102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB2327

 

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 605/605-705  was 20 ILCS 605/46.6a

    Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, in Fiscal Years 2022 through 2024, convention and tourism bureaus receiving grants from the Local Tourism Fund shall provide matching funds equal to no less than 25% (currently, 50%) of the grant amount. Contains provisions concerning the amount of grant funds that may be used for salaries.


LRB102 14908 HLH 20263 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2327LRB102 14908 HLH 20263 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 Commerce and Economic
5Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois
6is amended by changing Section 605-705 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 605/605-705)  (was 20 ILCS 605/46.6a)
8    Sec. 605-705. Grants to local tourism and convention
9bureaus.
10    (a) To establish a grant program for local tourism and
11convention bureaus. The Department will develop and implement
12a program for the use of funds, as authorized under this Act,
13by local tourism and convention bureaus. For the purposes of
14this Act, bureaus eligible to receive funds are those local
15tourism and convention bureaus that are (i) either units of
16local government or incorporated as not-for-profit
17organizations; (ii) in legal existence for a minimum of 2
18years before July 1, 2001; (iii) operating with a paid,
19full-time staff whose sole purpose is to promote tourism in
20the designated service area; and (iv) affiliated with one or
21more municipalities or counties that support the bureau with
22local hotel-motel taxes. After July 1, 2001, bureaus
23requesting certification in order to receive funds for the

 

 

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1first time must be local tourism and convention bureaus that
2are (i) either units of local government or incorporated as
3not-for-profit organizations; (ii) in legal existence for a
4minimum of 2 years before the request for certification; (iii)
5operating with a paid, full-time staff whose sole purpose is
6to promote tourism in the designated service area; and (iv)
7affiliated with multiple municipalities or counties that
8support the bureau with local hotel-motel taxes. Each bureau
9receiving funds under this Act will be certified by the
10Department as the designated recipient to serve an area of the
11State. Notwithstanding the criteria set forth in this
12subsection (a), or any rule adopted under this subsection (a),
13the Director of the Department may provide for the award of
14grant funds to one or more entities if in the Department's
15judgment that action is necessary in order to prevent a loss of
16funding critical to promoting tourism in a designated
17geographic area of the State.
18    (b) To distribute grants to local tourism and convention
19bureaus from appropriations made from the Local Tourism Fund
20for that purpose. Of the amounts appropriated annually to the
21Department for expenditure under this Section prior to July 1,
222011, one-third of those monies shall be used for grants to
23convention and tourism bureaus in cities with a population
24greater than 500,000. The remaining two-thirds of the annual
25appropriation prior to July 1, 2011 shall be used for grants to
26convention and tourism bureaus in the remainder of the State,

 

 

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1in accordance with a formula based upon the population served.
2Of the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for
3expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 18% of
4such moneys shall be used for grants to convention and tourism
5bureaus in cities with a population greater than 500,000. Of
6the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for
7expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 82% of
8such moneys shall be used for grants to convention bureaus in
9the remainder of the State, in accordance with a formula based
10upon the population served. The Department may reserve up to
113% of total local tourism funds available for costs of
12administering the program to conduct audits of grants, to
13provide incentive funds to those bureaus that will conduct
14promotional activities designed to further the Department's
15statewide advertising campaign, to fund special statewide
16promotional activities, and to fund promotional activities
17that support an increased use of the State's parks or historic
18sites. The Department shall require that any convention and
19tourism bureau receiving a grant under this Section that
20requires matching funds shall provide matching funds equal to
21no less than 50% of the grant amount except that in Fiscal
22Years 2021 through 2024 Year 2021, the Department shall
23require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a
24grant under this Section that requires matching funds shall
25provide matching funds equal to no less than 25% of the grant
26amount. Salaries and related payroll expenses for the program

 

 

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1year paid with grant funds shall not exceed 50% of the total
2grant funds awarded, except that, in fiscal years 2021 through
32024, these expenses may represent up to 60% of the total grant
4funds awarded. One hundred percent of tourism sales and
5promotion staff persons' salaries may be applied toward the
650% (or 60% for fiscal years 2021 through 2024) cap. Fifty
7percent of the Chief Executive Officer's salary may be applied
8toward the 50% cap, except that in fiscal years 2021 through
92024, the allotment for this salary may be up to 100% of the
1060% cap. During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall reserve
11$2,000,000 of the available local tourism funds for
12appropriation to the Historic Preservation Agency for the
13operation of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and
14Museum and State historic sites.
15    To provide for the expeditious and timely implementation
16of the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 101st General
17Assembly, emergency rules to implement the changes made by
18this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly may be
19adopted by the Department subject to the provisions of Section
205-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.
21(Source: P.A. 100-678, eff. 8-3-18; 101-636, eff. 6-10-20.)