August 14, 2009

To the Honorable Members of the Illinois House of Representatives,

96^th General Assembly

Today, I return House Bill 3971 with specific recommendations for change.  This legislation gives the Illinois International Port District the power to apply to the Federal Government to have the area surrounding O’Hare International Airport designated as a Foreign Trade Zone.

I commend the sponsors for their work on this legislation, and their desire to bring greater economic opportunities to their districts. I share in their belief that we must do all we can to create jobs in the State of Illinois. However, I believe that we must bring structural change to the Port District in order for it to realize its full potential.

Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 3971, entitled “AN ACT concerning local government.” with the following specific recommendations for change:

on page 2, below line 6, by inserting the following:

“Section 7. The Illinois International Port District Act is amended by changing Section 16

  (70 ILCS 1810/16) (from Ch. 19, par. 167)
    Sec. 16. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at least once in each calendar month, the time and place of such meeting to be fixed by the Board. Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. All action of the Board shall be by ordinance or resolution and the affirmative vote of at least five members shall be necessary for the adoption of any ordinance or resolution. The Board and any committees established by the Board must comply with the Open Meetings Act. All such ordinances and resolutions before taking effect shall be approved by the chairman of the Board, and if he shall approve thereof he shall sign the same, and such as he shall not approve he shall return to the Board with his objections thereto in writing at the next regular meeting of the Board occurring after the passage thereof. But in the case the chairman shall fail to return any ordinance or resolution with his objections thereto by the time aforesaid, he shall be deemed to have approved the same and it shall take effect accordingly. Upon the return of any ordinance or resolution by the chairman with his objections, the vote by which the same was passed shall be reconsidered by the Board, and if upon such reconsideration said ordinance or resolution is passed by the affirmative vote of at least six members, it shall go into effect notwithstanding the veto of the chairman. All ordinances, resolutions and all proceedings of the District and all documents and records in its possession shall be public records, and must comply with the Freedom of Information Act open to public inspection, except such documents and records as shall be kept or prepared by the Board for use in negotiations, action or proceedings to which the District is a party. Beginning March first and within every fiscal year thereafter, the Auditor General shall prepare an annual audit of the operations and finances of the Illinois International Port District. This audit shall be provided to the Governor, the General Assembly, the Mayor and the City Council of the City of Chicago.

With these changes, House Bill 3971 will have my approval. I respectfully request your concurrence.

Sincerely,

PAT QUINN

Governor