---
type: "Bill"
title: "FOREST PRESERVE-COMMISSIONERS"
description: "Amends the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act. Provides that, if the boundaries of a district are co-extensive with the boundaries of a county having a population of more than 200,000 but less than 800,000, bordering the State of Wisconsin but not adjoining any county with a population of over 2,000,000, then all commissioners of the forest preserve district shall be elected at large. Provides for the election of 7 commissioners. Specifies the terms and requirements of the commissioners. Provides the method for the filling of vacancies. Provides that the commissioners shall serve without compensation. Effective immediately."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "96th"
identifier: "HB 477"
citation: "Illinois HB 477 (96th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 29
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2009-02-04"
last_action: "2009-08-11"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/c6f14003-9c0a-4502-a3db-7b653bb992e6"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=477&GAID=10&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=40832&SessionID=76&GA=96"
source_hash: "4610de2bfcb78d7c1b983be00affd252831607c16cbd8c1e7d05377b8f95f809"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois HB 477 (96th) — FOREST PRESERVE-COMMISSIONERS

Amends the Downstate Forest Preserve District Act. Provides that, if the boundaries of a district are co-extensive with the boundaries of a county having a population of more than 200,000 but less than 800,000, bordering the State of Wisconsin but not adjoining any county with a population of over 2,000,000, then all commissioners of the forest preserve district shall be elected at large. Provides for the election of 7 commissioners. Specifies the terms and requirements of the commissioners. Provides the method for the filling of vacancies. Provides that the commissioners shall serve without compensation. Effective immediately.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB0477&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=40832&DocNum=477&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB0477eng&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=40832&DocNum=477&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB0477enr&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=40832&DocNum=477&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **50–0** (pass) · upper
- Third Reading — **108–1** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Dave Winters — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2009-02-04** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Dave Winters `filing`
- **2009-02-04** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-02-04** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-02-05** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Charles E. Jefferson
- **2009-02-05** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Jim Sacia
- **2009-02-05** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Ronald A. Wait
- **2009-02-09** Assigned to Counties & Townships Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-02-20** Do Pass / Short Debate Counties & Townships Committee; 008-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-02-20** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-02-24** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2009-02-24** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-03-05** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 108-001-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-03-06** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2009-03-06** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-03-06** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. J. Bradley Burzynski
- **2009-03-06** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-03-06** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-22** Assigned to Elections `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-29** Postponed - Elections
- **2009-05-06** Do Pass Elections; 007-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-05-06** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 7, 2009
- **2009-05-07** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2009-05-07** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 12, 2009
- **2009-05-15** Third Reading - Passed; 050-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-05-15** Passed Both Houses
- **2009-06-12** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2009-08-11** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2009-08-11** Effective Date August 11, 2009
- **2009-08-11** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-0239 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/c6f14003-9c0a-4502-a3db-7b653bb992e6`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).