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Committee on Finance
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, on January 23, 2015, Illinois State Representatives Joe Sosnowski and John D. Anthony sponsored HB0263 which would reduce the number of days Illinois museums are open to residents without charge from 52 days per year to 26; and
WHEREAS, the Adler Planetarium, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago History Museum, DuSable Museum of African American History, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shedd Aquarium, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, National Museum of Mexican Art and National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture would all be affected by the proposed legislation; and
WHEREAS, prior to 1970, state law required that museums be open to the public without charge for three days each week and, to children in actual attendance of any school in the state, at all times; and
WHEREAS, at that time, museums were additionally prohibited from charging admission fees in excess of 25 cents for each visitor over 10 years of age and 10 cents for each visitor 10 years of age or under; and
WHEREAS, in 1970, state law was amended to lift the 10 and 25 cent limits on admission fees and reduce the mandated free days from three to one; and
WHEREAS, in 2011, state law was amended to restrict free days to Illinois residents; and
WHEREAS, state law currently requires Chicago's museums to be open to Illinois residents without charge for a period equivalent to 52 days, at least 6 of which must be during the period from June through August, each year; and
WHEREAS, since 1891, the City of Chicago, the South Park Commissioners, and the Chicago Park District have granted Chicago's museums permission to use and occupy public property on the condition that they offer free days to the public; and
WHEREAS, the residents of the City of Chicago subsidize Chicago's museums each year through the payment of property taxes; and
WHEREAS, over the past five years, the Chicago Park District has budgeted more tha...
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