FORSYTH - A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision is prompting a group of Illinois legislators to push a bill to protect property owners' rights against use of eminent domain to condemn private property and give it to a private developer.

House Bill 4091 is co-sponsored by seven House Republicans, among them state Rep. Bill Mitchell of Forsyth who held a news conference Thursday in his district office to discuss the legislation.

Constituents at recent town meetings have expressed concern that the U.S. Supreme Court has given developers too much eminent domain power, Mitchell said.

"Property owners should feel confident that their family home is not going to be stripped away from them because someone wants to build a mall," Mitchell said. "Eminent domain should be used sparingly by local governments and only when it benefits the greater good of all its citizens, not just wealthy and politically connected developers."

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the 5-4 majority opinion, released last month, in favor of New London, Conn., developers taking some residents' houses to make room for an office complex.

But Stevens also noted that states have the right to enact legislation to limit such seizures, Mitchell said.

"We'll see some action in the legislature, perhaps as early as the veto session in October," Mitchell said. "The Illinois Supreme Court has previously said that eminent domain powers could not be used for economic development projects."

State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, said Thursday that constituents also have mentioned their concerns about eminent domain. He said discussions have been held with the House Democratic staff about developing legislation to address the issue.

"I'm sure anything done will be on a bipartisan basis," Flider said. "The way we've been doing business in Illinois would not allow private developers to take property for private development. Here, property has only been taken for public purposes.

"We should be concerned with the Supreme Court decision. Taking private property for private purposes is not the American way."

Ron Ingram can be reached at ringram@;herald-review.com or 421-7973.