97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB3307

 

Introduced 2/24/2011, by Rep. Jil Tracy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 689/5
20 ILCS 689/10
20 ILCS 689/27 new
30 ILCS 105/5.786 new

    Amends the Illinois Renewable Fuels Development Program Act and the State Finance Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall create and operate an E85 Market Expansion Program that provides debit cards, credit cards, E85 coupons, or some other form of negotiable instrument as determined by the Department for $500 in credit towards the purchase price of E85 fuel purchased within Illinois. Requires program applicants to have purchased a new flexible fuel vehicle within the 12-month period prior to submitting the application to be eligible for the Program. Provides that only one Program grant shall be made to the owner of any vehicle during the life of that vehicle. Creates the E85 Market Expansion Fund. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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 Illinois Renewable Fuels Development
5Program Act is amended by changing Sections 5 and 10 and by
6adding Section 27 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 689/5)
8    Sec. 5. Findings and State policy. The General Assembly
9recognizes that agriculture is a vital sector of the Illinois
10economy and that an important growth industry for the Illinois
11agricultural sector is renewable fuels production. Renewable
12fuels produced from Illinois agricultural products hold great
13potential for growing the State's economy, reducing our
14dependence on foreign oil supplies, and improving the
15environment by reducing harmful emissions from vehicles.
16Illinois is the nation's leading producer of ethanol, a clean,
17renewable fuel with significant environmental benefits. The
18General Assembly finds that reliable supplies of renewable
19fuels will be integral to the long term energy security of the
20United States. The General Assembly declares that it is the
21public policy of the State of Illinois to promote and encourage
22the production and use of renewable fuels as a means not only
23to improve air quality in the State and the nation, but also to

 

 

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1increase the size of grow the agricultural sector of the
2Illinois economy. To achieve these public policy objectives,
3the General Assembly hereby authorizes the creation and
4implementation of the Illinois Renewable Fuels Development
5Program within the Department.
6(Source: P.A. 93-15, eff. 6-11-03.)
 
7    (20 ILCS 689/10)
8    Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
9    "Biodiesel" means a renewable diesel fuel derived from
10biomass that is intended for use in diesel engines.
11    "Biodiesel blend" means a blend of biodiesel with
12petroleum-based diesel fuel in which the resultant product
13contains no less than 1% and no more than 99% biodiesel.
14    "Biomass" means non-fossil organic materials that have an
15intrinsic chemical energy content. "Biomass" includes, but is
16not limited to, soybean oil, other vegetable oils, and ethanol.
17    "Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic
18Opportunity.
19    "Diesel fuel" means any product intended for use or offered
20for sale as a fuel for engines in which the fuel is injected
21into the combustion chamber and ignited by pressure without
22electric spark.
23    "Director" means the Director of Commerce and Economic
24Opportunity.
25    "Ethanol" means a product produced from agricultural

 

 

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1commodities or by-products used as a fuel or to be blended with
2other fuels for use in motor vehicles.
3    "Flexible fuel vehicle" has the meaning set forth in
4Section 22 of the Alternate Fuels Act.
5    "Fuel" means fuel as defined in Section 1.19 of the Motor
6Fuel Tax Law.
7    "Gasohol" means motor fuel that is no more than 90%
8gasoline and at least 10% denatured ethanol that contains no
9more than 1.25% water by weight.
10    "Gasoline" means all products commonly or commercially
11known or sold as gasoline (including casing head and absorption
12or natural gasoline).
13    "Illinois agricultural product" means any agricultural
14commodity grown in Illinois that is used by a production
15facility to produce renewable fuel in Illinois, including, but
16not limited to, corn, barley, and soy beans.
17    "Labor Organization" means any organization defined as a
18"labor organization" under Section 2 of the National Labor
19Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152).
20    "Majority blended ethanol fuel" means motor fuel that
21contains no less than 70% and no more than 90% denatured
22ethanol and no less than 10% and no more than 30% gasoline.
23    "Motor vehicles" means motor vehicles as defined in the
24Illinois Vehicle Code and watercraft propelled by an internal
25combustion engine.
26    "Owner" means any individual, sole proprietorship, limited

 

 

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1partnership, co-partnership, joint venture, corporation,
2cooperative, or other legal entity, including its agents, that
3operates or will operate a plant located within the State of
4Illinois.
5    "Plant" means a production facility that produces a
6renewable fuel. "Plant" includes land, any building or other
7improvement on or to land, and any personal properties deemed
8necessary or suitable for use, whether or not now in existence,
9in the processing of fuel from agricultural commodities or
10by-products.
11    "Renewable fuel" means ethanol, gasohol, majority blended
12ethanol fuel, biodiesel blend fuel, and biodiesel.
13(Source: P.A. 93-15, eff. 6-11-03; 93-618, eff. 12-11-03;
1494-793, eff. 5-19-06.)
 
15    (20 ILCS 689/27 new)
16    Sec. 27. E85 Market Expansion Program.
17    (a) The Department shall, subject to appropriation, create
18and administer the E85 Market Expansion Program. Under this
19program, the Department must solicit and collect applications
20from persons who have purchased a new flexible fuel vehicle
21within the 12-month period prior to submitting the application.
22Approved applicants shall be eligible for Program
23distributions.
24    (b) The Program shall distribute debit cards, credit cards,
25E85 coupons, or some other form of negotiable instrument as

 

 

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1determined by the Department that authorizes the approved
2applicant $500 in credit towards the purchase price of E85 fuel
3purchased within Illinois. Only one distribution shall be made
4to the owner of any vehicle during the life of that vehicle.
5    (c) The E85 Market Expansion Fund is established as a
6special fund in the State treasury. Moneys in the Fund may be
7used, subject to appropriation, only for the purposes set forth
8in this Section. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund must be
9deposited into the Fund. The Department may retain 5% of the
10moneys in the Fund for administrative costs of the Program.
11    (d) The Department shall have access to Secretary of State
12motor vehicle registration records and other State records to
13enable verification of these applications.
14    (e) The Department shall adopt necessary rules for the
15implementation of this Section, including rules for the
16solicitation, collection, and approval of applications and for
17the operation of the program distributions.
 
18    Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
19Section 5.786 as follows:
 
20    (30 ILCS 105/5.786 new)
21    Sec. 5.786. E85 Market Expansion Fund.
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.