IL
Illinois House Bill HB1605

Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB1605 Compare Versions

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1+104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1605 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401765 ILCS 120/2 from Ch. 30, par. 402765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404 Amends the Real Property Conservation Rights Act. Provides that a conservation right includes preserving cultural heritage sites. Provides that any owner of real property in the State may convey a conservation right in such real property to a federally recognized Indian tribe or a State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides definitions for federally recognized Indian tribe and State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides that any holder of a conservation right may transfer or assign a conservation right to an entity eligible to hold such rights as described in the Act. Provides that a conservation right may be enforced in an action seeking injunctive relief, specific performance, or damages by any federally recognized Indian tribe or State-recognized Indian tribe that owns the conservation right. LRB104 07360 JRC 17400 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1605 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401765 ILCS 120/2 from Ch. 30, par. 402765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404 765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401 765 ILCS 120/2 from Ch. 30, par. 402 765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404 Amends the Real Property Conservation Rights Act. Provides that a conservation right includes preserving cultural heritage sites. Provides that any owner of real property in the State may convey a conservation right in such real property to a federally recognized Indian tribe or a State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides definitions for federally recognized Indian tribe and State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides that any holder of a conservation right may transfer or assign a conservation right to an entity eligible to hold such rights as described in the Act. Provides that a conservation right may be enforced in an action seeking injunctive relief, specific performance, or damages by any federally recognized Indian tribe or State-recognized Indian tribe that owns the conservation right. LRB104 07360 JRC 17400 b LRB104 07360 JRC 17400 b A BILL FOR
2+104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1605 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3+765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401765 ILCS 120/2 from Ch. 30, par. 402765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404 765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401 765 ILCS 120/2 from Ch. 30, par. 402 765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404
4+765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401
5+765 ILCS 120/2 from Ch. 30, par. 402
6+765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404
7+Amends the Real Property Conservation Rights Act. Provides that a conservation right includes preserving cultural heritage sites. Provides that any owner of real property in the State may convey a conservation right in such real property to a federally recognized Indian tribe or a State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides definitions for federally recognized Indian tribe and State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides that any holder of a conservation right may transfer or assign a conservation right to an entity eligible to hold such rights as described in the Act. Provides that a conservation right may be enforced in an action seeking injunctive relief, specific performance, or damages by any federally recognized Indian tribe or State-recognized Indian tribe that owns the conservation right.
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10+A BILL FOR
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313 1 AN ACT concerning civil law.
414 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
515 3 represented in the General Assembly:
616 4 Section 5. The Real Property Conservation Rights Act is
717 5 amended by changing Sections 1, 2, and 4 as follows:
818 6 (765 ILCS 120/1) (from Ch. 30, par. 401)
919 7 Sec. 1. (a) A conservation right is a right, whether
1020 8 stated in the form of a restriction, easement, covenant or
1121 9 condition, or, without limitation, in any other form in any
1222 10 deed, will, plat, or without limitation any other instrument
1323 11 executed by or on behalf of the owner of land or in any
1424 12 condemnation order of taking, appropriate to preserving: (i)
1525 13 the significant physical character and visual characteristics
1626 14 of structures having architectural, historical, or cultural
1727 15 significance, together with any associated real property,
1828 16 whether or not improved; or (ii) land or water areas
1929 17 predominantly in their natural, scenic, open or wooded
2030 18 condition, or as suitable habitat for fish, plants, or
2131 19 wildlife; or (iii) the integrity of cultural heritage sites or
2232 20 archaeological sites and the artifacts or information which
2333 21 they may contain pending properly supervised excavation and
2434 22 investigation. Without limiting the generality of the
2535 23 foregoing, the instrument conveying or reserving a
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39+104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB1605 Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
40+765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401765 ILCS 120/2 from Ch. 30, par. 402765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404 765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401 765 ILCS 120/2 from Ch. 30, par. 402 765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404
41+765 ILCS 120/1 from Ch. 30, par. 401
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43+765 ILCS 120/4 from Ch. 30, par. 404
44+Amends the Real Property Conservation Rights Act. Provides that a conservation right includes preserving cultural heritage sites. Provides that any owner of real property in the State may convey a conservation right in such real property to a federally recognized Indian tribe or a State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides definitions for federally recognized Indian tribe and State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides that any holder of a conservation right may transfer or assign a conservation right to an entity eligible to hold such rights as described in the Act. Provides that a conservation right may be enforced in an action seeking injunctive relief, specific performance, or damages by any federally recognized Indian tribe or State-recognized Indian tribe that owns the conservation right.
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47+A BILL FOR
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3474 1 conservation right may, with respect to either the grantor or
3575 2 grantee, require, prohibit, condition, limit or control any or
3676 3 all of the following:
3777 4 (1) access or public visitation;
3878 5 (2) affirmative acts of alteration, restoration,
3979 6 rehabilitation, repair, maintenance, investigation,
4080 7 documentation, payment of taxes, or compliance with public
4181 8 law and regulations;
4282 9 (3) conditions of operation, use, restoration,
4383 10 alteration, repair or maintenance;
4484 11 (4) acts detrimental to the preservation of a place;
4585 12 (5) the construction, placement, maintenance in a
4686 13 particular condition, alteration, or removal of roads,
4787 14 signs, billboards or other advertising, utilities or other
4888 15 structures on or above the ground;
4989 16 (6) the dumping or placing of soil or other substance
5090 17 or material as landfill, or dumping or placing of trash,
5191 18 waste or other materials;
5292 19 (7) the excavation, dredging or removal of loam, peat,
5393 20 gravel, soil, rock or other material substance in such
5494 21 manner as to affect the surface or to otherwise alter the
5595 22 topography of the area;
5696 23 (8) the removal or destruction of trees, shrubs or
5797 24 other vegetation;
5898 25 (9) surface use inconsistent with preservation of
5999 26 water or land areas, or the improvement or appurtenance
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70110 1 thereto;
71111 2 (10) activities affecting drainage, flood control,
72112 3 water conservation, erosion control or soil conservation,
73113 4 or fish and wildlife habitat preservation; or
74114 5 (11) any other acts or uses having relation to the
75115 6 preservation of structures, sites and water or land areas
76116 7 or the improvements or appurtenances thereto.
77117 8 (b) A conservation right shall be taken to include a
78118 9 preservation restriction as that term is defined in Section
79119 10 11-48.2-1A of the "Illinois Municipal Code", as now or
80120 11 hereafter amended, and shall not be unenforceable on account
81121 12 of lack of privity of estate or contract or lack of benefit to
82122 13 particular land or on account of the benefit being assigned or
83123 14 assignable. Conservation rights shall be construed and
84124 15 enforced in accordance with their terms, and shall be
85125 16 transferable and transferred, recorded and indexed, in the
86126 17 same manner as fee simple interests in real property, subject
87127 18 only to the limitations provided herein.
88128 19 Conservation rights may be released by the holder of such
89129 20 rights to the holder of the fee even though the holder of the
90130 21 fee may not be an agency of the State, a unit of local
91131 22 government or a not-for-profit corporation or trust.
92132 23 The holder of a grant pursuant to this Act shall not be
93133 24 required to record any instrument subsequent to the recording
94134 25 of the grant in order to maintain or continue the validity of
95135 26 the grant.
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106146 1 The holder of such rights shall also be permitted to
107147 2 transfer or assign such rights but only to entities that are
108148 3 eligible to hold rights under Section 2 another agency of the
109149 4 State, a unit of local government or to a not-for-profit
110150 5 corporation or trust.
111151 6 (c) A conservation right may be amended or modified from
112152 7 time to time only by a written instrument executed by the
113153 8 grantor and grantee and recorded with the office of the
114154 9 recorder of deeds of the county in which the land is located.
115155 10 Either party may, in the absolute discretion of the party,
116156 11 withhold consent to any amendment or modification requested by
117157 12 the other party. An amendment or modification shall not
118158 13 materially and adversely affect the conservation purposes of
119159 14 the conservation right or facilitate the extinguishment of the
120160 15 conservation right. The consent of any party other than the
121161 16 grantor and grantee is not required for amendment or
122162 17 modification, even if the other party is entitled to enforce
123163 18 an easement under this Act or any other law. The conservation
124164 19 right may contain other requirements for amendment or
125165 20 modification, and such other requirements shall control.
126166 21 (Source: P.A. 101-142, eff. 7-26-19.)
127167 22 (765 ILCS 120/2) (from Ch. 30, par. 402)
128168 23 Sec. 2. Any owner of real property in this State may convey
129169 24 a conservation right in such real property to the United
130170 25 States or any agency of the federal government, to an agency of
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141181 1 the State, to a unit of local government, to a federally
142-2 recognized Indian tribe, or to a not-for-profit corporation or
143-3 trust whose primary purposes include the conservation of land,
144-4 natural areas, open space or water areas, or the preservation
145-5 of native plants or animals, or biotic communities, or
146-6 geographic formations of scientific, aesthetic, or educational
147-7 interest, or the preservation of buildings, structures or
148-8 sites of historical, architectural, archeological or cultural
149-9 significance.
182+2 recognized Indian tribe, to a State-recognized Indian tribe,
183+3 or to a not-for-profit corporation or trust whose primary
184+4 purposes include the conservation of land, natural areas, open
185+5 space or water areas, or the preservation of native plants or
186+6 animals, or biotic communities, or geographic formations of
187+7 scientific, aesthetic, or educational interest, or the
188+8 preservation of buildings, structures or sites of historical,
189+9 architectural, archeological or cultural significance.
150190 10 No conveyance of such conservation rights shall take
151191 11 effect until such conveyance is accepted by the grantee.
152192 12 Acceptance of such conservation rights may be conditioned upon
153193 13 any requirements which are deemed proper by the grantee. Such
154194 14 requirements may include the payment of funds by the grantor
155195 15 to provide for the management of such conservation rights.
156196 16 A unit of local government, including, but not limited to,
157197 17 a county, township, forest preserve district, conservation
158198 18 district, park district, or municipality, has the authority to
159199 19 grant a conservation right on property that it owns to another
160200 20 unit of government or to any not-for-profit corporation or
161201 21 trust described in this Section.
162202 22 "Federally recognized Indian tribe" means any Indian tribe
163203 23 that is included on the list of federally recognized Indian
164204 24 tribes that is published from time to time by the United States
165205 25 Department of the Interior under the Federally Recognized
166206 26 Indian Tribe List Act of 1994.
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177-1 (Source: P.A. 101-142, eff. 7-26-19.)
178-2 (765 ILCS 120/4) (from Ch. 30, par. 404)
179-3 Sec. 4. A conservation right created pursuant to this Act
180-4 may be enforced in an action seeking injunctive relief,
181-5 specific performance, or damages in the circuit court of the
182-6 county in which the area, place, building, structure or site
183-7 is located by any of the following:
184-8 (a) the United States or any agency of the federal
185-9 government, the State of Illinois, or any unit of local
186-10 government;
187-11 (b) any not-for-profit corporation or trust or
188-12 federally recognized Indian tribe that which owns the
189-13 conservation right;
190-14 (c) the owner of any real property abutting or within
191-15 500 feet of the real property subject to the conservation
192-16 right. Any owner of property subject to a conservation
193-17 right who wilfully violates any term of such conservation
194-18 right may, in the court's discretion, be held liable for
195-19 punitive damages in an amount equal to the value of the
196-20 real property subject thereto.
197-21 An action to enforce a conservation right may also be
198-22 brought by any party entitled to enforce the conservation
199-23 right under this Section against a nonowner who is violating
200-24 the terms of the conservation right.
201-25 If the holder of a conservation right reasonably
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217+1 "State-recognized Indian tribe" means any Indian tribe
218+2 that has been recognized as such by any legislative or
219+3 regulatory process that a State may use to establish formal
220+4 recognition of the sovereignty of Indian tribal nations and
221+5 related treaties of that recognition.
222+6 (Source: P.A. 101-142, eff. 7-26-19.)
223+7 (765 ILCS 120/4) (from Ch. 30, par. 404)
224+8 Sec. 4. A conservation right created pursuant to this Act
225+9 may be enforced in an action seeking injunctive relief,
226+10 specific performance, or damages in the circuit court of the
227+11 county in which the area, place, building, structure or site
228+12 is located by any of the following:
229+13 (a) the United States or any agency of the federal
230+14 government, the State of Illinois, or any unit of local
231+15 government;
232+16 (b) any not-for-profit corporation or trust, federally
233+17 recognized Indian tribe, or State-recognized Indian tribe
234+18 that which owns the conservation right;
235+19 (c) the owner of any real property abutting or within
236+20 500 feet of the real property subject to the conservation
237+21 right. Any owner of property subject to a conservation
238+22 right who wilfully violates any term of such conservation
239+23 right may, in the court's discretion, be held liable for
240+24 punitive damages in an amount equal to the value of the
241+25 real property subject thereto.
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212-1 determines that there is a violation of the right, the holder
213-2 of the conservation right may record a notice of violation
214-3 against the property for which the conservation right applies.
215-4 (Source: P.A. 101-142, eff. 7-26-19.)
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