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SB 2426

Artificial Intelligence Task Force; create and prescribe responsibilities of.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Bart Williams

Requires proof of ownership to haul timber/trees on state highways; authorizes inspections and seizure of loads, and enforces penalties to curb theft and unlawful transport.

Approved by Governor
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Bill Summary · SB 2426

Note: the bill documents provided do not match the initial title you gave ("Artificial Intelligence Task Force"). The enrolled and enacted SB 2426 (Public Act 104‑0419) actually amends the Forest Products Transportation Act (renaming/clarifying it as the Tree/Timber Transportation Act) and related provisions in the Department of Natural Resources law. The summary below describes the enacted changes in the bill text and its effects.

SB 2426 — Summary (Public Act 104‑0419)

Purpose
- Update and clarify Illinois law governing the transport of timber/trees on public highways, strengthen enforcement tools to deter theft and unlawful transport of trees, and set documentation and inspection requirements for persons hauling trees or timber.

Key provisions and changes
- Title and scope
- The Act is amended to be cited as the Tree Transportation Act (often referenced alongside the former Forest Products Transportation Act / Timber Transportation Act).
- Defines terms including "tree"/"trees", "timber", "firewood", "Christmas tree", "commercial tree care business", "person", and "proof of ownership". Importantly, "tree" is defined by its use (e.g., for lumber, furniture, or manufacture) and excludes firewood, Christmas trees, and live, viable (replantable) trees in key places.

  • Proof of ownership

    • No person may haul or transport any tree or forest product on State highways without proof of ownership as required by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by administrative rule.
    • "Proof of ownership" may include printed DNR‑provided documents (bill of sale, bill of lading), work orders or signed sales contracts for commercial tree care businesses, tree removal permits, and other DNR‑approved documents, including digital copies.
    • Interstate carriers originating outside Illinois may present documents consistent with federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules in lieu of Illinois proof-of-ownership forms.

  • Inspection and enforcement (new Sections 6.5 and 6.8)

    • DNR or any law‑enforcement agency may inspect any vehicle or conveyance hauling trees/timber on State roads to determine compliance.
    • If an officer discovers a violation, the officer may issue a summons requiring the operator to appear before the circuit court in the county where the offense occurred.
    • Proof of ownership must be kept with the vehicle/load and be available for inspection at all times.
    • Prohibits willful refusal to comply with lawful orders from enforcement officers and prohibits knowingly falsifying information on proof‑of‑ownership documents.

  • Seizure and disposition

    • If a person cannot produce required proof of ownership, the trees/timber and the vehicle/conveyance may be held by the Department pending disposition by court order. (Existing seizure provisions for equipment or conveyances used in violations remain in force.)

  • Criminal penalties

    • The Act revises misdemeanor treatment: resisting or obstructing a Department officer in performing duties under the Act is reduced from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C misdemeanor (per the enacted language). Other violations (failure to comply with summons, falsification) are treated as offenses under the Act and subject to enforcement procedures.

  • Conforming and cross‑reference changes

    • Conforming amendments were made in the DNR (Conservation) Law and references to the Timber Buyers Licensing Act and other natural resources statutes to ensure consistent enforcement authority, including permitting adjoining‑state officers to act under certain conditions (existing Section 805‑540 retained/updated).

Who is affected
- Transporters of timber/trees: commercial haulers, logging companies, commercial tree care businesses, property owners transporting trees.
- Interstate carriers: subject to federal documentation rules where applicable.
- DNR and law enforcement: expanded or clarified inspection and enforcement duties.
- Timber buyers, sellers, and landowners: must ensure adequate proof-of-ownership documentation accompanies loads.

Procedural/timeline notes
- Introduced: February–March 2025 (Sen. Laura M. Murphy sponsor).
- Passed both chambers and sent to Governor; Governor approved August 15, 2025.
- Effective date: January 1, 2026.
- Enacted as Public Act 104‑0419.

Practical impact
- Raises documentation and on‑the‑spot inspection expectations for tree/timber transporters, broadening tools to address theft and unlawful timber movement.
- Allows DNR and law enforcement to stop and summon operators who cannot produce proof of ownership and to hold suspected unlawfully transported timber and conveyances pending court action.
- Clarifies excluded materials (firewood, Christmas trees, viable live trees) and modernizes acceptable proof formats (including digital copies).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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