Public Act 103-0235
 
SB1840 EnrolledLRB103 05269 AWJ 50287 b


  
    AN ACT concerning local government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The Park District Code is amended  by changing 
Section 5-9 as follows:
 



    (70 ILCS 1205/5-9)  (from Ch. 105, par. 5-9)



    Sec. 5-9. 
Any park district may levy and collect annually, 
a tax of not
to exceed .025 per cent of the value, as equalized 
or assessed by the
Department of Revenue of all taxable 
property in the
district for the purpose of organizing and 
maintaining a police system, for implementing and maintaining 
public safety and security measures, or both
within the parks 
and playgrounds maintained by the district.
The tax shall be 
levied and collected in the same manner
as the general taxes 
for the district.  This tax
shall be in addition to all other 
taxes authorized by law to be levied and
collected in the 
district and shall not be included within
any limitation of 
rate contained in this Code or any other law, but shall
be 
excluded therefrom and be in addition thereto and in excess 
thereof.

    The proceeds of the tax authorized by this Section shall 
be paid to
the treasurer of the district and kept in a fund to 
be known as the
police and public safety and security fund. 
This fund shall be used for the organization and
maintaining 
of a police system including the hiring of a regular
policeman 
or police force for the purpose of policing the parks and

playgrounds maintained within the district or for public 
safety and security measures.

    Prior to levy and collection of such tax, the park 
districts shall
adopt a resolution that it shall levy and 
collect such tax, and, within
15 days after adopting the 
resolution, it shall be published once in a
newspaper 
published and having a general circulation in the park

district, or, if there is no such newspaper, then in some 
newspaper
having a general circulation in the county wherein 
such district or the
greater or greatest portion in area of 
said district lies, or, if there
be no such newspaper, copies 
of the ordinance shall be posted in at
least three public 
places in the district. The publication or posting of
the 
resolution shall include a notice of (1) the specific number 
of voters
required to sign a petition requesting that the 
question of the adoption of
the resolution be submitted to the 
electors of the district; (2) the time
in which the petition 
must be filed; and (3) the date of the prospective referendum.

    The Secretary of the governing board of the park district 
shall provide
a petition form to any individual requesting 
one.

    If within this 30 day period a petition is filed, signed by 
electors of
the district numbering 10% or more of the 
registered voters of the
district, asking that the question of 
levying and collecting such tax be
submitted to the electors 
of the district, the board shall certify the
question to the 
proper election officials, who shall submit that question
at 
an election in which all the electors of the district may vote. 
If no
such valid petition is filed with the secretary of the 
district within 30
days after the publication or posting of 
the resolution, then the park
district shall be authorized to 
levy and collect such tax. Notice of such
referendum shall be 
given and such referendum shall be conducted in the
manner 
provided by the general election law.

    The proposition shall be in substantially the following 
form:

-------------------------------------------------------------

    Shall the.... Park District be authorized

and empowered to levy and collect a tax of        YES

.... per cent for the purpose of police       ---------------

programs, public safety and security measures,    NO

or both as provided in Section 5-9 of

the Park District Code?

-------------------------------------------------------------

    If a majority of the voters of such district voting 
thereon
vote for the levy and collection of the tax provided 
for, such
district shall be authorized and empowered to levy 
and collect such tax
annually thereafter for a police system, 
public safety and security measures, or both. If the park 
district has police officers, the police officers must 
complete if the district participates in the training program

established under the Illinois Police Training Act. The 
foregoing
limitations upon tax rates may be increased or 
decreased according to
the referendum provisions of the 
General Revenue Law of the State of
Illinois.

    If a majority of voters of a park district have approved a 
proposition under this Section for "police programs" prior to 
the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General 
Assembly, the levy approved may also be used for public safety 
and security measures. 
    As used in this Section, "public safety and security 
measures" includes, but is not limited to, security personnel, 
special-events staff, safety audits, safety drills, 
active-shooter training or similar training, and security 
improvements or safety-related upgrades to buildings, grounds, 
or other facilities, such as security lighting, video cameras, 
metal detectors, and emergency call boxes. 
(Source: P.A. 87-767.)

 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.