HB4279 EngrossedLRB100 16475 SLF 31604 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Natural Resources Act is
5amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 801/1-15)
7    Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.
8    (a) It shall be the duty of the Department to investigate
9practical problems, implement studies, conduct research and
10provide assistance, information and data relating to the
11technology and administration of the natural history,
12entomology, zoology, and botany of this State; the geology and
13natural resources of this State; the water and atmospheric
14resources of this State; and the archeological and cultural
15history of this State.
16    (b) The Department (i) shall obtain, store, and process
17relevant data; recommend technological, administrative, and
18legislative changes and developments; cooperate with other
19federal, state, and local governmental research agencies,
20facilities, or institutes in the selection of projects for
21study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and with
22the public and private colleges and universities in this State
23in developing relevant interdisciplinary approaches to

 

 

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1problems; and evaluate curricula at all levels of education and
2provide assistance to instructors and (ii) may sponsor an
3annual conference of leaders in government, industry, health,
4and education to evaluate the state of this State's environment
5and natural resources.
6    (c) The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code,
7shall employ such personnel, provide such facilities, and
8contract for such outside services as may be necessary to carry
9out the purposes of the Department. Maximum use shall be made
10of existing federal and state agencies, facilities, and
11personnel in conducting research under this Act.
12    (d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has the
13following powers:
14        (1) To obtain, store, process, and provide data and
15    information related to the powers and duties of the
16    Department under this Act. This subdivision (d)(1) does not
17    give authority to the Department to require reports from
18    nongovernmental sources or entities.
19        (2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois Science
20    and Technology Advisory Committee and the Illinois
21    Coalition for the purpose of facilitating the effective
22    operations and activities of such entities. Support may
23    include, but need not be limited to, providing space for
24    the operations of the Committee and the Illinois Coalition.
25    (e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local
26not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development,

 

 

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1maintenance and study of wetland areas.
2    (f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive and
3administer on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests,
4donations, income from property rental and endowments. Any such
5funds received by the Department shall be deposited into the
6Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby created
7in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of this Act
8or, when appropriate, for such purposes and under such
9restrictions, terms and conditions as are predetermined by the
10donor or grantor of such funds or property. Any accrued
11interest from money deposited into the Natural Resources Fund
12shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in the same manner
13as the principal. The Director shall maintain records which
14account for and assure that restricted funds or property are
15disbursed or used pursuant to the restrictions, terms or
16conditions of the donor.
17    (g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and promote
18our special heritage of recreational hunting and trapping by
19providing opportunities to hunt and trap in accordance with the
20Wildlife Code.
21    (h) The Department has the authority to accept, receive,
22and administer on behalf of the State, federal grant funds
23associated with the development or preservation of
24recreational boating infrastructure on this State's waterways
25and distribute those funds as prescribed by the appropriate
26federal agency. Funds received by the Department shall be

 

 

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1deposited into the Natural Resources Federal Boating
2Infrastructure Grant Dollars Fund, a special fund created in
3the State treasury and used for the purposes of this subsection
4(h). Interest or income earned on moneys deposited into the
5fund shall be retained in the fund to be used by the Department
6in accordance with this subsection (h).
7(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 91-582, eff. 8-14-99;
892-326, eff. 8-9-01.)
 
9    Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
10Section 5.886 as follows:
 
11    (30 ILCS 105/5.886 new)
12    Sec. 5.886. The Natural Resources Federal Boating
13Infrastructure Grant Dollars Fund.