103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1818

 

Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Doris Turner

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Establishes the Illinois Flag Commission Act. Creates the Illinois Flag Commission for the purpose of developing new State flag designs and making recommendations to the General Assembly concerning whether the current State flag ought to be replaced with a redesigned State flag. Identifies the members to be appointed to the Commission. Describes the duties of the Commission. Requires the Chair of the Commission to convene the first Commission meeting by no later than September 1, 2023. Requires the Commission to report its recommendations to the General Assembly by no later than December 3, 2024. Provides for the repeal of the Act on January 1, 2026. Effective immediately.


LRB103 30675 JDS 57137 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1818LRB103 30675 JDS 57137 b

1    AN ACT concerning the Illinois State flag.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Illinois Flag Commission Act.
 
6    Section 5. Illinois Flag Commission.
7    (a) The Illinois Flag Commission is hereby established.
8    (b) The purposes of the Commission are to develop new
9State flag designs and to make recommendations to the General
10Assembly concerning whether the current State flag ought to be
11replaced with a redesigned State flag.
12    (c) The Commission shall consist of the following members:
13        (1) the Secretary of State or the Secretary of State's
14    designee, who shall serve as Chair of the Commission;
15        (2) 3 members appointed by the Governor;
16        (3) 4 members appointed by the President of the
17    Senate, not more than one of whom may be a current member
18    of the General Assembly;
19        (4) 4 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
20    Representatives, not more than one of whom may be a
21    current member of the General Assembly;
22        (5) 4 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
23    Senate, not more than one of whom may be a current member

 

 

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1    of the General Assembly;
2        (6) 4 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
3    House of Representatives, not more than one of whom may be
4    a current member of the General Assembly;
5        (7) the State Superintendent of Education or the
6    Superintendent's designee; and
7        (8) the Chairperson of the Board of the Illinois State
8    Museum or the Chairperson's designee.
9    (d) In furtherance of its purposes under this Act, the
10Commission shall:
11        (1) establish and adopt goals and guiding principles
12    for the redesign of the State flag;
13        (2) establish a process for the submission of proposed
14    designs for a new or revised State flag and guidelines for
15    the assessment of those proposed designs;
16        (3) create a publicly accessibly website that
17    provides:
18            (A) historical information about the State flag;
19            (B) a timeline and explanation of the process to
20        be used to redesign the State flag;
21            (C) an online suggestion box through which
22        residents can offer design ideas for the State flag;
23        and
24            (D) a survey function through which residents can
25        vote on potential State flag designs;
26        (4) engage in a public awareness campaign with the

 

 

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1    design community and advocacy groups, as well as Illinois
2    schools, universities, and public libraries, concerning
3    the Commission's efforts to redesign the State flag;
4        (5) select, on or before September 1, 2024, a group of
5    no more than 10 proposed flag designs that:
6            (A) represent the State; and
7            (B) adhere to the guiding principles established
8        by the Commission under subparagraph (1);
9        (6) develop a review and selection process for
10    proposed flag designs that incorporates the input of
11    children and young people in the State;
12        (7) on or before December 3, 2024, submit to the
13    General Assembly a written report that describes:
14            (A) the proposed flag designs submitted to the
15        Commission;
16            (B) the process used by the Commission to review
17        the proposed flag designs submitted to it;
18            (C) the group of no more than 10 proposed flag
19        designs selected by the Commission;
20            (D) the Commission's recommendation for a revised
21        or new State flag; and
22            (E) the Commission's recommendations to the
23        General Assembly concerning whether the current State
24        flag ought to be retained or replaced with a revised or
25        new State flag.
26    (e) The appointing authorities shall make appointments to

 

 

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1the Commission as soon as practicable after the effective date
2of this Act, and the Chair of the Commission shall convene the
3first meeting of the Commission by no later than September 1,
42023. Subsequent meetings of the Commission shall convene at
5the call of the Chair of the Commission. A majority of all the
6appointed members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum
7for the transaction of business, and all recommendations of
8the Commission shall require approval of a majority of the
9members of the Commission. Meetings of the Commission are
10subject to the Open Meetings Act.
11    (f) Members of the Commission shall serve without
12compensation but may be provided, from moneys appropriated to
13the Secretary of State for implementation of this Section, a
14per diem established by the Secretary of State to cover
15reasonable meal, travel, and lodging expenses incurred by
16Commission members as a result of their duties under this
17Section.
18    (g) The Office of the Secretary of State shall provide
19administrative support to the Commission.
 
20    Section 10. Repealer. This Act is repealed on January 1,
212026.
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.