102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB0678

 

Introduced 2/8/2021, by Rep. Joyce Mason

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Regional Economic Development Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in consultation with the Office of the Governor, shall establish economic development regions of the State and shall establish within each region at least one regional office. Provides for the boundaries of economic development regions. Provides for duties of the Department concerning economic development regions. Provides that the Governor shall establish regional economic development councils, one for each of the economic development regions. Provides for the duties, membership, and meetings of each council. Provides for the adoption of rules. Defines terms.


LRB102 10746 RJF 16075 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB0678LRB102 10746 RJF 16075 b

1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Regional Economic Development Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
7    "Council" means a regional economic development council
8created under this Act.
9    "Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic
10Opportunity.
11    "Director" means the Director of Commerce and Economic
12Opportunity.
 
13    Section 10. Economic development regions.
14    (a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,
15in consultation with the Office of the Governor, shall
16establish economic development regions of the State and shall
17establish within each region at least one regional office.
18    (b) The boundaries of regions shall be based on factors
19including, but not limited to: (i) interdependence and
20commonality of economic and social interests; (ii) previous
21cooperation in economic development related matters; (iii)
22intraregional commuting and transportation patterns; (iv)

 

 

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1geographic proximity to and dependence on centers of
2employment and economic opportunity, population concentration,
3and markets; (v) unifying topographic characteristics; (vi)
4labor markets; and (vii) geographic size.
5    (c) The Department, through its regional offices, is
6authorized: (i) to serve as a center for information regarding
7economic development resources available from State, federal,
8and local agencies; (ii) to provide outreach to businesses,
9with attention to small and medium-sized businesses, including
10minority and women-owned business enterprises, for financial
11and technical assistance offered by State economic development
12agencies, authorities, or other economic entities; (iii) to
13serve as a regional center to accept applications for State
14economic development programs; (iv) to coordinate the economic
15development programs and activities of State agencies and
16authorities within each region including, but not limited to,
17outreach to businesses, technical assistance services, skills
18training assistance, sharing of information, strategic
19economic development plans and programs, to provide or arrange
20for assistance in compliance with federal, State, and local
21rules, regulations, permits, and licenses, and other measures
22to enhance regional economic development and eliminate
23duplication of services; (v) to provide or arrange for
24assistance to persons, firms, agencies, partnerships or
25corporations, either public or private, in applying for
26assistance from State economic development programs or for

 

 

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1necessary licenses and permits or seeking to comply with
2federal, State and local rules and regulations; (vi) to review
3and comment, within their knowledge and expertise, with
4respect to applications for State assistance in a timely
5manner and form prescribed by the Director; (vii) to
6distribute literature and marketing material describing the
7facilities, advantages, and attractions of the region for
8business; (viii) to provide economic development information,
9planning services and technical assistance to counties and
10municipalities within the region; (ix) to provide information
11and assistance in the certification of minority and
12women-owned business enterprises; and (x) to provide or
13arrange for assistance to private sector employers, whether
14operating for profit or not for profit, and to organizations
15and associations of such employers in developing and
16implementing innovative and flexible employee compensation,
17assistance and benefit programs to enhance competitiveness and
18meet emerging demographic and market conditions.
19    (d) To effectuate the purposes of this Section, the
20Director may request from any department, division, board,
21bureau, commission, or other agency of the State or from any
22public benefit corporation or public authority, and the same
23are authorized to provide, such assistance, services and data
24as will enable the Department to properly carry out its
25functions, powers, and duties hereunder.
 

 

 

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1    Section 15. Regional economic development councils.
2    (a) The Governor shall establish regional economic
3development councils, one for each of the economic development
4regions established under Section 10.
5    (b) Each regional economic development council shall
6develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth within
7its region of the State, and shall (i) develop regional job
8growth strategies, (ii) make recommendations for projects for
9State and local funding, (iii) work to align local initiatives
10with State development priorities, and (iv) perform any other
11duties relevant to regional economic development as may be
12prescribed by the Governor and the Department.
13    (c) The members of each regional economic development
14council shall be local experts and stakeholders from
15businesses, academia, municipalities, and non-governmental
16organizations within the region. All such members shall be
17appointed by the Governor and shall serve at the pleasure of
18the Governor without compensation.
19    (d) Meetings of a regional economic development council
20shall be open to the public and subject to the requirements of
21the Open Meetings Act.
 
22    Section 20. Rules. The Governor and the Department shall
23adopt all rules necessary for the implementation of this Act.