IL HB5856

Allows one percent or more of legal voters in proposed territory to petition the court to add contiguous territory to an existing fire protection district through a public hearing and election process.

Permits voters in proposed additional territory to decide whether to join a fire protection district and assume a proportionate share of the district's bonded indebtedness.

Enables fire protection districts to dissolve and consolidate into adjoining fire protection districts through petition, hearing, and voter approval, with all assets, liabilities, and authorities transferring to the accepting district.

Allows property owners of contiguous land not in a fire protection district to petition the district trustees for annexation, with trustees able to accept or reject the request by resolution without requiring a voter election.

Establishes that annexed territory boundaries extend to the far side of adjacent highways and include all highways within the annexed area, even if not explicitly described in the annexation petition.