HB1863 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 09192 HLH 29385 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB1863

Introduced 2/23/2007, by Rep. Harry R. Ramey, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

50 ILCS 35/1

from Ch. 85, par. 2901

Amends the Local Government Antitrust Exemption Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning units of local government.

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 Local Government Antitrust Exemption Act is amended by changing Section 1 as follows:

(50 ILCS 35/1) (from Ch. 85, par. 2901)

Sec. 1. (a) The General Assembly declares that it is in the the interest of the people of Illinois that decisions regarding provision of local services and regulation of local activities should be made at the local level where possible, to the extent authorized by the General Assembly or the Illinois Constitution. It is and has long been the policy of the State that such decisions be made by local government units as authorized by State statute and the Illinois Constitution. The General Assembly intends that actions permitted, either expressly or by necessary implication, by State statute or the Illinois Constitution be considered affirmatively authorized for subsidiary units of government.

Inasmuch as the grant of home-rule authority in the Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6 was intentionally made broad so as to avoid unduly restricting its exercise, the scope of the home-rule powers cannot be precisely described. The General Assembly intends that all actions which are either (1) granted to home-rule units, whether expressly or by necessary implication or (2) within traditional areas of local government activity, except as limited by the Illinois Constitution or a proper limiting statute, be considered affirmatively authorized for home-rule units of government.

The General Assembly intends that the "State action exemption" to application of the federal antitrust laws be fully available to local governments to the extent their activities are either (1) expressly or by necessary implication authorized by Illinois law or (2) within traditional areas of local governmental activity.

The "State action exemption" for which provision is made by this Section shall be liberally construed in favor of local governments, the agents, employees and officers thereof and such exemption shall be available notwithstanding that the action of the municipality or its agents, officers or employees constitutes an irregular exercise of constitutional or statutory powers. However, this exemption shall not apply where the action alleged to be in violation of antitrust law exceeds either (1) powers granted, either expressly or by necessary implication, by Illinois statute or the Illinois Constitution or (2) powers granted to a home rule municipality to perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs or to act within traditional areas of municipal activity, except as limited by the Illinois Constitution or a proper limiting statute.

(b) It is the policy of this State that all powers granted, either expressly or by necessary implication by any Illinois statute or by the Illinois Constitution to any Library District, its officers, employees and agents may be exercised by any such Library District, its officers, agents and employees notwithstanding effects on competition. It is the intention of the General Assembly that the "State action exemption" to the application of federal antitrust statutes be fully available to any such Library District, its officers, agents and employees to the extent they are exercising authority pursuant to law.

(c) It is the policy of this State that all powers granted, either expressly or by necessary implication by any Illinois statute or by the Illinois Constitution to any Sanitary District, its officers, employees and agents may be exercised by any Sanitary District, its officers, agents and employees notwithstanding effects on competition. It is the intention of the General Assembly that the "State action exemption" to the application of federal antitrust statutes be fully available to any such Sanitary District, its officers, agents and employees to the extent they are exercising authority pursuant to law.

(d) It is the policy of this State that all powers granted, either expressly or by necessary implication by any Illinois statute or by the Illinois Constitution to any Park District and its officers, employees and agents may be exercised by any such Park District, its officers, agents and employees notwithstanding effects on competition. It is the intention of the General Assembly that the "State action exemption" to the application of federal antitrust statutes be fully available to any such Park District, its officers, agents and employees to the extent they are exercising authority pursuant to law.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, where it is alleged that a violation of the antitrust laws has occurred, the relief available to the plaintiffs shall be limited to an injunction which enjoins the alleged activity.

(f) Nothing in this Section is intended to prohibit or limit any cause of action other than under an antitrust theory.

(Source: P.A. 84-1050.)