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Governor signs bill renaming Springfield medical district

Posted November 05, 2007 10:00 pm

Adriana Colindres

Just before it would have become law anyway, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed legislation Monday that gives Springfield's medical district a new name - the Mid-Illinois Medical District - and adds two members to its governing commission.

The measure, which attracted only one "no" vote when it sailed through the General Assembly this year as Senate Bill 689, takes effect immediately.

"This is certainly a good piece of legislation," said Sen. Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, the bill's Senate sponsor.

Brad Warren, secretary of the medical district commission, said he, too, is pleased with the new law even though it does not include any funding.

The state budget that lawmakers approved earlier this year included $350,000 for the medical district's operations, but Blagojevich used his veto power to eliminate that funding. While the House subsequently voted to restore the money, the Senate never took up the issue, allowing the governor's veto to stand.

"We're disappointed the funding didn't come through the way we hoped, but we think it's a step forward," Warren said of the new law.

"This is not the whole picture. It's just half of it," added Warren, who also is executive vice president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.

Efforts to garner state funds for the medical district will continue, he said.

"We have, as a community, embraced the idea of health care as a targeted industry," Warren said. "The sooner that we begin a focused, deliberate effort to grow our health-care industry, the sooner we can realize the benefits of economic development in that area."

Backers of SB 689 have said the medical district's new name is intended to emphasize its regional nature. Even though it previously bore the designation "Illinois Medical District at Springfield," people often referred to it as the Springfield medical district.

The new law also gives the governor two more appointees on what had been a nine-member commission, to be made within 60 days. The new members must be residents of Cass, Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan or Scott counties.

In addition, the law specifies that those nine counties, as well as Sangamon County, make up the medical district's training program area. The boundaries of the district itself will remain the section of Springfield bounded by North Grand Avenue and 11th, Walnut and Madison streets.

Had Blagojevich not acted by Monday, the medical district proposal would have become law today, even without his signature. That's because a governor has 60 calendar days to veto or approve a bill once it reaches his desk. If he does not act within that time span, a bill becomes law.

The medical district legislation was sent to the governor Sept. 6.

Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.

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