Public Act 93-0226
HB3402 Enrolled LRB093 09164 MKM 09396 b
AN ACT concerning local government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois State Auditing Act is amended by
changing Section 3-1 as follows:
(30 ILCS 5/3-1) (from Ch. 15, par. 303-1)
Sec. 3-1. Jurisdiction of Auditor General. The Auditor
General has jurisdiction over all State agencies to make post
audits and investigations authorized by or under this Act or
the Constitution.
The Auditor General has jurisdiction over local
government agencies and private agencies only:
(a) to make such post audits authorized by or under
this Act as are necessary and incidental to a post audit
of a State agency or of a program administered by a State
agency involving public funds of the State, but this
jurisdiction does not include any authority to review
local governmental agencies in the obligation, receipt,
expenditure or use of public funds of the State that are
granted without limitation or condition imposed by law,
other than the general limitation that such funds be used
for public purposes;
(b) to make investigations authorized by or under
this Act or the Constitution; and
(c) to make audits of the records of local
government agencies to verify actual costs of
state-mandated programs when directed to do so by the
Legislative Audit Commission at the request of the State
Board of Appeals under the State Mandates Act.
In addition to the foregoing, the Auditor General may
conduct an audit of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition
Authority, the Regional Transportation Authority, the
Suburban Bus Division, the Commuter Rail Division and the
Chicago Transit Authority and any other subsidized carrier
when authorized by the Legislative Audit Commission. Such
audit may be a financial, management or program audit, or any
combination thereof.
The audit shall determine whether they are operating in
accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Subject
to the limitations of this Act, the Legislative Audit
Commission may by resolution specify additional
determinations to be included in the scope of the audit.
In addition to the foregoing, the Auditor General must
also conduct a financial audit of the Illinois Sports
Facilities Authority's expenditures of public funds in
connection with the reconstruction, renovation, remodeling,
extension, or improvement of all or substantially all of any
existing "facility", as that term is defined in the Illinois
Sports Facilities Authority Act.
The Auditor General may also conduct an audit, when
authorized by the Legislative Audit Commission, of any
hospital which receives 10% or more of its gross revenues
from payments from the State of Illinois, Department of
Public Aid, Medical Assistance Program.
The Auditor General is authorized to conduct financial
and compliance audits of the Illinois Distance Learning
Foundation and the Illinois Conservation Foundation.
As soon as practical after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of 1995, the Auditor General shall conduct a
compliance and management audit of the City of Chicago and
any other entity with regard to the operation of Chicago
O'Hare International Airport, Chicago Midway Airport and
Merrill C. Meigs Field. The audit shall include, but not be
limited to, an examination of revenues, expenses, and
transfers of funds; purchasing and contracting policies and
practices; staffing levels; and hiring practices and
procedures. When completed, the audit required by this
paragraph shall be distributed in accordance with Section
3-14.
The Auditor General shall conduct a financial and
compliance and program audit of distributions from the
Municipal Economic Development Fund during the immediately
preceding calendar year pursuant to Section 8-403.1 of the
Public Utilities Act at no cost to the city, village, or
incorporated town that received the distributions.
The Auditor General must conduct an audit of the Health
Facilities Planning Board pursuant to Section 19.5 of the
Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act.
The Auditor General must conduct an annual audit of the
water fund of a county water commission organized pursuant to
the Water Commission Act of 1985.
(Source: P.A. 90-813, eff. 1-29-99; 91-782, eff. 6-9-00;
91-935, eff. 6-1-01.)
Section 10. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by
changing Section 11-124-1 as follows:
(65 ILCS 5/11-124-1) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-124-1)
Sec. 11-124-1. Contracts for supply of water.
(a) The corporate authorities of each municipality may
contract with any person, corporation, municipal corporation,
political subdivision, public water district or any other
agency for a supply of water. Any such contract entered into
by a municipality shall provide that payments to be made
thereunder shall be solely from the revenues to be derived
from the operation of the waterworks system of the
municipality, and the contract shall be a continuing valid
and binding obligation of the municipality payable from the
revenues derived from the operation of the waterworks system
of the municipality for the period of years, not to exceed
40, as may be provided in such contract. Any such contract
shall not be a debt within the meaning of any constitutional
or statutory limitation. No prior appropriation shall be
required before entering into such a contract and no
appropriation shall be required to authorize payments to be
made under the terms of any such contract notwithstanding any
provision in this Code to the contrary. (a) Payments to be
made under any such contract shall be an operation and
maintenance expense of the waterworks system of the
municipality. Any such contract made by a municipality for a
supply of water may contain provisions whereby the
municipality is obligated to pay for such supply of water
without setoff or counterclaim and irrespective of whether
such supply of water is ever furnished, made available or
delivered to the municipality or whether any project for the
supply of water contemplated by any such contract is
completed, operable or operating and notwithstanding any
suspension, interruption, interference, reduction or
curtailment of the supply of water from such project. Any
such contract may provide that if one or more of the other
purchasers of water defaults in the payment of its
obligations under such contract or a similar contract made
with the supplier of the water, one or more of the remaining
purchasers party to such contract or such similar contract
shall be required to pay for all or a portion of the
obligations of the defaulting purchasers. (b) Payments to be
made under any such contract with a municipal joint action
water agency under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act
shall be an operation and maintenance expense of the
waterworks system of the municipality. Any such contract
made by a municipality for a supply of water with a municipal
joint action water agency under the provisions of the
Intergovernmental Cooperation Act may contain provisions
whereby the municipality is obligated to pay for such supply
of water without setoff or counterclaim and irrespective of
whether such supply of water is ever furnished, made
available or delivered to the municipality or whether any
project for the supply of water contemplated by any such
contract is completed, operable or operating and
notwithstanding any suspension, interruption, interference,
reduction or curtailment of the supply of water from such
project. Any such contract with a municipal joint action
water agency may provide that if one or more of the other
purchasers of water defaults in the payment of its
obligations under such contract or a similar contract made
with the supplier of the water, one or more of the remaining
purchasers party to such contract or such similar contract
shall be required to pay for all or a portion of the
obligations of the defaulting purchasers.
The changes in this Section made by these amendatory Acts
of 1984 are intended to be declarative of existing law.
(b) A municipality with a water supply contract with a
county water commission organized pursuant to the Water
Commission Act of 1985 shall provide water to unincorporated
areas of that home county in accordance with the terms of
this subsection. The provision of water by the municipality
shall be in accordance with a mandate of the home county as
provided in Section 0.01 of the Water Commission Act of 1985.
A home rule unit may not provide water in a manner that is
inconsistent with the provisions of this amendatory Act of
the 93rd General Assembly. This subsection is a limitation
under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the
Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule
units of powers and functions exercised by the State.
(Source: P.A. 83-1123; 83-1524.)
Section 15. The Water Commission Act of 1985 is amended
by changing Section 2 and by adding Sections 0.01, 0.02,
0.03, 0.04, and 0.05 as follows:
(70 ILCS 3720/2) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 252)
Sec. 2. The General Assembly hereby finds and declares
that it is necessary and in the public interest to help
assure a sufficient and economic supply of a source of water
within those county wide areas of this State where, because
of a growth in population and proximity to large urban
centers, the health, safety and welfare of the residents is
threatened by an ever increasing shortage of a continuing,
available and adequate source and supply of water on an
economically reasonable basis; however, it is not the intent
of the General Assembly to interfere with the power of
municipalities to provide for the retail distribution of
water to their residents or the customers of their water
systems. Therefore, in order to provide for a sufficient and
economic supply of water to such areas, it is hereby declared
to be the law of this State that:
(a) With respect to any water commission constituted
pursuant to Division 135 of the Illinois Municipal Code or
established by operation of law under Public Act 83-1123, as
amended, which water commission includes municipalities which
in the aggregate have within their corporate limits more than
50% of the population of a county (hereinafter referred to as
a "home county"), and such county is contiguous to a county
which has a population in excess of 1,000,000 inhabitants,
the provisions of this Act shall apply. With respect to any
such water commission (hereinafter referred to as a "county
water commission"):
(i) the terms of all commissioners of such
commission holding office at the time a water commission
becomes a county water commission shall terminate 30 days
after such time and new commissioners shall be appointed
as the governing board of the county water commission as
hereinafter provided in subsection (c); and
(ii) the county water commission shall continue to
be a body corporate and politic, and shall bear the name
of the home county but shall be independent from and not
a part of the county government and shall itself be a
political subdivision and a unit of local government, and
upon appointment of the new commissioners as the
governing board of such water commission as provided in
subsection (c), such water commission shall remain
responsible for the full payment of, and shall by
operation of law be deemed to have assumed and shall pay
when due all debts and obligations of the commission as
the same is constituted and as such debts and obligations
existed on the date such water commission becomes a
county water commission and such additional debts and
obligations as are incurred by such commission after such
date and prior to the appointment of the new
commissioners as the governing board of such commission,
and further shall continue to have and exercise all
powers and functions and duties of a water commission
created pursuant to Division 135 of the Illinois
Municipal Code, as now or hereafter amended, and the
county water commission may rely on that Division, as
modified and supplemented by the provisions of this Act,
as lawful authority under which it may act.
(b) Any county water commission shall have as its
territory within its corporate limits, subject to taxation
for its purposes, and subject to the powers and limitations
as conferred by this Act, (i) all of the territory of the
home county except that territory located within the
corporate limits of excluded units as hereinafter defined and
(ii) also all of the territory located outside the home
county and included within the corporate limits of an
included unit as hereinafter defined. As used in this Act,
"excluded unit" means a unit of local government having a
waterworks system and having within its corporate limits
territory within the home county and which, at the time any
commission becomes a county water commission, receives, or
has contracted at such time for the receipt of, more than 25%
of the water distributed by such unit's water system from a
source outside of the home county. As used in this Section,
"included unit" means any unit of local government having a
waterworks system and having within its corporate limits
territory within the home county, which unit of local
government is not an excluded unit. No other water
commission shall be constituted under Division 135 of the
Illinois Municipal Code in any home county after the
effective date of this Act to provide water from any source
located outside the home county. Except as authorized by a
county water commission, no home county or included unit
shall enter into any new or renew or extend any existing
contract, agreement or other arrangement for the acquisition
or sale of water from any source located outside a home
county; provided, however, that any included unit may
contract for a supply of water in case of a temporary
emergency from any other unit of local government or any
entity. In the event that any included unit elects to serve
retail customers outside its corporate boundaries and to
establish rates and charges for such water in excess of those
charged within its corporate boundaries, such rates and
charges shall have a reasonable relationship to the actual
cost of providing and delivering the water; this provision is
declarative of existing law. It is declared to be the law of
this State pursuant to paragraphs (g) and (h) of Section 6 of
Article VII of the Illinois Constitution that in any home
county, the provisions of this Act and Division 135 of the
Illinois Municipal Code, as modified and supplemented by this
Act and this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly,
constitute a limitation upon the power of any such county and
upon all units of local government (except excluded units)
within such county, including home rule units, limiting to
such county, units of local government and home rule units
the power to acquire, supply or distribute water or to
establish any water commission for such purposes involving
water from any source located outside the home county in a
manner other than as provided or permitted by this Act and
Division 135, as modified and supplemented by this Act, and
further constitute an exercise of exclusive State power with
respect to the acquisition, supply and distribution of water
from any source located outside the home county by any such
county and by units of local government (except excluded
units), including home rule units, within such county and
with respect to the establishment for such purposes of any
water commission therein, which power may not be exercised
concurrently by any unit of local government or home rule
unit. Upon the request of any included unit, a county water
commission shall provide such included unit Lake Michigan
water in an amount up to the then current Department of
Transportation allocation of Lake Michigan water for such
included unit.
With respect to a water commission to which the
provisions of subsection (a) apply, all uninhabited territory
that is owned and solely occupied by such a commission and is
located not within its home county but within a non-home rule
municipality adjacent to its home county shall,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, be disconnected
from that municipality by operation of this Act on the
effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991, and shall
thereafter no longer be within the territory of the
municipality for any purpose; except that for the purposes of
any statute that requires contiguity of territory, the
territory of the water commission shall be disregarded and
the municipality shall not be deemed to be noncontiguous by
virtue of the disconnection of the water commission
territory.
(c) The governing body of any water commission to which
the provisions of subsection (a) apply shall be a board of
commissioners, each to be appointed within 30 days after the
water commission becomes a county water commission to a term
commencing on such date, as follows:
(i) one commissioner, who shall serve as chairman,
who shall be a resident of the home county, to be
appointed by the chairman of the county board of such
county with the advice and consent of the county board,
provided that following the expiration of the term or
vacancy of the current chairman serving on the effective
date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly,
any subsequent appointment as chairman shall also be
subject to the advice and consent of the county water
commission;
(ii) one commissioner from each county board
district within the home county, to be appointed by the
chairman of the county board of the home county with the
advice and consent of the county board; and
(iii) one commissioner from each county board
district within the home county, to be appointed by the
majority vote of the mayors of those included units which
are municipalities and which have the greatest percentage
of their respective populations residing within such
county board district of the home county.
The mayors of the respective county board districts shall
meet for the purpose of making said respective appointments
at a time and place designated by that mayor in each county
board district of the included unit with the largest
population voting for a commissioner upon not less than 10
days' written notice to each other mayor entitled to vote.
The commissioners so appointed shall serve for a term of
6 years, or until their successors have been appointed and
have qualified in the same manner as the original
appointments, except that at the first meeting of such
commissioners, (A) the commissioners first appointed pursuant
to paragraph (ii) of this subsection shall determine publicly
by lot 1/3 of their number to serve for terms of 2 years, 1/3
of their number to serve for terms of 4 years and 1/3 of
their number to serve for terms of 6 years, any odd number of
commissioners so determined by dividing into thirds to serve
6 year terms, and (B) the commissioners first appointed
pursuant to paragraph (iii) of this subsection shall
determine publicly by lot 1/3 of their number to serve for
terms of 2 years, 1/3 of their number to serve for terms of 4
years and 1/3 of their number to serve for terms of 6 years,
any odd number of commissioners so determined by dividing
into thirds to serve 6 year terms. The commissioner first
appointed pursuant to paragraph (i) of this subsection, who
shall serve as chairman, shall serve for a term of 6 years.
Any commissioner may be a member of the governing board or an
officer or employee of such county or any unit of local
government within such county. A commissioner is eligible
for reappointment upon the expiration of his term. A vacancy
in the office of a commissioner shall be filled for the
balance of the unexpired term by appointment and
qualification as to residency in the same manner as the
original appointment was made. Each commissioner shall
receive the same compensation which shall not be more than
$600 per year, except that no such commissioner who is a
member of the governing board or an officer or employee of
such county or any unit of local government within such
county may receive any compensation for serving as a
commissioner. Each commissioner may be removed by the
appointing authority for any cause for which any other county
or municipal officer may be removed. The county water
commission shall determine its own rules of proceeding. A
quorum shall be a majority of the commissioners then in
office. All ordinances or resolutions shall be passed by not
less than a majority of a quorum. No commissioner or
employee of the commission, no member of the county board or
other official elected within such county, no mayor or
president or other member of the corporate authorities of any
unit of local government within such county, and no employee
of such county or any such unit of local government, shall be
interested directly or indirectly in any contract or job of
work or materials, or the profits thereof, or services to be
performed for or by the commission. A violation of any of
the foregoing provisions of this subsection is a Class C
misdemeanor. A conviction is cause for the removal of a
person from his office or employment.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (g), subject to the
referendum provided for in subsection (e), a county water
commission may borrow money for corporate purposes on the
credit of the commission, and issue general obligation bonds
therefor, in such amounts and form and on such conditions as
it shall prescribe, but shall not become indebted in any
manner or for any purpose in an amount including existing
indebtedness in the aggregate to exceed 5.75% of the
aggregate value of the taxable property within the
territorial boundaries of the county water commission, as
equalized and assessed by the Department of Revenue and as
most recently available at the time of the issue of said
bonds. Before or at the time of incurring any indebtedness,
except as provided in subsection (g), the commission shall
provide for the collection of a direct annual tax, which
shall be unlimited as to rate or amount, sufficient to pay
the interest on such debt as it falls due and also to pay and
discharge the principal thereof at maturity, which shall be
within 40 years after the date of issue thereof. Such tax
shall be levied upon and collected from all of the taxable
property within the territory of the county water commission.
Dissolution of the county water commission for any reason
shall not relieve the taxable property within such territory
of the county water commission from liability for such tax.
The clerk of the commission shall file a certified copy of
the resolution or ordinance by which such bonds are
authorized to be issued and such tax is levied with the
County Clerk of each county in which any of the territory of
the county water commission is located and such filing shall
constitute, without the doing of any other act, full and
complete authority for each such County Clerk to extend such
tax for collection upon all the taxable property within the
territory of the county water commission subject to such tax
in each and every year required sufficient to pay the
principal of and interest on such bonds, as aforesaid,
without limit as to rate or amount, and shall be in addition
to and in excess of all other taxes authorized to be levied
by the commission or any included unit. The general
obligation bonds shall be issued pursuant to an ordinance or
resolution and may be issued in one or more series, and shall
bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times and in
any event not more than 40 years from the date thereof, be
sold at such price at private or public sale as determined by
a county water commission, bear interest at such rate or
rates such that the net effective interest rate received upon
the sale of such bonds does not exceed the maximum rate
determined under Section 2 of the Bond Authorization Act,
which rates may be fixed or variable, be in such
denominations, be in such form, either coupon or registered,
carry such conversion, registration, and exchange privileges,
be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of
payment at such place or places within or without the State
of Illinois, be subject to such terms of redemption, and
contain or be subject to such other terms as the ordinance or
resolution may provide, and shall not be restricted by the
provisions of any other terms of obligations of public
agencies or private persons.
(e) No issue of general obligation bonds by a county
water commission (except bonds to refund an existing bonded
indebtedness) shall be authorized unless the commission
certifies the proposition of issuing such bonds to the proper
election officials, who shall submit the proposition to the
voters at an election in accordance with the general election
law, and the proposition has been approved by a majority of
those voting on the proposition.
The proposition shall be in the form provided in Section
5 or shall be substantially in the following form:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Shall general obligation
bonds for the purpose of
(state purpose), in the YES
sum of $....(insert amount), -----------------------------
be issued by the ......... NO
(insert corporate name of
the county water commission)?
-------------------------------------------------------------
(f) In order to carry out and perform its powers and
functions and duties under the provisions of this Act and
Division 135 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as modified and
supplemented by this Act, the governing body of any county
water commission may by ordinance levy annually upon all
taxable property within its territory a tax at a rate not to
exceed .005% of the value of such property, as equalized or
assessed by the Department of Revenue for the year in which
the levy is made. In addition, any county water commission
may by ordinance levy upon all taxable property within its
territory, for one year only, an additional tax for such
purposes at a rate not to exceed .20% of the value of such
property, as equalized or assessed by the Department of
Revenue for that year; provided, however, that such tax may
not be levied more than once in any county water commission.
(g) Any county water commission shall have the power to
borrow money, subject to the indebtedness limitation provided
in subsection (d), from the home county or included units, in
such amounts and in such terms as agreed by the governing
bodies of the commission and the home county or included
units.
(h) No county water commission constituted pursuant to
the Act shall engage in the retail sale or distribution of
water to residents or customers of any municipality.
(i) Nothing in the Section requires any municipality to
contract with a county water commission for a supply of
water.
(j) The State of Illinois recognizes that any such
contract for the supply of water executed by a unit of local
government and a county water commission may contain terms
and conditions intended by the parties thereto to be absolute
conditions thereof. The State of Illinois also recognizes
that persons may loan funds to a county water commission
(including, without limitation, the purchase of revenue or
general obligation bonds of such commission) in reliance upon
the terms and conditions of any such contract for the supply
of water. Therefore, the State of Illinois pledges and
agrees to those parties and persons which make loans of funds
to a county water commission that it will not impair or limit
the power or ability of a county water commission or a unit
of local government fully to carry out the financial
obligations and obligation to furnish water pursuant to the
terms of any contract for the supply of water entered into by
such county water commission or unit of local government for
the term of such contracts or loans. All other terms and
conditions of such contracts and intergovernmental agreements
shall be binding to the extent that they are not inconsistent
with this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 87-145.)
(70 ILCS 3720/0.01 new)
Sec. 0.01. Service to areas with contaminated or tainted
water.
(a) Notwithstanding the terms of a water supply contract
existing on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
93rd General Assembly, a municipality with a water supply
contract with a county water commission must provide water to
territories outside that municipality, provided that the
territory to be served currently receives well water that is
tainted or contaminated. The home county board must find that
the water supply in such territory is tainted or contaminated
such that the health of persons served in that territory is
likely to be adversely affected now or in the future. The
county water commission shall determine which municipality in
the home county is most appropriate for supplying water to
the territory with the contaminated wells within 30 days of a
county board finding that there is a tainted or contaminated
water supply.
The municipality shall provide access to water for such
territory no later than 90 days after the county water
commission has determined by resolution that the municipality
is the most appropriate municipality for providing access to
water for the territory. "Access to water" includes access
through the municipal main, but the municipality need not
otherwise provide infrastructure to deliver water from the
municipal main. The municipality may sell water to such
territory at a rate higher than the rate charged to municipal
customers, in accordance with existing law.
(b) Unless otherwise provided by law, property in
unincorporated territory receiving water pursuant to
subsection (a) of this Section shall not be annexed without
consent of the owner of the property. A municipality's
furnishing water pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section
may not be conditioned on an agreement to annex. "Owner" for
the purpose of this subsection is any person or persons in
title, or in the case of property owned in trust, having the
beneficial ownership of such property, who owned the property
on the date water is first so received pursuant to subsection
(a) of this Section. Upon transfer of ownership of such
property, the municipality may annex it by ordinance.
(c) This amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly is
a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII
of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by
home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the
State.
(70 ILCS 3720/0.02 new)
Sec. 0.02. Rate equalization. Notwithstanding the terms
of a water supply contract existing on the effective date of
this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly, all parties
to a water supply contract with a county water commission,
irrespective of whether such party is a charter member or
subsequent entrant, shall pay rates equal to the rates paid
by other parties to such water supply contract and shall not
pay any additional fees, costs, or differentials as a
condition of becoming a party to such water supply contract.
Subsequent entrants to a water supply contract shall pay
their pro-rata portion of the original capital costs less any
rebates and the actual costs of connection to the water
commission system.
(70 ILCS 3720/0.03 new)
Sec. 0.03. Water subsidy guaranty. Except to satisfy
the obligations of persons who loaned funds to the county
water commission, the water rates charged to municipalities
that are in effect on the effective date of this amendatory
Act of the 93rd General Assembly may not be increased for a
period of 5 years.
(70 ILCS 3720/0.04 new)
Sec. 0.04. Five-year annual transfer of funds to home
county. Beginning July 1, 2003 and prior to July 1 of each
year through and including 2007, each county water commission
shall from any legally available sources transfer the sum of
$15,000,000 to the county board of the home county to be used
for county purposes. This amendatory Act of the 93rd General
Assembly is subordinate to any legally required payment of
principal, interest, or required reserve pursuant to the
county water commission's debt obligations.
(70 ILCS 3720/0.05 new)
Sec. 0.05. Home rule. A municipality, including a home
rule unit, must regulate its water systems and provide access
to water as required under the provisions of this amendatory
Act of the 93rd General Assembly. This Section is a denial
and limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article
VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise
by home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the
State.
Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
Section 8.27 as follows:
(30 ILCS 805/8.27 new)
Sec. 8.27. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6
and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required
for the implementation of any mandate created by this
amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.
Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act
are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.