Illinois 94th Regular Session Status: Enacted 1 R cosponsors

SB 251 — RECREATIONAL USE LAND-PURPOSE

Last action — Public Act . . . . . . . . . 94-0625

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 03, 2005. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 21 sponsors

    0 primary, 21 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Amends the Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to encourage owners of land to make land and water areas available to any individual or, on state-owned or managed lands and waters, members of the public (rather than to the public) for recreational or conservation purposes by limiting their liability toward persons entering thereon for such purposes. Provides that residential buildings are not included in the definition of "land". Changes the definition of "recreational or conservation purpose" to include hunting, hiking, recreational shooting, operation of an off-highway vehicle, rock climbing, trapping, horseback riding of an entrant's own horse or horses, fishing, swimming, boating, camping, picnicking, water or snow skiing, sledding, and snowmobiling. Effective immediately.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

39 added · 7 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to Bill SB 251 clarify the definition of "land" and "owner," expanding the scope of what is protected under this legislation for recreational and conservation activities. It emphasizes that various types of land, including roads and watercourses, are included while explicitly excluding residential properties. This change matters because it encourages more people to access and enjoy natural areas for recreational purposes, while also providing legal protections for landowners against liability.

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Previous
Latest
SB0251 Engrossed LRB094 06325 LCB 36400 b AN ACT concerning civil law.
SB0251 Enrolled LRB094 06325 LCB 36400 b AN ACT concerning civil law.
The Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act is amended by changing Section 1 as follows:
The Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act is amended by changing Sections 1 and 2 as follows:
This Act shall be known and and may be cited as the "Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act".
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act".
The purpose of this Act is to encourage owners of land to make land and water areas available to the public for recreational or conservation purposes by limiting their liability toward persons entering thereon for such purposes.
The purpose of this Act is to encourage owners of land to make land and water areas available to any individual or members of the public for recreational or conservation purposes by limiting their liability toward persons entering thereon for such purposes.
85-959.)
85-959.) (745 ILCS 65/2) (from Ch.
70, par.
32) Sec.
2.
As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Land" includes roads, water, watercourses, private ways and buildings, structures, and machinery or equipment when attached to the realty, but does not include residential buildings or residential property.
(b) "Owner" includes the possessor of any interest in land, whether it be a tenant, lessee, occupant, the State of Illinois and its political subdivisions, or person in control of the premises.
(c) "Recreational or conservation purpose" means entry onto the land of another to conduct hunting or recreational shooting or a combination thereof or any activity solely related to the aforesaid hunting or recreational shooting any activity undertaken for conservation, resource management, exercise, education, relaxation, or pleasure on land owned by SB0251 Enrolled - 2 - LRB094 06325 LCB 36400 b another.
(d) "Charge" means an admission fee for permission to go upon the land, but does not include:
the sharing of game, fish or other products of recreational use;
or benefits to or arising from the recreational use;
or contributions in kind, services or cash made for the purpose of properly conserving the land.
(e) "Person" includes any person, regardless of age, maturity, or experience, who enters upon or uses land for recreational purposes.
(Source:
P.A.
85-959.) Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect upon becoming law.
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Action History

  1. Public Act . . . . . . . . . 94-0625

  2. Effective Date August 18, 2005

  3. Governor Approved

  4. Sent to the Governor

  5. Passed Both Houses

  6. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs 056-000-000

  7. Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Gary Forby

  8. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. John O. Jones

  9. Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Arthur J. Wilhelmi

  10. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion To Concur Recommended Do Adopt Judiciary; 009-000-000

  11. Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. John M. Sullivan

  12. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Rules Referred to Judiciary

  13. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules

  14. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Filed with Secretary Sen. Deanna Demuzio

  15. Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence House Amendment(s) 01-May 29, 2005.

  16. Secretary's Desk - Concurrence House Amendment(s) 01

  17. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jack McGuire

  18. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Patrick J Verschoore

  19. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Shane Cultra

  20. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Terry R. Parke

  21. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Joseph M. Lyons

  22. Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 111-002-000

  23. Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate

  24. Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate

  25. Second Reading - Short Debate

  26. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Chapin Rose

  27. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

  28. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Richard P. Myers

  29. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. John E. Bradley

  30. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Robert W. Pritchard

  31. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Frank J. Mautino

  32. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Rich Brauer

  33. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. David Reis

  34. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Raymond Poe

  35. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Donald L. Moffitt

  36. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Art Tenhouse

  37. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Jim Sacia

  38. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Ron Stephens

  39. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. JoAnn D. Osmond

  40. Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael Tryon

  41. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Dave Winters

  42. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Mike Bost

  43. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Dan Reitz

  44. Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate

  45. Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Agriculture & Conservation Committee; 009-000-000

  46. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Agriculture & Conservation Committee; by Voice Vote

  47. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Agriculture & Conservation Committee

  48. Motion to Suspend Rule 25 - Prevailed

  49. Assigned to Agriculture & Conservation Committee

  50. Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) May 31, 2005

  51. Motion Withdrawn Rep. William B. Black; Motion Filed Discharge Committee

  52. Motion Filed to Discharge Committee Rep. William B. Black

  53. Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

  54. Motion Filed to Discharge Committee Rep. William B. Black

  55. Assigned to Executive Committee

  56. Referred to Rules Committee

  57. First Reading

  58. Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Jim Watson

  59. Chief House Sponsor Rep. William B. Black

  60. Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading

  61. Arrived in House

  62. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Tabled Pursuant to Rule 5-4(a)

  63. Third Reading - Passed; 034-022-000

  64. Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Bill Brady

  65. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Held in Judiciary

  66. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Judiciary

  67. Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading April 12, 2005

  68. Second Reading

  69. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules

  70. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Deanna Demuzio

  71. Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading April 6, 2005

  72. Do Pass as Amended Judiciary; 010-000-000

  73. Held in Judiciary

  74. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted

  75. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Judiciary

  76. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules

  77. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Deanna Demuzio

  78. Postponed - Judiciary

  79. Postponed - Judiciary

  80. Postponed - Judiciary

  81. Assigned to Judiciary

  82. Referred to Rules

  83. First Reading

  84. Filed with Secretary by Sen. Deanna Demuzio

Sponsors

  • Deanna Demuzio · Cosponsor
  • Michael Tryon · Cosponsor
  • JoAnn D. Osmond · Cosponsor
  • Ron Stephens · Cosponsor
  • Jim Sacia · Cosponsor
  • Art Tenhouse · Cosponsor
  • Donald L. Moffitt · Cosponsor
  • Raymond Poe · Cosponsor
  • David Reis · Cosponsor
  • Rich Brauer · Cosponsor
  • Frank J. Mautino · Cosponsor
  • Robert W. Pritchard · Cosponsor
  • John E. Bradley · Cosponsor
  • Richard P. Myers · Cosponsor
  • Brandon W. Phelps · Cosponsor
  • Chapin Rose · Cosponsor
  • Joseph M. Lyons · Cosponsor
  • Shane Cultra · Cosponsor
  • Terry R. Parke · Cosponsor
  • Patrick J Verschoore · Cosponsor
  • Jack McGuire · Cosponsor

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

0 sponsors · 21 co-sponsors · 162 not signed on · 1 voted No

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (21)

  • Deanna Demuzio
  • Michael Tryon
  • JoAnn D. Osmond
  • Ron Stephens
  • Jim Sacia
  • Art Tenhouse
  • Donald L. Moffitt
  • Raymond Poe
  • David Reis
  • Rich Brauer
  • Frank J. Mautino
  • Robert W. Pritchard
  • John E. Bradley
  • Richard P. Myers
  • Brandon W. Phelps
  • Chapin Rose Republican
  • Joseph M. Lyons
  • Shane Cultra
  • Terry R. Parke
  • Patrick J Verschoore
  • Jack McGuire

Not signed on (162)

162 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 162 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Concurrence

Passed 56 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 50003
Democrat 5000
Republican 1000
Total 56003
% of votes cast 95%0%0%5%
How each member voted (59)
Member Party Vote
Sandoval — Yea
Maloney — Yea
Althoff — Yea
Martinez — Yea
Bomke — Yea
Burzynski — Yea
Geo-Karis — Yea
Halvorson — Yea
Lauzen — Yea
Link — Yea
Luechtefeld — Yea
Munoz — Yea
Brady — Yea
Meeks — Not Voting
Sullivan, J. — Yea
Petka — Yea
Schoenberg — Yea
Shadid — Yea
Jacobs — Yea
Sieben — Yea
Jones, J. — Yea
Cullerton — Yea
Watson — Yea
Jones, W. — Yea
Silverstein — Yea
Demuzio — Yea
Trotter — Yea
Viverito — Yea
Sullivan, D. — Not Voting
Wilhelmi — Yea
Winkel — Yea
Clayborne — Yea
Cronin — Yea
Crotty — Yea
Dahl — Yea
DeLeo — Yea
Dillard — Yea
Forby — Yea
Garrett — Yea
Haine — Yea
Hendon — Yea
Wojcik — Yea
Pankau — Yea
Peterson — Yea
Radogno — Yea
Raoul — Yea
Rauschenberger — Yea
Righter — Yea
Risinger — Yea
Ronen — Yea
Roskam — Yea
Rutherford — Not Voting
del Valle — Yea
Don Harmon Democrat Yea
Emil Jones, III Democrat Yea
Kimberly A. Lightford Democrat Yea
Lakesia Collins Democrat Yea
Mattie Hunter Democrat Yea
Dave Syverson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Third Reading

Passed 111 Yea · 2 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 100204
Democrat 8001
Republican 3000
Total 111205
% of votes cast 94%2%0%4%
How each member voted (118)
Member Party Vote
Sacia — Yea
Saviano — Yea
Schmitz — Yea
Scully — Yea
Sommer — Yea
Soto — Yea
Leitch — Yea
Acevedo — Yea
Bassi — Yea
Beaubien — Yea
Beiser — Yea
Bellock — Yea
Berrios — Yea
Mautino — Yea
Biggins — Yea
Black — Yea
Boland — Yea
May — Yea
Bost — Yea
Brauer — Yea
Brosnahan — Yea
Churchill — Yea
Colvin — Yea
McKeon — Not Voting
Moffitt — Yea
Coulson — Nay
Gordon — Yea
Munson — Not Voting
Hamos — Yea
Holbrook — Yea
Jefferson — Yea
Jenisch — Yea
Osmond — Yea
Lang — Yea
Lindner — Yea
Mathias — Yea
McAuliffe — Yea
McCarthy — Yea
Bailey — Yea
Lyons, Eileen — Yea
Reitz — Yea
Lyons, Joseph — Yea
McGuire — Yea
Dugan — Yea
Dunkin — Yea
Dunn — Yea
Eddy — Yea
Flider — Yea
Flowers — Yea
Franks — Yea
Fritchey — Yea
Froehlich — Yea
Bradley, John — Yea
Krause — Yea
Bradley, Richard — Yea
Madigan — Yea
Brady — Yea
Mendoza — Yea
Meyer — Yea
Millner — Yea
Molaro — Yea
Mitchell, Bill — Yea
Hannig — Yea
Burke — Yea
Sullivan — Yea
Mulligan — Yea
Myers — Yea
Nekritz — Yea
Parke — Yea
Phelps — Yea
Howard — Yea
Schock — Yea
Tenhouse — Yea
Tryon — Yea
Watson — Yea
Turner — Yea
Jones — Yea
Verschoore — Yea
Wait — Yea
Davis, Monique — Yea
Washington — Yea
Winters — Yea
Yarbrough — Yea
Mitchell, Jerry — Not Voting
Chavez — Yea
Cross — Yea
Cultra — Yea
Currie — Nay
D'Amico — Yea
Daniels — Yea
Giles — Not Voting
Graham — Yea
Granberg — Yea
Hassert — Yea
Hultgren — Yea
Jakobsson — Yea
Kosel — Yea
Younge — Yea
Osterman — Yea
Patterson — Yea
Pihos — Yea
Poe — Yea
Pritchard — Yea
Reis — Yea
Ryg — Yea
Chapa LaVia — Yea
Eva-Dina Delgado Democrat Yea
Jay Hoffman Democrat Yea
Lakesia Collins Democrat Not Voting
Michael J. Kelly Democrat Yea
Nicholas K. Smith Democrat Yea
Patrick J. Joyce Democrat Yea
Robert "Bob" Rita Democrat Yea
Sara Feigenholtz Democrat Yea
William "Will" Davis Democrat Yea
Brad Stephens Republican Yea
Chapin Rose Republican Yea
Chris Miller Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Third Reading

Passed 34 Yea · 22 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 292103
Democrat 5000
Republican 0100
Total 342203
% of votes cast 58%37%0%5%
How each member voted (59)
Member Party Vote
Sandoval — Yea
Shadid — Yea
Sieben — Nay
Silverstein — Yea
Maloney — Yea
Althoff — Nay
Martinez — Yea
Bomke — Nay
Burzynski — Nay
Garrett — Yea
Halvorson — Yea
Hendon — Yea
Link — Yea
Meeks — Yea
Schoenberg — Yea
Trotter — Yea
Viverito — Yea
Wilhelmi — Yea
Munoz — Yea
Sullivan, J. — Yea
Jacobs — Yea
Cullerton — Yea
Demuzio — Yea
Brady — Nay
Sullivan, D. — Nay
Clayborne — Yea
Crotty — Yea
DeLeo — Yea
Dillard — Yea
Forby — Yea
Geo-Karis — Yea
Haine — Yea
Petka — Nay
Jones, J. — Nay
Watson — Nay
Jones, W. — Nay
Lauzen — Nay
Luechtefeld — Not Voting
Winkel — Nay
Wojcik — Nay
Cronin — Nay
Dahl — Nay
Pankau — Nay
Peterson — Nay
Radogno — Nay
Raoul — Yea
Rauschenberger — Not Voting
Righter — Nay
Risinger — Nay
Ronen — Yea
Roskam — Not Voting
Rutherford — Nay
del Valle — Yea
Don Harmon Democrat Yea
Emil Jones, III Democrat Yea
Kimberly A. Lightford Democrat Yea
Lakesia Collins Democrat Yea
Mattie Hunter Democrat Yea
Dave Syverson Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 251 do?
Amends the Recreational Use of Land and Water Areas Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to encourage owners of land to make land and water areas available to any individual or, on state-owned or managed lands and waters, members of the public (rather than to the public) for recreational or conservation purposes by limiting their liability toward persons entering thereon for such purposes. Provides that residential buildings are not included in the definition of "land". Changes the definition of "recreational or conservation purpose" to include hunting, hiking, recreational shooting, operation of an off-highway vehicle, rock climbing, trapping, horseback riding of an entrant's own horse or horses, fishing, swimming, boating, camping, picnicking, water or snow skiing, sledding, and snowmobiling. Effective immediately.
Who sponsors SB 251?
SB 251 is sponsored by Deanna Demuzio, Michael Tryon, JoAnn D. Osmond, Ron Stephens, Jim Sacia, Art Tenhouse, Donald L. Moffitt, Raymond Poe, David Reis, Rich Brauer, Frank J. Mautino, Robert W. Pritchard, John E. Bradley, Richard P. Myers, Brandon W. Phelps, Chapin Rose (Republican), Joseph M. Lyons, Shane Cultra, Terry R. Parke, Patrick J Verschoore, and Jack McGuire.
What is the current status of SB 251?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 03, 2005. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 251?
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