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Lawmakers confront multitude of bills and issues By Peter M. Murphy, Legal/Legislative Counsel The 1985 legislative session was notable not only for the plethora of major issues addressed, but also for the quantity of legislation introduced. Both the House (2,527) and Senate (1,462) contributed to the large influx with a record 3,989 bills being introduced in one session. Further, with little more than one week left in the session, the Senate faced a workload of more than 670 bills and the House 615.
Attention focused, particularly by the House leadership, on the enforcement of the State Mandates Act. This resulted in sidelining most legislation which would have had a negative impact on the fiscal resources of local government. In the closing days of the session, however, agreement was still pending on Senate Bill 1037 sponsored by Sen. Dawn Clark Netsch (D-Chicago) and Rep. Jim Keane (D-Chicago). The bill would require all taxing districts to use the last known equalized assessed valuation available to prepare their budget and tax levy. It also provides for quarterly billing and payment of taxes. At issue at the time of writing are the concerns regarding the potential loss of revenue due to growth in valuation in some communities. New department Legislation creating the State Department of Historic Preservation progressed steadily through the legislature this session. The role of the new department was initiated by Governor Thompson on March 28 through Executive Order. Senate Bill 1414 was subsequently introduced by Sen. Bob Kustra (R-Des Plaines) to provide legislative authorization for the department. The agency will be placed under the direction of five trustees appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Dr. David Kenney is currently acting as chief executive officer of this agency, which will administer such sites as Lincoln's Tomb, the Governor Horner State Memorial and Lincoln's New Salem State Park. Major issues As the session closed, major issues involving education, Build Illinois, public utilities and funding for the 1992 Chicago World's Fair remained unresolved. Progress on education reform hinged on finding a source of acceptable funding. While a five percent tax on interstate telephone calls and the adoption of the federal eight-cents-a-pack cigarette tax were originally proposed by Governor Thompson, their use ultimately as a funding source for education remains unclear. The Build Illinois program, which emerged from the House burdened by an additional billion dollars worth of local projects, was stripped back to the original form proposed by Governor Thompson on Friday, June 14. The Senate Executive Committee then eliminated the program's funding provisions which provided for the issuance of bonds with a "pay as you go" plan, termed by Senate Democrats as "Responsibly Build Illinois." While there has been little argument over the necessity to repair Illinois' aging infrastructure, the funding mechanism is sure to spurn continued debate. The IAPD and IPRA membership is to be congratulated for its work to focus attention on the importance of the $5 million per annum Open Space Lands Acquisition (OSLA) portion of Build Illinois. Special recreation Park districts participating in special recreation associations should be aware of Speaker Madigan's legislative program to assist the disabled. Illinois Parks and Recreation 28 July/August 1985 The package of bills, which includes House Bills 888-898, has met with overwhelming success this session. The substantive strides toward eliminating problems facing Illinois' disabled population include improved enforcement of standards guaranteeing accessibility of public facilities and multi-story housing, and improved public information regarding the referral of handicapped children to appropriate adult services when they reach the age of 22. Copies of bills in the Speaker's legislative package are available from the Illinois Association of Park Districts office, 217 E. Monroe St., Suite 101, Springfield, IL 62701. Phone (217) 523-4554. Legislative activities Mark your calendars now! The Illinois Association of Park Districts and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association have planned two important and exciting summer events for you. On Friday, July 26, the Eighth Annual Legislative Golf Outing will be held at the Bensenville Park District's White Pines Golf Course. This will give you the opportunity to meet with your legislators in an informal setting and enjoy our "Life. Be In It." philosophy. The $42 fee includes a continental breakfast, golf, evening reception and beef roast. Upon RSVP, a map and tee off time will be sent to you. Saturday, Sept. 7, is the date of the Legislative Tailgate Party at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. This is an excellent opportunity to enjoy the company of your legislators and colleagues, and watch exciting football against the University of Southern California. Tickets for the Illinois-USC football game and all Tailgate activities are $25 each. Since all U of I football games have been sold out for 1985, only 10 tickets can be ordered per agency. Ticket orders should be made directly with the IAPD office at (217) 523-4554. Don't miss out on the fun. Contact the IAPD office today to make your reservations for the golf outing and tailgate activities. Special report Watch for a special summer report on all legislative platform items and other legislation affecting park, forest preserve and conservation districts. Fair Labor Standards Act The National Public Employer Labor Relations Association reports that the Department of Labor will apparently view the effective date of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as it applies to traditional government employees, as April 15, the date the Supreme Court denied a petition for rehearing of the Garcia decision. Helpful information The Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) has several informational fact sheets available. They include "Personal Property Replacement Tax," "Truth In Taxation Act," "Budget Filing Requirements With the County Clerk" and "Property Taxes for Park Districts." These publications can be obtained without cost by writing to DCCA, Local Government Management Services, 620 E. Adams, Fifth Fl., Springfield, IL 62701.
Illinois Parks and Recreation 29 July/August 1985 |
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