CULTURAL DISTRICTS ACT

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB5604

Select Language

×

The Illinois General Assembly offers the Google Translate™ service for visitor convenience. In no way should it be considered accurate as to the translation of any content herein.

Visitors of the Illinois General Assembly website are encouraged to use other translation services available on the internet.

The English language version is always the official and authoritative version of this website.

NOTE: To return to the original English language version, select the "Show Original" button on the Google Translate™ menu bar at the top of the window.

Choose Language

English

Afrikaans

Albanian

Arabic

Armenian

Azerbaijani

Basque

Bengali

Bosnian

Catalan

Croatian

Czech

Danish

Dutch

Esperanto

Estonian

Filipino

Finnish

French

Galician

Georgian

German

Greek

Gujarati

Haitian Creole

Hausa

Hawaiian

Hebrew

Hindi

Hungarian

Icelandic

Indonesian

Interlingua

Interlingue

Inuktitut

Irish

Italian

Japanese

Javanese

Kannada

Khmer

Korean

Latin

Latvian

Lithuanian

Luxembourgish

Macedonian

Malagasy

Malayalam

Maltese

Maori

Marathi

Myanmar

Nepali

Norwegian

Odia

Pashto

Punjabi

Romanian

Russian

Samoan

Sango

Sanskrit

Sardinian

Sindhi

Sinhala

Slovak

Slovenian

Somali

Southern Sotho

Spanish

Sundanese

Swahili

Swedish

Tamil

Telugu

Thai

Tigrinya

Tonga

Turkish

Ukrainian

Urdu

Vietnamese

Welsh

Xhosa

Yiddish

Yoruba

Zulu

Powered by
Translate

Close

Illinois General Assembly

Top Navigation Bar

Translate

Learn

Select General Assembly

Search the 104th General Assembly

Enter search terms for legislation, members, committees, or schedules.

ILGA.GOV

LEGISLATION & LAWS

Bills & Resolutions

Public Acts

Illinois Compiled Statutes

Illinois Constitution

Search Legislation

Glossary

Guide

Reports & Inquiry

Legislative Reports

Special Reports

FTP Site

Legislator Lookup

Capitol Complex Phone Numbers

Rules & Regulations

Illinois Register

Administrative Rules

Senate

Members

Schedules

Committees

Request for Remote Testimony

Journals

Transcripts

Rules

Audio/Video

FOIA Information

Senate Employment Opportunities

Media Guidelines

House

Members

Schedules

Committees

Submit testimony for House Committees

Journals

Transcripts

Rules

Audio/Video

FOIA Information

House Employment Opportunities

Log In

Mobile Top Bar

Search the 104th General Assembly

Enter keywords to search the Illinois General Assembly website.

Full Text of HB5604

Home

Legislation

Full Text

HB5604 - 104th General Assembly

Bill Status

Full Text

Votes

Witness Slips

Select Menu

Bill Status

Full Text

Votes

Witness Slips

Printer Friendly Version

Introduced

Printer Friendly Version

Introduced

Open PDF

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5604

Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Lilian Jiménez

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Cultural Districts Act. Provides that, if an area
successfully establishes itself as a cultural district under the
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law, then the area may be
incorporated as a cultural district. Creates 15 cultural districts. Sets
forth the method to create additional cultural districts. Provides that,
unless the boundaries of a cultural district are the same as the boundaries
of a county or municipality, the affairs of a cultural district shall be
managed by a board of commissioners consisting of not less than 5 but not
more than 9 commissioners, who shall be appointed by the presiding officer
of the county board of the county in which the majority of the cultural
district is located, with the advice and consent of the county board.
Provides that a cultural district may sue and be sued, enter into
contracts, acquire and hold real and personal property necessary for its
corporate purposes, and adopt a seal. Provides that the board of
commissioners of a cultural district may, for any of its authorized
purposes, borrow money upon the faith and credit of the cultural district
and may issue bonds. Provides that a cultural district may acquire lands
for its purposes (i) by lease, (ii) in fee simple by gift, grant, legacy,
purchase, or condemnation, or (iii) by easement.
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b

A BILL FOR

HB5604
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b
1

AN ACT concerning government.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 1.
Short title.
This Act may be cited as the
5
Cultural Districts Act.

6

Section 5.
Cultural district.
If an area successfully
7
establishes itself as a cultural district under subsection (c)
8
of Section 605-1057 of the Department of Commerce and Economic
9
Opportunity Law, then the area may be incorporated as a
10
cultural district as provided in this Act.

11

Section 10.
Initial districts.
The following districts are
12
created as cultural districts:
13

(1) the North First Street Cultural District in the
14

City of Champaign;
15

(2) the Bronzeville District in the City of Chicago;
16

(3) the Chinatown District in the City of Chicago;
17

(4) the Clark Street/Camino Clark District in the City
18

of Chicago;
19

(5) the Mahalia Jackson 79th Street Cultural District
20

in the City of Chicago;
21

(6) the Little Village District in the City of
22

Chicago;

HB5604
- 2 -
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b
1

(7) the Puerto Rico Town District in the City of
2

Chicago;
3

(8) the South Chicago Cultural District in the City of
4

Chicago;
5

(9) the Central East Cultural District in the City of
6

Springfield;
7

(10) the Southtown Cultural District in the City of
8

Springfield;
9

(11) the Soul City District in the City of Chicago;
10

(12) the City of Bloomington Downtown Cultural
11

District;
12

(13) the Heritage District in the City of Rockford;
13

(14) the Historic District of the City of Vienna; and
14

(15) the Ukrainian Village District in the City of
15

Chicago;

16

Section 15.
Petition for referendum.
17

(a) Any 200 legal voters residing within the limits of a
18
proposed district may petition the circuit court of the county
19
in which the proposed district lies for an order to submit the
20
question to the electors of the proposed district whether or
21
not it shall be organized as a cultural district under this
22
Act.
23

(b) The petition must contain a definite description of
24
the territory to be included within the district, the proposed
25
name of the district, the name of each municipality within the

HB5604
- 3 -
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b
1
district, and a copy of certification as a State-designated
2
cultural district under Section 605-1057 of the Department of
3
Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law.
4

(c) Upon filing the petition in the office of the clerk of
5
the circuit court of the county in which the territory lies,
6
the circuit court shall fix a day and hour for a hearing on the
7
petition, which shall be at least 15 days after the filing of
8
the petition. The clerk of the circuit court shall cause a
9
notice of the time and place of hearing to be published 3
10
successive days in a newspaper having a general circulation in
11
the territory of the proposed district. The date of the last
12
publication of the notice must be at least 5 days before the
13
time set for the hearing.
14

(d) At the hearing on the petition the court shall hear any
15
person owning property or residing within the proposed
16
district who desires to be heard. If the court finds that all
17
of the provisions of this Act have been complied with, the
18
court shall enter an order fixing and defining the boundaries
19
and the name of the proposed district in accordance with the
20
prayer of the petition.
21

(e) If any other petition for the organization of a
22
cultural district in the same county is filed under this Act
23
before the time fixed for the hearing of the first petition,
24
the court shall postpone the hearing on the first petition,
25
and the hearing on all petitions shall be set for the same day
26
and hour. All petitions filed after the first petition shall

HB5604
- 4 -
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b
1
be assigned to the judge to whom the first petition is assigned
2
so that all petitions may be heard by the same judge. If 2 or
3
more petitions are filed under this Act and come on for hearing
4
at the same time and the court finds that any of the territory
5
included within any one of the petitions is included within or
6
contiguous to the territory included in any other petition,
7
the court may include all of the territory described in the
8
petitions in one district and shall fix the name proposed in
9
the petition first filed as the name of the district.
10

(f) After the entry of the order fixing and defining the
11
boundaries and the name of a proposed district, the circuit
12
court shall order that the question of organization of the
13
proposed district be submitted to the electors of the proposed
14
district. The clerk of the circuit court shall certify the
15
order and the question to the proper election officials, who
16
shall submit the question to the electors of the proposed
17
district in accordance with the general election law. Notice
18
of the referendum shall contain a definite description of the
19
territory of the district and the proposed name of the
20
district.
21

(g) The proposition shall be substantially in the
22
following form:
23

"Shall the (name of cultural district) be organized in
24

the territory described as follows: (insert
25

description)?". If a majority of the votes cast on the
26

question are in the affirmative, the district shall then

HB5604
- 5 -
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b
1

be an organized cultural district under this Act.

2

Section 20.
Governing body and officers.
3

(a) Unless the boundaries of a cultural district are the
4
same as the boundaries of a county or municipality, the
5
affairs of a cultural district shall be managed by a board of
6
commissioners consisting of not less than 5 but not more than 9
7
commissioners, who shall be appointed by the presiding officer
8
of the county board of the county in which the majority of the
9
cultural district is located, with the advice and consent of
10
the county board. The first appointments shall be made more
11
than 60 days but not more than 90 days after the district is
12
created. Each commissioner must be a legal voter in the
13
district. The first commissioners shall be appointed for terms
14
ending June 30, one, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years after the district is
15
organized, as determined by lot. Thereafter, successor
16
commissioners shall be appointed for terms of 5 years.
17
Commissioners shall receive no compensation but shall be
18
reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses
19
incurred in the performance of official duties.
20

(b) If a commissioner is no longer a legal voter of the
21
district, then the office shall immediately become vacant. If
22
a vacancy in the office of commissioner occurs for any reason,
23
then a successor shall be appointed for the remainder of the
24
term in the same manner as other commissioners are appointed.
25

(c) If the boundaries of a cultural district are the same

HB5604
- 6 -
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b
1
as the boundaries of a county or municipality, then the
2
corporate authorities of the county or municipality shall have
3
the powers and perform the duties of the commissioners and no
4
commissioners shall be appointed for the district. The
5
corporate authorities shall receive no additional compensation
6
for governing the cultural district.
7

(d) The board of commissioners of a cultural district
8
shall appoint the treasurer of the cultural district by
9
majority vote.

10

Section 25.
Powers and duties.
A cultural district may sue
11
and be sued, enter into contracts, acquire and hold real and
12
personal property necessary for its corporate purposes, and
13
adopt a seal and alter the same at its pleasure.

14

Section 30.
Real estate.
A cultural district may acquire
15
lands for its purposes (i) by lease, (ii) in fee simple by
16
gift, grant, legacy, purchase, or condemnation, or (iii) by
17
easement.

18

Section 35.
Funds of the district.
19

(a) The board of commissioners, when requested by the
20
treasurer of the district, shall designate one or more banks
21
or savings and loan associations where the funds of the
22
district received by the treasurer may be deposited. When a
23
bank or savings and loan association has been designated as a

HB5604
- 7 -
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b
1
depository, it shall continue as a depository until 10 days
2
after a new depository is designated and is qualified by
3
furnishing the statements of resources and liabilities
4
required by this Section. When a new depository is designated,
5
the board of commissioners shall notify the sureties of the
6
treasurer of that fact in writing at least 5 days before the
7
transfer of funds. The treasurer of the district shall be
8
discharged from responsibility for all funds and moneys while
9
they are deposited in a designated bank or depository.
10

(b) A bank or savings and loan association shall not
11
receive public funds as provided in this Section unless it has
12
complied with the requirements of Section 6 of the Public
13
Funds Investment Act.

14

Section 40.
Records and reports.
15

(a) The board of commissioners shall keep a record of all
16
proceedings which shall be open to the inspection of any
17
person residing in the district at all reasonable and proper
18
times. The board of commissioners shall report annually to the
19
county board in which a majority of the cultural district is
20
located concerning its revenues, expenditures, construction
21
work, property, and other matters acted upon by the board of
22
commissioners during the previous year.
23

(b) An action of the board of commissioners of a cultural
24
district requires the affirmative vote of the majority of
25
commissioners.

HB5604
- 8 -
LRB104 20103 RTM 33554 b
1

Section 45.
Debt and bonds.
The board of commissioners of
2
a cultural district may, for any of its authorized purposes,
3
borrow money upon the faith and credit of the cultural
4
district and may issue bonds. A district may not, however,
5
become indebted in any manner or for any purpose to an amount
6
including existing indebtedness in the aggregate exceeding
7
1.5% of the assessed value, as equalized by the Department of
8
Revenue, of the taxable property in the district. A district
9
may not incur indebtedness in excess of 0.3% of the assessed
10
value, as equalized by the Department of Revenue, of taxable
11
property in the district for the development of historical
12
sites, together with related lands and facilities, held by the
13
district. Before or at the time of issuing bonds, the board of
14
commissioners shall provide by ordinance for the collection of
15
an annual tax sufficient to pay the interest on the bonds as it
16
falls due and to pay the principal of the bonds as they mature.
17
The bonds shall mature not later than 20 years after the date
18
thereof. The bonds shall bear interest at such rate or rates as
19
do not exceed those set forth in the Bond Authorization Act and
20
shall be issuable upon any terms and may have provisions as
21
make use of any authority as may be provided in the Local
22
Government Debt Reform Act.

Footer

Disclaimer

This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the
Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706.

Contact ILGA Webmaster

ILGA.gov uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse ILGA.gov you consent to our use of cookies.
Read About Cookies

ILGA.GOV

2026 ILGA.gov | All Rights Reserved |
ADA

|
Disclaimers
|
Learn

This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the
Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706.
Contact ILGA Webmaster

ILGA.gov uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse ILGA.gov you consent to our use of cookies.
Read About Cookies

ILGA.GOV

2026 ILGA.gov | All Rights Reserved |
ADA

|
Disclaimers
|
Learn