2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 525 - CONSERVATION › 525 ILCS 10/ - Illinois Exotic Weed Act.

(525 ILCS 10/1) (from Ch. 5, par. 931)
Sec. 1. 
		Short Title. 
		This Act shall be known and may be cited as the
Illinois Exotic Weed Act.
(Source: P.A. 85-150.)
(525 ILCS 10/2) (from Ch. 5, par. 932)
Sec. 2. 
		Definition. 
		Exotic weeds are plants not native to North
America which, when planted either spread vegetatively or naturalize and
degrade natural communities, reduce the value of fish and wildlife habitat,
or threaten an Illinois endangered or threatened species.
(Source: P.A. 85-150.)
(525 ILCS 10/3) (from Ch. 5, par. 933)
Sec. 3. Designated exotic weeds. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera
japonica), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), purple loosestrife
(Lythrum salicaria),
common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula),
saw-toothed buckthorn (Rhamnus arguta), dahurian buckthorn (Rhamnus davurica),
Japanese buckthorn (Rhamnus japonica), Chinese buckthorn (Rhamnus
utilis), kudzu
(Pueraria lobata), exotic bush honeysuckles (Lonicera maackii, Lonicera tatarica, Lonicera morrowii, and Lonicera fragrantissima), exotic olives (Elaeagnus umbellata, Elaeagnus pungens, Elaeagnus angustifolia), salt cedar (all members of the Tamarix genus), poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), and lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), teasel (all members of the Dipsacus genus), and Japanese, giant, and Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia japonica, syn. Polygonum cuspidatum; Fallopia sachalinensis; and Fallopia x bohemica, resp.) are hereby designated
exotic weeds.  Upon petition the
Director of Natural Resources, by rule,
shall exempt varieties of any species listed in this Act that can be
demonstrated by published or current research not to be an exotic weed as
defined in Section 2.
(Source: P.A. 99-81, eff. 1-1-16.)
(525 ILCS 10/4) (from Ch. 5, par. 934)
Sec. 4. Control of exotic weeds.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any
person, corporation, political subdivision, agency or department of the
State to buy, sell, offer for sale, distribute or plant seeds, plants or
plant parts of exotic weeds without a permit issued by the Department of
Natural Resources.  Such permits shall be issued only:
(1) for experiments into controlling and eradicating     exotic weeds;
(2) for research to demonstrate that a variety of a     species listed in this Act is not an exotic weed as defined in Section 2; or
(3) for the use of exotic olive (Elaeagnus umbellata,     Elaeagnus pungens, Elaeagnus angustifolia) berries in the manufacture of value added products, not to include the resale of whole berries or seeds. The exotic berry permit holder must register annually with the Department of Natural Resources and be able to demonstrate to the Department that seeds remaining post-manufacture are sterile or otherwise unviable.
(b) The commercial propagation of exotic weeds for sale outside
Illinois, certified under the Insect Pest and Plant Disease Act, is
exempted from the provisions of this Section.
(c) The Department of Natural Resources may adopt rules for the administration of this Section.
(d)   Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Section for the control of exotic weeds, a municipality may adopt an ordinance to eradicate common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula), saw-toothed buckthorn (Rhamnus arguta), dahurian buckthorn (Rhamnus davurica), Japanese buckthorn (Rhamnus japonica), and Chinese buckthorn (Rhamnus utilis) on all public and private property within its geographic boundaries.
(Source: P.A. 102-840, eff. 1-1-23.)
(525 ILCS 10/5) (from Ch. 5, par. 935)
Sec. 5. 
		Penalty. 
		Violators of this Act shall be guilty of a Class B
misdemeanor.  When the violation is a continuing offense, each day shall be
considered a separate violation.
Exotic weeds offered for sale in Illinois except as provided in Section 4
are subject to confiscation and destruction by agents of the Department of
Natural Resources.
(Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)