Will County Gazette

Patrick Sheehan introduced HB1104 in the Illinois House on Jan. 9, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Decennial Committees on Local Government Efficiency Act. Provides that a governmental unit may form a committee (rather than must form a committee) to study local efficiencies and report recommendations regarding efficiencies and increased accountability to the county board in which the governmental unit is located."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Decennial Committees on Local Government Efficiency Act to allow governmental units the option, rather than the requirement, to form committees for studying local efficiencies and suggesting recommendations to their county boards. By June 10 and every 10 years thereafter, each governmental unit may form a committee composed of governing board members, at least two residents from the served area appointed by the board chair, and any chief executive officer or officer of the unit. This committee will be chaired by the president or chief elected official of the board. Members will serve without pay, though they may be reimbursed for expenses. Additionally, in certain townships with populations under 400,000, a highway commissioner and township board may form a joint committee with distinct membership and reporting requirements. The bill includes provisions for the engagement of specialists and community resources and mandates administrative support from the governmental unit.

Patrick Sheehan is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 37th House District. He replaced previous state representative Tim Ozinga in 2024.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB1104	01/09/2025	Amends the Decennial Committees on Local Government Efficiency Act. Provides that a governmental unit may form a committee (rather than must form a committee) to study local efficiencies and report recommendations regarding efficiencies and increased accountability to the county board in which the governmental unit is located.