Spring 2009

2009 IPLSA 52^nd Conference:

President Obama was among the 900 people who attended the 52^nd Annual IPLSA Conference. Well almost. Hats off to Michael Blumhoff and the IPLSA Winnebago Chapter for hosting a great 52^nd Annual Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield. The attendees responded they enjoyed the presenters, topics, exhibitors and food but most importantly the time spent with others in the field of land surveying.

2010 IPLSA 53^rd Conference:

Planning has begun by the IPLSA Two Rivers Chapter for the 53^rd Annual IPLSA Conference scheduled for February 17 – 20, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield.

We are currently requesting input and suggestions for presenters, session topics or if you are interested in presenting.  Please contact the IPLSA office at (217) 528-3053 or e-mail info@ipsla.org.

Illinois General Assembly News – How It Works:

So far this year the two chambers of the 96^th General Assembly have introduced nearly 6,700 bills for consideration. This is a continuing trend - legislators filing more and more bills every year. In the two years of the 95^th General Assembly ending in January, more than 9,800 bills were introduced.

The majority of these bills will never pass the hurdles of the legislative process and become law. Of the 9,800+ bills filed in the last session, only a little more than 1,000 became law.

What topics do these bills cover?  You name it and there is probably a bill for it.  There are bills devoted to health care, education, law enforcement, taxes, ethics and firearms.  In some cases there are multiple bills filed to do the same thing on the same topic.  Legislators also have local issues including extending tax districts, resolving zoning issues, giving local governments more taxing authority, etc.

Many of the thousands of bills are called “shell bills” and these are increasing in popularity by legislators.  A shell bill is essentially a blank bill that has no content other than a generic title. Nearly 60 percent of the 6,500 bills filed in this session are shell bills.

Shell bills are important because they give legislators more say over the process and allows them to go around the Illinois State Constitution. The constitution says bills must be read by the title on three different days in the House and the Senate so lawmakers cannot introduce a bill on the last day of the session.

Shell bills get around this process because legislative leaders pass dozens of them as the session advances. As the bills advance, legislators can add language through an amendment late in the process, allowing the bill to be passed all in one day without being unconstitutional. Approximately 110 shell bills became law during the last session, about 2.5% of all shell bills introduced. Shell bills are used on big issues such as the state budget.

Shell bills can be abused. Critics say shell bills allow leaders to sneak through important pieces of legislation without adequate review calling, for instance, for a quick vote during the last days of the session on a 500-page budget bill when it should have been read into the record and considered over several days.   

Please note, when shells bills are abused, it is not the process rather it is the people who manipulate it.

However, shell bills can be used for good purposes.  There may be emergency legislation that needs to be addressed quickly and a shell bill is the only option.

Current Legislative Issues Effecting Professional Land Surveyors:

HB0575 – Amends the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Act of 1989 by making changes to the definition of “practice of land surveying”: anyone practicing as a PLS shall render knowledge of the art and application of the principal of accurate and precise measurement of length, angle, elevation, volume, mathematics, and related physical and applied science relative the requirements of the law, which are squired by education, training, experience, and examination. Additional Language: performing topographic surveys, with the exception of a licensed professional engineer knowledgeable in topographical surveys that performs a topographical survey specific to his or her design project.  

Another provision of the bill would allow a person seeking to become a Surveyor-in-training to have an Associates of Science Degree with 24 semester hours of land surveying and at least 2 years of land surveying experience. 

Current Status

IPLSA Position: Proponent   

HB2338 – Amends the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Act of 1989 by making changes that allows the Department to exercise functions, powers, or duties of the Act without first requiring the action and report in writing of the Board.   Makes several changes to the structure of the Department.

Current Status

IPLSA Position: No Comment

HB2473 – Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Extends the repeal date for the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Act of 1989 from January 1, 2010 to January 1, 2020.

Current Status

IPLSA Position: Proponent

HB2636 – Amends the Illinois Landscape Architecture Act of 1989. Replaces all references to “Director of Professional Regulation” and provides that the Act does not apply to general or landscape contractors, nurserymen or others in the profession. It does not affect Professional Land Surveying.

Current Status

IPLSA Position: No Comment

Proposed Administrative Rules for Writing Legal Descriptions Update:

The proposed rules for writing Legal Descriptions that were approved by the IDFPR Land Surveyors Licensing Board were sent to the Joint Committee of Administrative Rules (JCAR). No posting of their review has taken place.