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90_HB1628
New Act
Creates the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum Act to
provide for the continuing conservation, operation, and
maintenance of the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum. Creates
the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Foundation as a means through
which funds may be raised, invested, and disbursed to
accomplish the purposes of the Act. Creates the Illinois
Wildlife Prairie Museum Commission to govern the Foundation.
Provides that the Foundation shall seek the guidance of and
consult with the Board of the Illinois State Museum on all
matters relating to the operation of the Illinois Wildlife
Prairie Museum. Creates the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum
Fund. Provides that before January 1, 1998, the Comptroller
shall order the Treasurer to transfer $10,000,000 from the
General Revenue Fund into the Fund for maintenance,
operating, and development costs incurred by the Foundation.
Provides that the Foundation may use the moneys in the Fund,
subject to appropriation, for the purpose of administering
the conservation, operation, and maintenance of the Illinois
Wildlife Prairie Museum. Provides that the State of Illinois
accepts the conveyance of the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Park
along with its appurtenances in trust as provided in the deed
of conveyance, subject to lease with an affiliate of the Paul
Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, the Buffalo Prairie Gang
Camp, and the Peoria Area Historical Drama, Inc. and subject
to the condition that the property is forever used for the
conservation of natural resources, including the propagation
of wild flowers and plants, a habitat for native fauna.
LRB9003788KDmbA
LRB9003788KDmbA
1 AN ACT concerning the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Park.
2 WHEREAS, The Illinois Wildlife Prairie Park is
3 approximately a 1,200 acre park that is located in Peoria
4 County and contains woodlands, grasslands, hiking trails,
5 educational exhibits, miniature trains, and museum, banquet,
6 food service, and lodging accommodations; and
7 WHEREAS, The Illinois Wildlife Prairie Park is home to
8 several species of animals that are all native to the State
9 of Illinois, many of which can be found only in this park;
10 and further, these animals are kept in large free-roaming
11 areas so that people can observe them in their natural
12 habitats; and
13 WHEREAS, The owner of this park wishes to give the park
14 to a public body that will oversee its operations and
15 continue to maintain the park with the same standard in
16 which it was created; therefore
17 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
18 represented in the General Assembly:
19 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
20 Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum Act.
21 Section 5. Purpose. The Illinois State Museum, in
22 cooperation with the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum
23 Commission and the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum
24 Foundation, shall be responsible for providing for the
25 continuing conservation, operation, and maintenance of the
26 Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum.
27 Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless
28 the context otherwise requires:
29 "Board" means the Board of the Illinois State Museum.
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1 "Commission" means the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum
2 Commission created by this Act.
3 "Foundation" means the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum
4 Foundation created by this Act.
5 "Fund" means the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum Fund
6 created by this Act.
7 "Forest Park Foundation" means the Not-For-Profit
8 Illinois Corporation having its principal place of business
9 in Peoria, Illinois, that is the owner of the Wildlife
10 Prairie Museum and that will convey title of the Wildlife
11 Prairie Museum to the State of Illinois.
12 Section 15. Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum Commission.
13 The Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum Commission is created to
14 govern the Foundation. The Commission shall be composed of 5
15 members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and
16 consent of the Senate. Membership of the Commission shall
17 be composed of the Director of the Board of the Illinois
18 State Museum, who shall be the ex-officio chairman of the
19 Foundation, the Lieutenant Governor, and 3 other persons who
20 have demonstrated an interest in the conservation of natural
21 resources, including the propagation of wild flowers and
22 plants and the habitat for native fauna. Members of the
23 Commission shall receive no compensation for their services,
24 except for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in
25 the performance of their official duties. Three members of
26 the Commission shall constitute a quorum to do business and
27 the concurrence of at least 3 members shall be necessary for
28 a decision. The Commission shall hold regular monthly
29 meetings. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson
30 and shall be called on the request of a majority of members,
31 as may be required.
32 The Commission shall provide for the proper and safe
33 keeping of its permanent records and for the recording of the
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1 corporate action of the Foundation. It shall keep a system
2 of accounts showing a true and accurate record of its
3 receipts and disbursements, and it shall cause an audit to be
4 made of its books, records, and accounts.
5 The records of the Commission shall be subject to public
6 inspection at all reasonable hours and under such
7 regulations as the members may prescribe.
8 The Commission, in cooperation with the Foundation,
9 shall annually make a full and complete report to the
10 Governor and to the Board of the transactions and operations
11 of the Foundation for the preceding year. The report shall
12 contain a full statement of its receipts, disbursements, and
13 the program of work for the period covered, and may include
14 such recommendations as may be deemed advisable.
15 Section 25. Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum Foundation.
16 The Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum Foundation is created as
17 a means through which funds may be raised, invested, and
18 disbursed to accomplish the purposes of this Act.
19 Section 30. Powers and duties of the Foundation. To
20 effectuate the purposes of this Act, the Foundation, under
21 the guidance of the Commission and the Board, has the
22 following powers and duties:
23 (1) To formulate and adopt policies for the
24 conservation and preservation of natural conditions and
25 protection of flora and fauna.
26 (2) To adopt by-laws, adopt and use a common seal,
27 enter into contracts, acquire and hold real and personal
28 estate, and take such other actions as may be necessary
29 for the proper conduct of its affairs.
30 (3) To employ and fix the compensation of a
31 Director and such other agents or employees as it
32 considers necessary to carry out the purposes of this
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1 Act.
2 (4) To make and publish rules necessary for the
3 management and protection of its property and the conduct
4 of its affairs.
5 (5) To classify, designate, plan, develop,
6 preserve, administer, and maintain all areas, places,
7 and facilities in which it has an interest, and
8 construct, reconstruct, alter, and renew buildings and
9 other structures, and equip and maintain the same.
10 (6) To accept and administer gifts, grants,
11 legacies, contributions, and appropriations of money,
12 securities, and other property for conservation purposes.
13 (7) To dedicate areas as nature preserves as
14 provided in the Illinois Nature Area Preserve Act and to
15 cooperate with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
16 in matters relating to the purposes of that Act.
17 Section 35. Consultation with the Board of the Illinois
18 State Museum. The Foundation shall seek the guidance of and
19 consult with the Board on all matters relating to the
20 operation of the Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum.
21 In addition to the limitations and restrictions on the
22 Foundation otherwise provided in this Act, the Board may
23 adopt rules that govern the activities and procedures of the
24 Foundation. All proposals and plans of the Foundation for
25 the acquisition of real property, the exercise of the right
26 of eminent domain, and the development of real property shall
27 be submitted to and approved in writing by the Board.
28 Section 40. Gifts, contributions, and bequests. Gifts,
29 contributions, and bequests of money and all licenses, fees,
30 and charges and other revenue or other money received or
31 collected by the Foundation shall be deposited into the Fund
32 to be used for the purchase of land, property, and equipment
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1 and the payment of expenses incurred in carrying out the
2 activities of the Foundation, except that moneys given,
3 bequeathed, or contributed upon specified trusts shall be
4 held and applied in accordance with the trust specified.
5 Section 45. Grants or loans. The Foundation may apply
6 for and receive the grant or loan of money or other financial
7 aid necessary for the undertaking, performance, or execution
8 of any of its corporate objects or purposes from any
9 department or agency of the State or federal government. The
10 Foundation may undertake any of its activities aided by, in
11 cooperation with, or as a joint enterprise with any
12 department or agency of the State or federal government or
13 any conservation district, forest preserve district, park
14 district, school district, planning commission, county board,
15 municipality, or other governmental unit.
16 Section 50. The Illinois Wildlife Prairie Museum Fund.
17 There is created in the State treasury the Illinois Wildlife
18 Prairie Museum Fund. Before January 1, 1998, the Comptroller
19 shall direct the State Treasurer to transfer to the Fund
20 $10,000,000 as operation, maintenance, and development costs
21 for the Foundation. The Foundation is authorized to use
22 moneys deposited into the Fund, subject to appropriation,
23 expressly for the purpose of administering the conservation,
24 operation, and maintenance of the Illinois Wildlife Prairie
25 Museum. The Foundation is authorized to accept any grants,
26 repayments of interest and principal on loans, reimbursements
27 of other things of value from the federal government or from
28 any other institution, person, or corporation, public or
29 private, for deposit into the Fund. Any moneys earned as
30 interest on the Fund shall remain in the Fund for the use of
31 the Foundation. Any moneys collected as a result of
32 foreclosure of loans or other financing agreements, or the
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1 violation of any terms thereof, under this Act shall also be
2 deposited into the Fund.
3 Section 90. Acceptance of conveyance. The State of
4 Illinois accepts the conveyance of the Illinois Wildlife
5 Prairie Park along with its appurtenances in trust as
6 provided in the deed of conveyance, subject to lease with the
7 affiliate of Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, the
8 Buffalo Prairie Gang Camp, and the Peoria Area Historical
9 Drama, Inc. and subject to the condition that the property is
10 forever used for the conservation of natural resources,
11 including the propagation of wild flowers and plants, a
12 habitat for native fauna.