Sangamon Sun

The Illinois House of Representatives has passed Senate Bill 867, which facilitates the transfer of state land to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in DeKalb County. This bill allows the Director of Natural Resources to hand over the deed for Shabbona Lake and State Park to the nation.

State Representative Wayne Rosenthal, a Republican from Morrisonville, expressed his opposition to this move. "I have concerns over this bill because Democrats voted to handover an Illinois State Park while at the same time not setting protections for landowners who currently reside on additional property that will be transferred," said Rep. Rosenthal. He added, "This was clearly a federal issue and I’m disappointed to see this bill pass through both houses without any regulations and without hearing directly from residents in DeKalb County."

The legislation officially passed through the General Assembly on January 7, 2025. It finalizes the ownership transfer of Shabbona Lake and State Park.

Rosenthal further stated, "The disregard to hear input from local residents is another example of how bad public policy is crafted by the majority party. I’m sure there will be legal disputes in the near future because this bill lacks language that pertains to what development is permitted on the land."

For additional details or inquiries, individuals can reach out to Representative Rosenthal's office at 217-782-8071 or visit his website at reprosenthal.com.

Representative Wayne Rosenthal represents Illinois’ 108th District, covering Menard County and parts of Christian, Macoupin, Montgomery, and Sangamon Counties.