to provide by resolution that a specific public works project under its control is not subject to the Act.

S.B. 1607-BRUCE-NETSCH and DEMUZIO-Amends The Revenue Sharing Act to raise the guaranteed minimum allocation from the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund from 60% to 100% of the amount collected in 1978. Effective immediately.

S.B. 1621-McMILLAN-Amends the Truth in Taxation Act. Changes the requirement as to in which newspapers notices required by the Act must be published. Changes specifications as to the size of such published notices and the size of the type which is used. Provides that such notices shall include the legal name and location of the district, and shall include no information other than that which is enumerated in the Act. Effective July 1,1982.

S.B. 1684-LEMKE-Amends the Minimum Wage Law by immediately increasing the minimum hourly wage to $2.60, $2.90 on April 1, 1983, $3.15 on April 1, 1984 and $3.35 on April 1, 1985, except for employees under 18 years of age, whose minimum hourly wages for those periods are $2.15, $2.35, $2.60 and $2.85 respectively. Effective immediately.

HOUSE

H.B. 1178-HOFFMAN—STECZO-Amends the Dram Shop Act to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages in connection with a food serving facility at golf courses owned by forest preserves. On 3/31/82 this bill served as the vehicle for the amendment of IAPD/IPRA platform item H.B. 1371 which would provide for the sale of alcoholic liquor in buildings owned by park districts. H.B. 1371 was successful in the House last year passing 136-21-2. It failed, however, in the Senate upon a verification of the roll call 29-25-0-3.

It is anticipated that H.B. 1371 in the form of H.B. 1178 will be called for Third Reading in the House the week of April 19, 1982.

H.B. 2111-YOURELL-Amends the "Revenue Act of 1939" to provide that the eqalization multiplier issued for each county by the Department for assessment year 1982 shall not exceed the multiplier issued for each county for assessment year 1981.

Illinois Parks and Recreation      8      May/June 1982

H.B. 2130-BOWMAN-Amends the Gas Revenue Tax Act, the Public Utilities Revenue Act and the Messages Tax Act. Exempts from the taxation imposed by those Acts the gross receipts from the sale of gas, electricity or transmission of messages to governmental bodies, to charitable, religious and educational organizations, and to non profit organizations operated primarily for the recreation of persons 55 years of age or older.

H.B. 2227-YOURELL-Amends the Revenue Act. Requires petitions to change tax rates to be signed by not fewer than 10% (now 5% or 1,000 voters, whichever is less) of the legal voters in the taxing district. Effective immediately.

H.B. 2268-BIRKINBINE-Amends The Election Code to eliminate the nonpartisan election. Provides that officers presently elected at the nonpartisan election shall be elected at the consolidated election.

H.B. 2276-BRADLEY-Amends Act concerning maximum interest rates on bonds of public corporations, and certain other acts, to increase maximum allowable interest rate from the greater of 9 % or 70 % of the prime commercial rate to 15 % or 70% of the prime commercial rate. Effective immediately.

H.B. 2294-BOWER-Provides that no unit of local government including a home rule unit, school district or community college district can increase its property tax revenue beyond its 1982 property tax revenue unless the increase is approved by referendum. Prohibits creation of new units of local government, school districts or community college districts without approval of 2/3 of the voters.

H.B. 2375-BOWEB, VINSON and COLLINS, PW-Amends the Illinois Municipal Code and various Park District Acts. Provides that the ballots in bond referenda contain the dollar amount of the bonds issued, their annual interest rate, time of maturity and the dollar amount of principal and interest which must be repaid to the bondholders.

H.B. 2411-WHITE-Amends the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. Provides that taxes a local public entity may levy may be used to pay salaries or wages of persons employed and administrative expenses incidental to defending or protecting the local public entity or employees. Effective immediately.

H.B. 2501 - VINSON, BOPP, BYAN, TELCSER, STEIHL, et. al. - Amends the State Property Control Act to allow the State to lease surplus State property to other governmental entities for periods not to exceed 5 years. Effective immediately.

H.B. 2569 - BARR-COLLINS - Repeals River Conservancy Districts Act, Forest Preserve Districts Acts, the Park District Code and the Chicago Park District Act. Abolishes districts established under those Acts. Provides for transfer of all property, personnel, powers and obligations of such districts to the counties where they were located. Authorizes county chairmen to appoint, with approval of the county board, a. Director of Parks and Recreation for the county. All provisions above deleted, requires only five year plan for CPD. 5/20/82.

Illinois Parks and Recreation    9     May/June 1982