Senator Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles) has introduced legislation to ensure Illinois park funding reaches the greatest number of children and families, particularly those with disabilities, without increasing costs to taxpayers.
Senate Bill 3016 updates the state’s Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program to prioritize grant applications for park projects that exceed federal accessibility standards. When demand for OSLAD funding surpasses available dollars, projects designed for broader and more inclusive use would receive priority consideration.
“This is about being smarter with the resources we already have,” said Sen. DeWitte. “Parks that incorporate meaningful accessibility features allow more kids and families to enjoy them, and that should matter when grant decisions are made.”
The legislation builds on a measure originally sponsored by State Representative Nicole La Ha last year, which advanced the same accessibility-first approach. That bill was not called in the Senate before the end of the session. Senator DeWitte refiled the proposal this spring to continue advancing inclusive park design across Illinois.
Since its creation in 1986, the OSLAD program has distributed approximately $640 million for park acquisition and development throughout the state. SB 3016 does not alter the size of the funding pool. Instead, it directs the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to give greater consideration to projects that expand access for children and families of all abilities when reviewing grant applications.
“Every project still has to stand on its own,” DeWitte said. “But when we have more applications than funding, it makes sense to prioritize parks that serve the broadest range of Illinois residents.”
Senate Bill 3016 reinforces Senator DeWitte’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, inclusion, and ensuring that public investments deliver the greatest possible benefit to Illinois families.