Public Act 0406 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2044 Enrolled LRB104 09555 RTM 19618 b

Public Act 104-0406

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by adding Section 5-1192 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/5-1192 new)

Sec. 5-1192. Web-based signature. A county may allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the county uses a secure web-based platform. This Section does not apply to a nominating or candidate petition or a referendum petition.

Section 10. The Township Code is amended by adding Section 85-70 as follows:

(60 ILCS 1/85-70 new)

Sec. 85-70. Web-based signature. A township may allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the township uses a secure web-based platform. This Section does not apply to a nominating or candidate petition or a referendum petition.

Section 15. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by adding Section 1-1-13 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/1-1-13 new)

Sec. 1-1-13. Web-based signature. A municipality may allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the municipality uses a secure web-based platform. This Section does not apply to a nominating or candidate petition or a referendum petition.

Section 20. The Conservation District Act is amended by changing Section 12 as follows:

(70 ILCS 410/12) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7112)

Sec. 12. To the extent necessary to carry out the purpose of this Act and in addition to any other powers, duties and functions vested in a district by law, but subject to such limitations and restrictions as are imposed elsewhere by this Act or another law, a district is authorized and empowered:

(a) To adopt by-laws, adopt and use a common seal, enter into contracts, acquire and hold real and personal estate and take such other actions as may be necessary for the proper conduct of its affairs.

(b) To make and publish all ordinances, rules and regulations necessary for the management and protection of its property and the conduct of its affairs.

(c) To study and ascertain the district's wildland and other open space resources and outdoor recreation facilities, the need for preserving such resources and providing such facilities and the extent to which such needs are being currently met and to prepare and adopt a co-ordinated plan of areas and facilities to meet such needs.

(d) To acquire by gift, legacy, purchase, condemnation in the manner provided for the exercise of the right of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act, lease, agreement or otherwise the fee or any lesser right or interest in real property and to hold the same with or without public access for open space, wildland, scenic roadway, pathway, outdoor recreation, or other conservation benefits. A district that is entirely within a county of under 200,000 inhabitants and contiguous to a county of more than 2,000,000 inhabitants and that is authorized by referendum as provided in subsection (d) of Section 15 to incur indebtedness over 0.575% but not to exceed 1.725% may acquire an interest in real estate by condemnation only if approved by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the total number of trustees authorized for that district; such a district may exchange, sell, or otherwise dispose of any portion of any interest in real estate acquired by it by any means within 2 years of acquiring that interest, provided that a public hearing on the exchange, sale or other disposition of such real estate or interest therein is held prior to such action.

The Department of Natural Resources, the county board, or the governing body of any municipality, district or public corporation may, upon request of the conservation district, set apart and transfer any real or personal property owned or controlled by it and not devoted or dedicated to any other inconsistent public use, to the conservation district. In acquiring or accepting land or rights thereto, due consideration shall be given to its open space, outdoor recreation or other conservation values and no real property shall be acquired or accepted which in the opinion of the district or the Department of Natural Resources is of low value from the standpoint of its proposed use.

(e) To classify, designate, plan, develop, preserve, administer and maintain all areas, places and facilities in which it has an interest, and construct, reconstruct, alter and renew buildings and other structures, and equip and maintain the same.

(f) To accept gifts, grants, legacies, contributions and appropriations of money and other personal property for conservation purposes.

(g) To employ and fix the compensation of an executive officer who shall be responsible to the board for the carrying out of its policies. The executive officer shall have the power, subject to the approval of the board, to employ and fix the compensation of such assistants and employees as the board may consider necessary for carrying out the purposes and provisions of this Act.

(h) To charge and collect reasonable fees for the use of such facilities, privileges and conveniences as may be provided.

(i) To police its property and to exercise police powers in respect thereto or in respect to the enforcement of any rule or regulation provided by the ordinances of the district and to employ and commission police officers and other qualified persons to enforce the same.

(j) To undertake studies pertaining to the natural history, archaeology, history or conservation of natural resources of the county.

(k) To lease land for a period not longer than 50 years from the date of the lease to a responsible person, firm, or corporation for construction, reconstruction, alteration, renewal, equipment, furnishing, extension, development, operation and maintenance of lodges, housekeeping and sleeping cabins, swimming pools, golf courses, campgrounds, sand beaches, marinas, convention and entertainment centers, roads and parking areas, and other related buildings and facilities. In any lease of land leased pursuant to this subsection (k), upon expiration of the lease title to all structures on the leased land shall be vested in the district.

(l) To lease any building or facility constructed, reconstructed, altered, renewed, equipped, furnished, extended, developed, and maintained by the district to a responsible person, firm, or corporation for operation or development, or both, and maintenance for a period not longer than 20 years from the date of the lease.

(m) To allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the district uses a secure web-based platform.

(Source: P.A. 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07.)

Section 25. The Downstate Forest Preserve District Act is amended by adding Section 13.9 as follows:

(70 ILCS 805/13.9 new)

Sec. 13.9. Web-based signature. A forest preserve district may allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the forest preserve district uses a secure web-based platform. This Section does not apply to a nominating or candidate petition or a referendum petition.

Section 30. The Cook County Forest Preserve District Act is amended by adding Section 42.5 as follows:

(70 ILCS 810/42.5 new)

Sec. 42.5. Web-based signature. A forest preserve district may allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the forest preserve district uses a secure web-based platform. This Section does not apply to a nominating or candidate petition or a referendum petition.

Section 35. The Park District Code is amended by changing Section 8-1 as follows:

(70 ILCS 1205/8-1) (from Ch. 105, par. 8-1)

Sec. 8-1. General corporate powers. Every park district shall, from the time of its organization, be a body corporate and politic by the name set forth in the petition for its organization, the specific name set forth in this Code, or the name it may adopt under Section 8-9 and shall have and exercise the following powers:

(a) To adopt a corporate seal and alter the same at pleasure; to sue and be sued; and to contract in furtherance of any of its corporate purposes.

(b)(1) To acquire by gift, legacy, grant or purchase, or by condemnation in the manner provided for the exercise of the power of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act, any and all real estate, or rights therein necessary for building, laying out, extending, adorning and maintaining any such parks, boulevards and driveways, or for effecting any of the powers or purposes granted under this Code as its board may deem proper, whether such lands be located within or without such district; but no park district, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, shall have any power of condemnation in the manner provided for the exercise of the power of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act or otherwise as to any real estate, lands, riparian rights or estate, or other property situated outside of such district, but shall only have power to acquire the same by gift, legacy, grant or purchase, and such district shall have the same control of and power over lands so acquired without the district as over parks, boulevards and driveways within such district.

(2) In addition to the powers granted in paragraph (1) of subsection (b), a park district located in more than one county, the majority of its territory located in a county over 450,000 in population and none of its territory located in a county over 1,000,000 in population, shall have condemnation power in the manner provided for the exercise of the power of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act or as otherwise granted by law as to any and all real estate situated up to one mile outside of such district which is not within the boundaries of another park district.

(c) To acquire by gift, legacy or purchase any personal property necessary for its corporate purposes provided that all contracts for supplies, materials or work involving an expenditure in excess of $30,000, or a lower amount if required by board policy, shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder after due advertisement. No district shall be required to accept a bid that does not meet the district's established specifications, terms of delivery, quality, and serviceability requirements. Contracts which, by their nature, are not adapted to award by competitive bidding, such as contracts for the services of individuals possessing a high degree of professional skill where the ability or fitness of the individual plays an important part, contracts for the printing of finance committee reports and departmental reports, contracts for the printing or engraving of bonds, tax warrants and other evidences of indebtedness, contracts for utility services such as water, light, heat, telephone or telegraph, contracts for fuel (such as diesel, gasoline, oil, aviation, or propane), lubricants, or other petroleum products, contracts for the use, purchase, delivery, movement, or installation of data processing equipment, software, or services and telecommunications and interconnect equipment, software, or services, contracts for duplicating machines and supplies, contracts for goods or services procured from another governmental agency, purchases of equipment previously owned by some entity other than the district itself, and contracts for the purchase of magazines, books, periodicals, pamphlets and reports are not subject to competitive bidding. Contracts for emergency expenditures are also exempt from competitive bidding when the emergency expenditure is approved by 3/4 of the members of the board.

All competitive bids for contracts involving an expenditure in excess of $30,000, or a lower amount if required by board policy, must be sealed by the bidder and must be opened by a member or employee of the park board at a public bid opening at which the contents of the bids must be announced. Each bidder must receive at least 3 days notice of the time and place of the bid opening.

For purposes of this subsection, "due advertisement" includes, but is not limited to, at least one public notice at least 10 days before the bid date in a newspaper published in the district or, if no newspaper is published in the district, in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the district.

(d) To pass all necessary ordinances, rules and regulations for the proper management and conduct of the business of the board and district and to establish by ordinance all needful rules and regulations for the government and protection of parks, boulevards and driveways and other property under its jurisdiction, and to effect the objects for which such districts are formed.

(e) To prescribe such fines and penalties for the violation of ordinances as it shall deem proper not exceeding $1,000 for any one offense, which fines and penalties may be recovered by an action in the name of such district in the circuit court for the county in which such violation occurred. The park district may also seek in the action, in addition to or instead of fines and penalties, an order that the offender be required to make restitution for damage resulting from violations, and the court shall grant such relief where appropriate. The procedure in such actions shall be the same as that provided by law for like actions for the violation of ordinances in cities organized under the general laws of this State, and offenders may be imprisoned for non-payment of fines and costs in the same manner as in such cities. All fines when collected shall be paid into the treasury of such district.

(f) To manage and control all officers and property of such districts and to provide for joint ownership with one or more cities, villages or incorporated towns of real and personal property used for park purposes by one or more park districts. In case of joint ownership, the terms of the agreement shall be fair, just and equitable to all parties and shall be set forth in a written agreement entered into by the corporate authorities of each participating district, city, village or incorporated town.

(g) To secure grants and loans, or either, from the United States Government, or any agency or agencies thereof, for financing the acquisition or purchase of any and all real estate, or rights therein, or for effecting any of the powers or purposes granted under this Code as its Board may deem proper.

(h) To establish fees for the use of facilities and recreational programs of the districts and to derive revenue from non-resident fees from their operations. Fees charged non-residents of such district need not be the same as fees charged to residents of the district. Charging fees or deriving revenue from the facilities and recreational programs shall not affect the right to assert or utilize any defense or immunity, common law or statutory, available to the districts or their employees.

(i) To make contracts for a term exceeding one year, but not to exceed 3 years, notwithstanding any provision of this Code to the contrary, relating to: (1) the employment of a park director, superintendent, administrator, engineer, health officer, land planner, finance director, attorney, police chief, or other officer who requires technical training or knowledge; (2) the employment of outside professional consultants such as engineers, doctors, land planners, auditors, attorneys, or other professional consultants who require technical training or knowledge; (3) the provision of data processing equipment and services; and (4) the purchase of energy from a utility or an alternative retail electric supplier. With respect to any contract made under this subsection (i), the corporate authorities shall include in the annual appropriation ordinance for each fiscal year an appropriation of a sum of money sufficient to pay the amount which, by the terms of the contract, is to become due and payable during that fiscal year.

(j) To enter into licensing or management agreements with not-for-profit corporations organized under the laws of this State to operate park district facilities if the corporation covenants to use the facilities to provide public park or recreational programs for youth.

(k) To allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the district uses a secure web-based platform.

(Source: P.A. 101-304, eff. 8-9-19; 102-999, eff. 5-27-22.)

Section 40. The Chicago Park District Act is amended by adding Section 7.08 as follows:

(70 ILCS 1505/7.08 new)

Sec. 7.08. Web-based signature. The Chicago Park District may allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the Chicago Park District uses a secure web-based platform. This Section does not apply to a nominating or candidate petition or a referendum petition.

Effective Date: 1/1/2026