---
type: "Bill"
title: "CNTY CD-COMMISSIONERS"
description: "Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county with a population of 50,000 or less with a 3-member board of commissioners may, upon referendum initiated by (i) the adoption of a resolution by the board of county commissioners or (ii) a petition signed by not less than 10% of the registered voters in the county, establish a 5-member board of county commissioners. Sets forth requirements for the referendum. Effective immediately."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "96th"
identifier: "HB 704"
citation: "Illinois HB 704 (96th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 32
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2009-02-05"
last_action: "2009-08-10"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/53f8ba14-0180-4257-b4e7-d047926557dd"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=704&GAID=10&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=41210&SessionID=76&GA=96"
source_hash: "0516163ce2de0a8207af50ebaf1fa024c79e8ea80be2b17eb4d5fcfe858bac92"
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 704 (96th) — CNTY CD-COMMISSIONERS

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county with a population of 50,000 or less with a 3-member board of commissioners may, upon referendum initiated by (i) the adoption of a resolution by the board of county commissioners or (ii) a petition signed by not less than 10% of the registered voters in the county, establish a 5-member board of county commissioners. Sets forth requirements for the referendum. 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=09600HB0704&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=41210&DocNum=704&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB0704eng&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=41210&DocNum=704&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB0704enr&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=41210&DocNum=704&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **86–15** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **58–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Brandon W. Phelps — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2009-02-05** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Brandon W. Phelps `filing`
- **2009-02-06** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-02-06** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-02-11** Assigned to Counties & Townships Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-03-05** Do Pass / Short Debate Counties & Townships Committee; 009-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-03-05** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-04-01** House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Brandon W. Phelps `amendment-introduction`
- **2009-04-01** House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-01** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2009-04-01** Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2009-04-02** House Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Rules Committee; 005-000-000 `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2009-04-03** House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted by Voice Vote `amendment-passage`
- **2009-04-03** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-04-03** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 086-015-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-04-15** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2009-04-15** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-04-15** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. John J. Cullerton
- **2009-04-15** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Don Harmon
- **2009-04-15** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-04-15** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-21** Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Gary Forby
- **2009-04-22** Assigned to Elections `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-29** Do Pass Elections; 009-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-04-29** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading April 30, 2009
- **2009-05-07** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2009-05-07** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 12, 2009
- **2009-05-13** Third Reading - Passed; 058-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-05-13** Passed Both Houses
- **2009-06-11** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2009-08-10** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2009-08-10** Effective Date August 10, 2009
- **2009-08-10** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-0175 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/53f8ba14-0180-4257-b4e7-d047926557dd`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).