EGISLATION 



IMPORTANT ISSUES AFFECTING 

 ILLINOIS FABMEBS ABE ENACTED 



LEGISLATION of far-reaching im- 

 portance was enacted by the 64th 

 General Assembly. Some of the 

 more important measures affecting down- 

 state are the provisions requiring prop- 

 erty to be assessed at its full cash value, 

 the greatly increased state appropriations 

 and the much higher level of state ex- 

 penditures, and the bill providing for 

 state assistance in the construction of 

 local roads under which the state first 

 recognized its duty to assist in the con- 

 struction and maintenance of these local 

 roads. 



A total of 1507 bills were introduced. 

 Of these, 742 passed the legislature and 

 691 became law; 51 were vetoed by the 

 Governor. A few of the more important 

 measures affecting agriculture and farm- 

 ers are outlined in this article and the 

 voting record of downstate members of 

 the legislature is given on some of them. 



lAA Secondary Road Program 



The Illinois Agricultural Association 

 sponsored legislation to appropriate 20 

 million dollars from state surplus funds 

 for use on township and road district 

 roads. Objection was raised to this ap- 

 propriation on the ground that it was 

 not included in the budget for post-war 

 activities. It was also pointed out that 

 federal funds in the amount of $4,700,- 

 000 per year for three years are to be 



available after the war for these local 

 roads. These funds are to be matched 

 by an equal amount of state and county 

 road funds. While the roads improved 

 from these funds are on the county sys- 

 tem, nevertheless, they are in rural areas. 

 Finally it was agreed that the appropria- 

 tion from the state surplus for these 

 township and road district roads should 

 be reduced to 15 million dollars and this 

 amount was appropriated. 



The law provides that the townships 

 and road districts will do the grading 

 work and install the smaller culverts. 

 State funds will be used to provide cul- 

 verts, to install the larger culverts and 

 to provide for surfacing of these roads. 



The funds will be allocated among the 

 townships and counties in the proportion 

 which the mileage of township or road 

 district roads in the county and in the 

 township or road district bears to the 

 total mileage of all township and road 

 district roads in the state. The roads to 

 be improved are to be selected by the 

 county superintendent of highways in 

 cooperation with the local highway com- 

 missioners and the work is to be carried 

 out under the general supervision of the 

 county superintendent of highways. The 

 appropriation becomes available with the 

 termination of the war or when the 

 Governor determines that conditions are 

 such that the program can be undertaken. 

 The enactment of this legislation is the 

 first recognition by the State of its ob- 

 ligation to assist in the maintenance and 

 construction of these local roads. The 

 roll call on this bill is given on page 9. 



Road Commission 



By PAUL E. MATHIAS 



system of Illinois and particularly farm- 

 to-highway and secondary roads. This 

 commission is expected to give particular 

 attention to the improvement and reor- 

 ganization of our township and road dis- 

 trict system and to methods of providing 

 state funds for these local roads. This 

 commission is to report to the next Gen- 

 eral Assembly. 



Gateway Amendment 



Legislation was also enacted which 

 provides for the appointment of a com- 

 mission of 17 members to study the road 



The Illinois Agricultural Association 

 joined with other organizations in spon- 

 soring a Gateway amendment of the 

 state constitution. The proposed Gate- 

 way amendment provides: 



(a) Amendments to three articles of 

 the constitution instead of one may be 

 submitted by the same session of the Gen- 

 eral Assembly. 



(b) An amendment of the constitu- 

 tion can be adopted by the favorable 

 vote of two-thirds of those voting on 

 the proposition instead of the present 

 requirement of the favorable vote of a 

 majority of all those voting in the elec- 

 tion. 



(c) Votes upon future amendments to 

 the constitution shall be cast on a sep- 

 arate ballot or in a separate column on 

 the main ballot. 



The Association believes that these 

 provisions will enable the General As- 

 sembly to submit amendments to those 

 articles of the constitution most in need 

 of change and would make it possible to 

 secure needed changes in our state con- 

 stitution. This amendment will be voted 

 upon at the election in November, 1946. 

 However, in order to be adopted it will 

 require the favorable vote of a majority 

 of all votes cast in the election. The 

 roll call on this amendment is given on 

 page 9. 



I. A. A. RECORD 



