[ Back ] [ Bottom ]
92_SB2117gms
State of Illinois
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Springfield, Illinois 62706
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
August 2, 2002
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate
92nd General Assembly
Pursuant to the authority vested in the Governor by
Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of
1970, and re-affirmed by the People of the State of Illinois
by popular referendum in 1974, and conforming to the standard
articulated by the Illinois Supreme Court in People ex rel.
Klinger v. Howlett, 50 Ill.2d 242 (1972), Continental
Illinois National Bank and Trust Co. v. Zagel, 78 Ill.2d 387
(1979), People ex rel. City of Canton v. Crouch, 79 Ill. 2d
356 (1980) and County of Kane v. Carlson, 116 Ill.2d 186
(1987), that gubernatorial action be consistent with the
fundamental purposes and the intent of the bill, I hereby
return Senate Bill 2117 entitled "AN ACT concerning medical
districts," with my specific recommendations for change.
Senate Bill 2117 creates the Illinois Medical District of
Springfield (IMDS) Act which provides that the district be
governed by the Illinois Medical District at Springfield
Commission, a 16-member board with seven appointments made by
each the Governor and Mayor, and two members appointed by
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Senate Bill
2117 further defines boundaries of the District and outlines
various provisions concerning grants, loans, contracts,
property acquisition, eminent domain, construction, sale or
lease of property, hearing and rules.
By providing a framework for the IMDS, Senate Bill 2117
creates a major economic development tool for the City of
Springfield and the State of Illinois. The authority granted
by Senate Bill 2117 to IMDS would enhance the City of
Springfield's ability to attract and expand medical services,
research and business development within the District. The
new Medical District will encourage private investment and
high tech job creation and retention in Springfield.
Although Senate Bill 2117 was designed to mirror the
Illinois Medical District Act (70 ILCS 915), which created
the Illinois Medical District at Chicago, Senate Bill 2117
provides for a substantially different board structure, fully
double the size of the board governing Chicago's Medical
District. The Chicago Medical District Commission consists
of seven members, four of whom are appointed by the Governor,
two by the Mayor of Chicago, and one by the President of the
Cook County Board. This seven-member board effectively
represents the interests of the State and local stakeholders
in the development of the Medical District.
While the authors of Senate Bill 2117 made great efforts
to include representation from local interest groups, the
16-member board created in Senate Bill 2117 for Springfield's
Medical District would be unwieldy and overly bureaucratic.
The Springfield District should follow the structure that has
already proven to be so successful at the Medical District in
Chicago and create a streamlined, efficient governing board
while still ensuring local representation.
I also recommend a stated effective date of January 1,
2003, so that the General Assembly's acceptance of my
recommendations will not delay the effective date of this
legislation.
For this reason, I hereby return Senate Bill 2117 with
the following specific recommendations for change:
On page 2, by replacing lines 19 through 34 with the
following:
"(c) The Commission shall consist of the following 7
members: 4 members appointed by the Governor, with
the advice and consent of the Senate; 2 members
appointed by the Mayor of Springfield, with the advice
and consent of the Springfield City Council; and one
member appointed by the County Board of Sangamon
County."; and
On page 3, by replacing lines 1 through 25 with "All
members of the"; and
On page 3, lines 26 and 27, by replacing "public members
appointed by the Governor" with "members"; and
On page 3, line 29, by deleting "public"; and
On page 3, line 32, by replacing "Thereafter, the public"
with the following:
"The initial members appointed by the Mayor of
Springfield shall be appointed for terms ending,
respectively, on the second and third anniversaries of
their appointments. The initial member appointed by
the County Board of Sangamon County shall be appointed
for a term ending on the fourth anniversary of the
appointment. Thereafter, all"; and
On page 3, line 33, by deleting "appointed by the
Governor"; and
On page 4, line 6, by replacing "entity" with
"authority"; and
On page 4, lines 20 and 22, by deleting "public" each
time it appears; and
On page 4, line 25, by replacing "4" with "2"; and
On page 4, by replacing lines 30 through 32 with the
following:
"meeting a quorum consisting of at least 4
Commissioners. Meetings may be held by telephone
conference or"; and
On page 5, by deleting lines 1 through 8; and
On page 11, line 30, by replacing "10" with "5"; and
On page 17, below line 18, by inserting the following:
"Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect
on January 1, 2003".
With these changes, Senate Bill 2117 will have my
approval. I respectfully request your concurrence.
Sincerely,
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
[ Top ]