HB4625 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 20324 RTM 33775 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4625

Introduced 2/3/2026, by Rep. Joe C. Sosnowski

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

55 ILCS 5/5-1195 new
60 ILCS 1/Art. 24.5 heading new
60 ILCS 1/24.5-5 new
60 ILCS 1/24.5-10 new

Amends the Township Code. Provides that all townships with a population less than 500 are dissolved on January 1, 2029. Provides for the transfer of real and personal property, and any other assets, together with all personnel, contractual obligations, and liabilities of the dissolving township to the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township. Provides that, on and after the date of dissolution, all rights and duties of the dissolved township, excluding those of the township's road district, may be exercised by the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township solely on behalf of the residents of the geographic area within the boundaries of the dissolved township. Provides that the county board of the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township may levy a property tax within the boundaries of the dissolved township for the duties taken on by the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township. Provides that all road districts wholly within the boundaries of a dissolving township shall retain all the same powers and responsibilities of each road district that were held prior to the dissolution of the township. Provides that elected and appointed township officers and road commissioners shall cease to hold office on the date of dissolution of the township and road districts, no longer be compensated, and do not have legal recourse relating to the ceasing of their elected or appointed positions upon the ceasing of their offices. Requires the highway commissioner of a dissolved township to comply with specified provisions of the Illinois Highway Code. Requires the highway commissioner of a dissolved township to attend at least one county board meeting each month. Amends the Counties Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

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 5-1195 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/5-1195 new)

Sec. 5-1195. Dissolution of townships with a population of less than 500. If a township dissolves as provided in Article 24.5 of the Township Code, the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township shall assume the powers, duties, and obligations of the dissolved township as provided in Article 24.5 of the Township Code, excluding those of the township's road district.

Section 10. The Township Code is amended by adding Article 24.5 as follows:

(60 ILCS 1/Art. 24.5 heading new)

ARTICLE 24.5. DISSOLUTION OF TOWNSHIPS WITH A POPULATION LESS

THAN 500

(60 ILCS 1/24.5-5 new)

Sec. 24.5-5. Dissolving townships with a population of less than 500. All townships with a population less than 500 are dissolved on January 1, 2029.

(60 ILCS 1/24.5-10 new)

Sec. 24.5-10. Dissolution; transfer of rights and duties.

(a) When a township is dissolved under Section 24.5-5:

(1) On or before the date of dissolution, all real and personal property, and any other assets, together with all personnel, contractual obligations, and liabilities of the dissolving township, excluding those of the township's road district, wholly within the boundaries of the dissolving township shall be transferred to the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township. All funds of the dissolved township shall be used solely on behalf of the residents of the geographic area within the boundaries of the dissolved township.

After the transfer of property to the county under this paragraph, all park land, cemetery land, buildings, and facilities within the geographic area of the dissolving township must be used for the primary benefit of the geographic area of the dissolving township. Proceeds from the sale of the park land, cemetery land, buildings, or facilities after transfer to the county must be utilized for the sole benefit of the geographic area of the dissolved township.

(2) On and after the date of dissolution, all rights and duties of the dissolved township, excluding those of the township's road district, may be exercised by the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township solely on behalf of the residents of the geographic area within the boundaries of the dissolved township. The duties that may be exercised by the county include, but are not limited to, the administration of a dissolved township's general assistance program, maintenance and operation of a dissolved township's cemeteries, and the chief county assessment officer of the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township exercising the duties of the township assessor.

(3) The county board of the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township shall not extend a property tax levy that is greater than 25% of the property tax levy extended by the dissolved township for the duties taken on by the county containing the geographic boundaries of the dissolving township. This property tax levy may not be extended outside the boundaries of the dissolved township. In all subsequent years, this levy shall be bound by the provisions of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

A tax levy extended under this paragraph may be used for the purposes allowed by the statute authorizing the tax levy or to pay liabilities of the dissolved township that were transferred to the county under paragraph (1). The taxpayers within the boundaries of the dissolved township are responsible to pay any liabilities transferred to the county, and the county shall reduce spending within the boundaries of the former township in the amount necessary to pay off any liabilities transferred to the county under paragraph (1) that are not covered by the assets enumerated in paragraph (1) or taxes under this paragraph.

(4) All road districts wholly within the boundaries of the dissolving township and their highway commissioners shall retain all the same powers and responsibilities of each road district that were held prior to the dissolution of the township.

(5) On the date of dissolution of the township, elected and appointed township officers shall cease to hold office. An elected or appointed township official shall not be compensated for any other duties performed after the dissolution of the township that they represented. An elected township official shall not have legal recourse relating to the ceasing of their elected or appointed positions upon the ceasing of their positions.

(b) Following the dissolution of a township under this Article, the highway commissioner of any remaining township road district whose township has been dissolved shall comply with subsection (b) of Section 6-501 of the Illinois Highway Code. The highway commissioner shall, on or before the third Tuesday in December of each year, determine and certify to the county board the amount necessary to be raised by taxation for road purposes and for salaries of elected road district officials in the road district, unless the county board, in consultation with the highway commissioner, has determined a more appropriate date to determine and certify the amounts to be raised for taxation for road purposes each year.

If any highway commissioner during the last year of his or her term of office for any reason does not file the certificate in the office of the county clerk, as required under the Illinois Highway Code, in time for presentation at a regular meeting of the county board, the clerk shall present in lieu thereof a certificate equal in amount to that presented for the preceding year.

In such a county, the certificate shall be filed in the office of the county clerk and by that official presented to the county board at the regular meeting for the consideration of the board. If approved by the county board, the amount so certified or approved by the county board shall be extended by the county clerk as road taxes against the taxable property of the district.

(b) Following the dissolution of a township under this Article, the highway commissioner of any remaining township road district whose township has been dissolved shall attend at least one county board meeting each month, unless the county board did not meet that month.

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