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 The current bill as written is an unfunded mandate with no
appropriations to support the Museum or its branch sites. The
Governor’s amendatory veto instructs the Museum to partner with
public and private third-parties to invest in the Museum’s mission.
In addition, the Governor’s changes to the bill authorizes the
Director of Illinois Department of Natural Resources to establish
entrance fees. Many of Illinois’ neighboring states charge admission
at their respective museums.
Bill No.: SB 317
An Act Concerning Government
Action: Amendatory Veto
Veto Message
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate,
99th General Assembly:
I hereby return Senate Bill 317 with specific recommendations for
change to develop a sustainable fiscal model for the continued
operation of the Illinois State Museum.
The Illinois State Museum preserves and showcases the proud history
of Illinois. The Museum helps educate Illinoisans of all ages on
their unique heritage. As a research institution, the Museum is a
leader in the advancement of not only Illinois, but U.S. and natural
history. I support Senate Bill 317’s fundamental purpose of opening
the Museum to the public again.
However, despite the good the Museum does, its operations are not
fiscally sustainable. The State invests more than $6 million per
year, despite attendance of only 200,000 visitors per year. When the
General Assembly failed to pass a balanced budget for Fiscal Year
2016, our Administration was required by the Illinois Constitution
and our responsibility to taxpayers to take whatever steps we could
to cut non-essential costs. While the State is in the midst of a
crisis caused by decades of fiscal mismanagement, as long as this
bill fails to offer any plan to help the Museum become
self-supporting, it is just an empty and broken promise to the
taxpayers of Illinois.
But there is a path to sustainability. I propose not merely
re-opening the Museum while continuing its status quo, but
re-energizing its operations and partnering it with other public and
private entities to make it truly self-supporting and to relieve the
fiscal burden to taxpayers.
In order to achieve fiscal responsibility, the Museum should partner
with public and private third parties who are already invested in
charitable fundraising and museum operations. The Illinois State
Museum Society, authorized by statute, is a Section 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization formed precisely for the purpose of
supporting the Museum’s operations. Up until this point, the State
Museum Society has run the museum bookstore and has also led its
research initiatives, but the Society can and must do more. More
than half of state museums in other states rely heavily on their
charitable sister organizations to be a fundraising and operational
partner. The Illinois State Museum Society must focus on this
outward facing role and help the State Museum.
The Museum can also partner with public entities. Local governments
have expressed their desire to work with the State to share the
operation of Museum branch sites. The State Museum is the shared
responsibility of the people of Illinois, and the State is eager to
join local governments to ensure continued operation of the Museum
and its branch sites.
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Finally, the Museum must endeavor to raise
revenues. Our neighboring states – Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri,
and Wisconsin – all charge admissions fees to visitors. Illinois should take
this fiscally responsible step as well. Giving the Director greater flexibility
under the Act to establish and change fees will also ensure that the Illinois
State Museum makes provision for special groups, like schoolchildren and the
elderly, for whom admissions fees can be waived or lowered.
The changes recommended here are only the broad framework for the transformation
of the Museum. The Department of Natural Resources will work closely with the
Illinois State Museum Society, local governments, and other stakeholders to
carry out the transformation.
Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of
1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 317, entitled, “An ACT concerning government,”
with the following specific recommendations for change:
On page 1, line 5, by changing “Section 20-5” to “Sections 20-5 and 20-15”; and
On page 1, lines 8 through 10, by replacing “branch sites
at Dickson Mounds, Lockport, Rend Lake, and the James R. Thompson Center”
with “branch sites determined by the Department of Natural
Resources in collaboration with local units of government and other public and
private entities”; and
On page 1, by replacing line 17 with “for the State Museum.
The Department of Natural Resources and the Board of the
Illinois State Museum shall solicit the assistance of the Illinois State Museum
Society to fundraise non-State resources for the museum and to provide
operational assistance to the museum.”; and
On page 1, immediately after line 18, by inserting the following:
“(20 ILCS 801/20-15)
Sec. 20.15. Entrance fees. The Department may set, by the
Director, by administrative rule
an entrance fee for visitors to the Illinois State Museum.
A different fee may be charged for different classes of visitors. The fee
assessed by this Section shall be deposited into the Illinois State Museum Fund
for the Department to use to support the Illinois State Museum. The monies
deposited into the Illinois State Museum Fund under this Section shall not be
subject to administrative charges or chargebacks unless otherwise authorized by
this Act.
(Source: P.A. 97-1136, eff. 1-1-13.)”
With this change, Senate Bill 317 will have my approval. I respectfully request
your concurrence.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
GOVERNOR
[Office of the Governor Bruce Rauner] |
