IPC Newsletter Legislative Update May 2024
By Scott Hays
In early 2024, the Paddler’s Access to Rivers bill was introduced in the Illinois House by Representative Janet Yang-Rohr of Naperville. Although 98% of 750 paddlers responding to our recent IPC survey supported the bill, it never advanced out of the Executive Committee of the House, and died for lack of support. Maybe we’ll have better luck next year when we’ll introduce it again. In the meantime, we’ll regroup, build support and work together until we pass this common-sense legislation that merely clarifies and makes lawful what many paddlers are already doing. In fact, this is already law in all of our surrounding states and many states around the country. Read our recent blog post on nearby state laws HERE.
Importantly, legal experts make clear that by Federal law and before Illinois was even Illinois, citizens have had the right to access our rivers, which are the property of the citizens of the state. The arbitrary “navigability” definitions created by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) have established that 98% of Illinois rivers are non-publicly owned waterways. In this regard, and in opposing HB 4708, IDNR has sidestepped its legislatively established mandate. In fact, as Maggie Bruns, Executive Director of Prairie Rivers Network writes in a recent Chicago Sun-Times op-ed, the Illinois Rivers, Lakes, and Streams Act requires that “Every proper use which the people may make of the public rivers and streams and lakes of the State of Illinois shall be aided, assisted, encouraged and protected by the Department of Natural Resources.”
The IPC has previously written extensively on this topic on our website blog HERE, and you can watch a recording of our recent webinar on this topic by following this link: IPC Webinar: Paddler’s Access to Illinois Rivers
The news from our recent legislative session isn’t all disappointing for paddlers, however. See the article in this month’s newsletter about a successfully passed House Resolution declaring September as Waterway Cleanup Month throughout Illinois.
Review the legislative sponsors and those filing witness slips (32 Supportive; 0 opposed) HERE. This bill passed the House with no opposition from either party. Clearly legislators, individuals, and groups that supported this resolution (designated as HB 4130) should also readily line up behind our bill to clarify paddler’s access. We’ll be sure to enlist their support as allies as we move forward.
Stay tuned for more information over the summer and fall as we reorganize to continue the effort to promote our Paddler’s Access bill in 2025!