Public Act 104-0113
 
SB1607 EnrolledLRB104 09512 SPS 19575 b

    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
Illinois Freedom Trails Commission Act.
 
    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
    "Commission" means the Illinois Freedom Trails Commission.
    "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources.
 
    Section 10. Establishment of Commission. 
    (a) The Illinois Freedom Trails Commission is established. 
The purposes of the Commission are to explore, research, and 
commemorate the journeys of freedom seekers and the sites and 
landmarks in this State that became the networks of the 
Underground Railroad. 
    (b) The Commission shall consist of a chairperson and 10 
additional members appointed by the Governor. The membership 
may include, but is not limited to, persons who are public 
officials, scholars, and community-based activists who have 
knowledge and interest in promoting the work of the 
Commission. Members shall be broadly representative of the 
State and the variety of groups interested in promoting the 
work of the Commission. 
    (c) The terms of the members shall be 4 years. Members 
shall serve until their successors are appointed and 
qualified. Any vacancy in the membership of the Commission 
shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired term. 
Members shall serve without compensation, but may be 
reimbursed for reasonable expenses. 
    (d) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall provide 
administrative and other support to the Commission.
    (e) Subject to appropriation, the Commission shall hire a 
full-time professional staff to implement Commission projects.
    (f) At its first meeting and annually thereafter, the 
Commission shall elect from among its members a chairperson 
and other officers it considers necessary or appropriate. 
After its first meeting, the Commission shall meet at the call 
of the chairperson or if requested by 7 or more members.
    (g) A majority of the members of the Commission constitute 
a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of the 
Commission. A majority of the members present and serving is 
required for official action of the Commission.
    (h) All business that the Commission is authorized to 
perform shall be conducted at a public meeting of the 
Commission, held in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
    (i) A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, 
or retained by the Commission in the performance of an 
official function is subject to the Freedom of Information 
Act.
 
    Section 15. Duties of Commission. The Commission shall 
have the following duties: 
        (1) to provide resources for individuals and local 
    entities seeking to learn more about the Underground 
    Railroad in Illinois, including: 
            (A) an online resource website, including, but not 
        limited to maps of journeys, historical sites, and 
        conductor cemetery markers; 
            (B) a calendar of related events in this State; 
            (C) research sources and bibliographies; 
            (D) videos and links to videos; and 
            (E) pictures, brief histories, and other materials 
        developed locally and at the State level; 
        (2) collaborate with organizations focusing on the 
    Underground Railroad, including: 
            (A) local and regional Underground Railroad 
        groups; 
            (B) county and regional historical societies; 
            (C) museums, especially museums that focus on 
        slavery and the African American experience; 
            (D) academic programs, especially African American 
        Studies at the college level and history departments; 
        and 
            (E) organizations in African American communities; 
        (3) to create a grant funding program; 
        (4) to work with the National Park Service's Network 
    to Freedom program and serve as a liaison between the 
    National Park Service and local entities;
        (5) to explore heritage tourism opportunities 
    connecting the locations of freedom seeker journeys and 
    Underground Railroad sites, working with the Illinois 
    Office of Tourism and regional tourism agencies; and 
        (6) to connect freedom seekers and Underground 
    Railroad stories to the range of freedom stories across 
    and throughout the history of Illinois.
 
    Section 20. Online database and educational programs. 
    (a) The Commission shall create a publicly available 
website that includes educational material concerning freedom 
seekers' journeys on the portions of the Underground Railroad 
in this State, including: 
        (1) an updated database of freedom seekers and their 
    journeys to and through Illinois; 
        (2) an updated map of the geography of the Underground 
    Railroad in Illinois; and 
        (3) a biographical dictionary of key persons 
    identified with the Underground Railroad in Illinois, 
    including freedom seekers, abolitionist allies, and 
    pro-slavery antagonists. 
    (b) The Commission, in collaboration with the State Board 
of Education, shall develop and implement an educational 
program to be made available to every public school in this 
State. The educational program shall include instruction on: 
        (1) events of African American history, including the 
    African slave trade, slavery in the United States, and the 
    vestiges of slavery in this country; 
        (2) the journeys of freedom seekers and the 
    Underground Railroad in Illinois; and
        (3) additional resources and activities to be used in 
    February as part of Black History Month. 
    (c) The Commission shall identify scholars in higher 
education and community-based organizations to engage in 
research and to be recruited into a speakers' bureau on the 
Underground Railroad and anti-slavery activity in Illinois. 
    (d) The Commission shall support and publicize local 
activities in this State that focus on the Underground 
Railroad, including offering exhibits at meetings of 
organizations open to spreading knowledge about abolitionism 
and the Underground Railroad. The Commission shall focus on 
supporting organizations in African American communities, 
including assisting members of those communities undertake 
research related to the history of their communities.
 
    Section 25. Historic site and landmark recognition and 
preservation. 
    (a) The Commission shall develop statewide guidelines for 
the evaluation of freedom seeker journeys and Underground 
Railroad sites and landmarks in the State. The Commission 
shall use the guidelines to determine and maintain a list of 
freedom seeker journeys and Underground Railroad sites and 
landmarks and make the list available to the public. The 
Commission shall include a contact person who represents the 
site or landmark for each site or landmark included on the 
list. 
    (b) The Commission shall develop standards and guidelines 
for historic markers, signage, and other commemorative tools 
and activities for sites and landmarks listed under subsection 
(a). The Commission shall also assist sites and landmarks 
listed under subsection (a) that are threatened with 
demolition or deterioration. 
    (c) The Commission shall assist individuals and historic 
preservation organizations in assessing freedom seeker 
journeys and Underground Railroad sites and landmarks and 
shall collaborate with the University of Illinois Extension 
Master Gardener program, the Department, and other partners 
concerning opportunities for the development of freedom seeker 
journeys and Underground Railroad sites and landmarks.
 
    Section 30. Grant program. Subject to appropriation, the 
Commission may award grants for the following purposes: 
        (1) to research and identify freedom seeker journeys 
    and Underground Railroad sites and landmarks; 
        (2) to develop heritage tourism and promotional 
    activities on the Underground Railroad, including 
    exhibits, lectures, symposiums, and online materials; and 
        (3) to support an Underground Railroad cemetery marker 
    program.
 
    Section 35. Annual report. The Commission shall submit a 
report to the Governor and the General Assembly by July 1, 
2026, and each year thereafter. The report shall include, at a 
minimum, a description of the programs administered by the 
Commission.
 
    Section 40. Rulemaking. After consultation with and 
written approval by the Department, the Commission may adopt 
administrative rules as may be necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this Act in accordance with the Illinois 
Administrative Procedure Act.
 
    Section 45. Repeal. This Act is repealed on January 1, 
2037.
 
    (20 ILCS 3405/22 rep.)
    Section 90. The Historic Preservation Act is amended by 
repealing Section 22.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.