104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB0198 Introduced 1/22/2025, by Sen. Chapin Rose SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 605 ILCS 127/5605 ILCS 127/10605 ILCS 127/15 Amends the Heroes Way Designation Program Act. Adds a first responder killed while in the line of duty to the people who qualify for the Heroes Way Designation Program. LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB0198 Introduced 1/22/2025, by Sen. Chapin Rose SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 605 ILCS 127/5605 ILCS 127/10605 ILCS 127/15 605 ILCS 127/5 605 ILCS 127/10 605 ILCS 127/15 Amends the Heroes Way Designation Program Act. Adds a first responder killed while in the line of duty to the people who qualify for the Heroes Way Designation Program. LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB0198 Introduced 1/22/2025, by Sen. Chapin Rose SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
605 ILCS 127/5605 ILCS 127/10605 ILCS 127/15 605 ILCS 127/5 605 ILCS 127/10 605 ILCS 127/15
605 ILCS 127/5
605 ILCS 127/10
605 ILCS 127/15
Amends the Heroes Way Designation Program Act. Adds a first responder killed while in the line of duty to the people who qualify for the Heroes Way Designation Program.
LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b
LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b
A BILL FOR
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1 AN ACT concerning transportation.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Heroes Way Designation Program Act is
5 amended by changing Sections 5, 10, and 15 as follows:
6 (605 ILCS 127/5)
7 Sec. 5. Purpose. This Act establishes a designation
8 program, to be known as the "Heroes Way Designation Program",
9 to honor the fallen Illinois heroes who have been killed in
10 action while performing active military duty with the United
11 States Armed Forces and the fallen Illinois heroes who have
12 been killed in the line of duty as a first responder.
13 (Source: P.A. 99-802, eff. 1-1-17.)
14 (605 ILCS 127/10)
15 Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
16 "Department" means the Illinois Department of
17 Transportation.
18 "First responder" includes emergency medical services
19 personnel, as defined in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
20 Systems Act; firefighters; and law enforcement officials.
21 "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Illinois Department
22 of Transportation.
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 SB0198 Introduced 1/22/2025, by Sen. Chapin Rose SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
605 ILCS 127/5605 ILCS 127/10605 ILCS 127/15 605 ILCS 127/5 605 ILCS 127/10 605 ILCS 127/15
605 ILCS 127/5
605 ILCS 127/10
605 ILCS 127/15
Amends the Heroes Way Designation Program Act. Adds a first responder killed while in the line of duty to the people who qualify for the Heroes Way Designation Program.
LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b
LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b
A BILL FOR
605 ILCS 127/5
605 ILCS 127/10
605 ILCS 127/15
LRB104 06068 LNS 16101 b
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1 "United States Armed Forces" means any branch of the
2 United States Military, including National Guard and military
3 reserve components.
4 (Source: P.A. 99-802, eff. 1-1-17.)
5 (605 ILCS 127/15)
6 Sec. 15. Heroes Way Designation Program.
7 (a) Any person who is related by marriage, adoption, or
8 consanguinity within the second degree to a member of the
9 United States Armed Forces who was killed in action while
10 performing active military duty with the Armed Forces, and who
11 was a resident of this State at the time he or she was killed
12 in action, may apply for a designation allowing the placement
13 of an honorary sign alongside roads designated under the
14 provisions of this Act.
15 (a-5) Any person related by marriage, adoption, or
16 consanguinity within the second degree to a first responder
17 who was killed in the line of duty and was a resident of this
18 State at the time he or she was killed may apply for a
19 designation allowing the placement of an honorary sign
20 alongside roads designated under the provisions of this Act.
21 (b) The honorary signs may be placed upon interstate or
22 state-numbered highway interchanges or upon bridges or
23 segments of highway under the jurisdiction of the Department
24 according to the provisions of this Section, and any
25 applicable federal and State limitations or conditions on
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1 highway signage, including location and spacing.
2 (c) Any person described under subsection (a) of this
3 Section who desires to have an interstate or state-numbered
4 highway interchange or bridge or segment of highway under the
5 jurisdiction of the Department designated after his or her
6 family member shall petition the Department by submitting an
7 application in a form prescribed by the Secretary. The form
8 shall include the amount of the fee under subsection (d) of
9 this Section. The application must meet the following
10 requirements:
11 (1) describe the interstate or state-numbered highway
12 interchange or bridge or segment of highway under the
13 jurisdiction of the Department for which the designation
14 is sought and the proposed name of the interchange,
15 bridge, or relevant segment of highway. The application
16 shall include the name of at least one current member of
17 the General Assembly who will sponsor the designation. The
18 application may contain written testimony for support of
19 the designation;
20 (2) a signed form, prescribed by the Secretary,
21 certifying that the applicant is related by marriage,
22 adoption, or consanguinity within the second degree to the
23 member of the United States Armed Forces who was killed in
24 action or, for a first responder, a signed letter from the
25 first responder's presiding Chief Officer certifying that
26 the applicant is related by marriage, adoption, or
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1 consanguinity within the second degree to the first
2 responder who was killed in the line of duty; and
3 (3) if the application is for a member of the United
4 States Armed Forces, the name of the member of the United
5 States Armed Forces for whom the designation is sought
6 must be listed on the National Gold Star Family Registry.
7 (d) After determining that the petitioner meets all of the
8 application requirements of subsection (c), the Department
9 shall submit a recommendation containing the proposed
10 designations to the sponsor in the General Assembly named in
11 the application. The Department shall be notified upon the
12 approval or denial of a proposed designation. Upon the
13 approval of a proposed designation, the petitioner shall
14 submit a fee to be determined by the Secretary to cover the
15 costs of constructing and maintaining the proposed signs on
16 the interchange, bridge, or segment of highway. The fee shall
17 not exceed the cost of constructing and maintaining each sign.
18 (e) The Department shall give notice of any proposed
19 designation under this Section on the Department's official
20 public website.
21 (f) Two signs shall be erected for each interchange,
22 bridge, or segment of highway designation processed under this
23 Section.
24 (g) No interchange, bridge, or segment of highway may be
25 named or designated under this Section if it carries an
26 existing designation. Neither a A designated member of the
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