98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB2687

 

Introduced 2/21/2013, by Rep. Fred Crespo

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 605/605-705  was 20 ILCS 605/46.6a
20 ILCS 605/605-707  was 20 ILCS 605/46.6d

    Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, in each fiscal year (instead of Fiscal Year 2013 only), the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a grant under this Section that requires matching funds shall provide matching funds equal to no less than 50% of the grant amount. 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 Department of Commerce and Economic
5Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
6amended by changing Sections 605-705 and 605-707 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 a
12program for the use of funds, as authorized under this Act, by
13local tourism and convention bureaus. For the purposes of this
14Act, bureaus eligible to receive funds are those local tourism
15and convention bureaus that are (i) either units of local
16government or incorporated as not-for-profit organizations;
17(ii) in legal existence for a minimum of 2 years before July 1,
182001; (iii) operating with a paid, full-time staff whose sole
19purpose is to promote tourism in the designated service area;
20and (iv) affiliated with one or more municipalities or counties
21that support the bureau with local hotel-motel taxes. After
22July 1, 2001, bureaus requesting certification in order to
23receive funds for the first time must be local tourism and

 

 

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1convention bureaus that are (i) either units of local
2government or incorporated as not-for-profit organizations;
3(ii) in legal existence for a minimum of 2 years before the
4request for certification; (iii) operating with a paid,
5full-time staff whose sole purpose is to promote tourism in the
6designated service area; and (iv) affiliated with multiple
7municipalities or counties that support the bureau with local
8hotel-motel taxes. Each bureau receiving funds under this Act
9will be certified by the Department as the designated recipient
10to serve an area of the State. Notwithstanding the criteria set
11forth in this subsection (a), or any rule adopted under this
12subsection (a), the Director of the Department may provide for
13the award of grant funds to one or more entities if in the
14Department's judgment that action is necessary in order to
15prevent a loss of funding critical to promoting tourism in a
16designated geographic area of the State.
17    (b) To distribute grants to local tourism and convention
18bureaus from appropriations made from the Local Tourism Fund
19for that purpose. Of the amounts appropriated annually to the
20Department for expenditure under this Section prior to July 1,
212011, one-third of those monies shall be used for grants to
22convention and tourism bureaus in cities with a population
23greater than 500,000. The remaining two-thirds of the annual
24appropriation prior to July 1, 2011 shall be used for grants to
25convention and tourism bureaus in the remainder of the State,
26in accordance with a formula based upon the population served.

 

 

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1Of the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for
2expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 18% of
3such moneys shall be used for grants to convention and tourism
4bureaus in cities with a population greater than 500,000. Of
5the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for
6expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 82% of
7such moneys shall be used for grants to convention bureaus in
8the remainder of the State, in accordance with a formula based
9upon the population served. The Department may reserve up to
1010% of total local tourism funds available for costs of
11administering the program to conduct audits of grants, to
12provide incentive funds to those bureaus that will conduct
13promotional activities designed to further the Department's
14statewide advertising campaign, to fund special statewide
15promotional activities, and to fund promotional activities
16that support an increased use of the State's parks or historic
17sites. The During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall
18require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a
19grant under this Section that requires matching funds shall
20provide matching funds equal to no less than 50% of the grant
21amount. During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall reserve
22$2,000,000 of the available local tourism funds for
23appropriation to the Historic Preservation Agency for the
24operation of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and
25Museum and State historic sites.
26(Source: P.A. 97-617, eff. 10-26-11; 97-732, eff. 6-30-12.)
 

 

 

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1    (20 ILCS 605/605-707)  (was 20 ILCS 605/46.6d)
2    Sec. 605-707. International Tourism Program.
3    (a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
4must establish a program for international tourism. The
5Department shall develop and implement the program on January
61, 2000 by rule. As part of the program, the Department may
7work in cooperation with local convention and tourism bureaus
8in Illinois in the coordination of international tourism
9efforts at the State and local level. The Department may (i)
10work in cooperation with local convention and tourism bureaus
11for efficient use of their international tourism marketing
12resources, (ii) promote Illinois in international meetings and
13tourism markets, (iii) work with convention and tourism bureaus
14throughout the State to increase the number of international
15tourists to Illinois, (iv) provide training, research,
16technical support, and grants to certified convention and
17tourism bureaus, (v) provide staff, administration, and
18related support required to manage the programs under this
19Section, and (vi) provide grants for the development of or the
20enhancement of international tourism attractions.
21    (b) The Department shall make grants for expenses related
22to international tourism and pay for the staffing,
23administration, and related support from the International
24Tourism Fund, a special fund created in the State Treasury. Of
25the amounts deposited into the Fund in fiscal year 2000 after

 

 

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1January 1, 2000 through fiscal year 2011, 55% shall be used for
2grants to convention and tourism bureaus in Chicago (other than
3the City of Chicago's Office of Tourism) and 45% shall be used
4for development of international tourism in areas outside of
5Chicago. Of the amounts deposited into the Fund in fiscal year
62001 and thereafter, 55% shall be used for grants to convention
7and tourism bureaus in Chicago, and of that amount not less
8than 27.5% shall be used for grants to convention and tourism
9bureaus in Chicago other than the City of Chicago's Office of
10Tourism, and 45% shall be used for administrative expenses and
11grants authorized under this Section and development of
12international tourism in areas outside of Chicago, of which not
13less than $1,000,000 shall be used annually to make grants to
14convention and tourism bureaus in cities other than Chicago
15that demonstrate their international tourism appeal and
16request to develop or expand their international tourism
17marketing program, and may also be used to provide grants under
18item (vi) of subsection (a) of this Section. All of the amounts
19deposited into the Fund in fiscal year 2012 and thereafter
20shall be used for administrative expenses and grants authorized
21under this Section and development of international tourism in
22areas outside of Chicago, of which not less than $1,000,000
23shall be used annually to make grants to convention and tourism
24bureaus in cities other than Chicago that demonstrate their
25international tourism appeal and request to develop or expand
26their international tourism marketing program, and may also be

 

 

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1used to provide grants under item (vi) of subsection (a) of
2this Section. Amounts appropriated to the State Comptroller for
3administrative expenses and grants authorized by the Illinois
4Global Partnership Act are payable from the International
5Tourism Fund.
6    (c) A convention and tourism bureau is eligible to receive
7grant moneys under this Section if the bureau is certified to
8receive funds under Title 14 of the Illinois Administrative
9Code, Section 550.35. To be eligible for a grant, a convention
10and tourism bureau must provide matching funds equal to the
11grant amount. The During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall
12require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a
13grant under this Section that requires matching funds shall
14provide matching funds equal to no less than 50% of the grant
15amount. In certain circumstances as determined by the Director
16of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, however, the City of
17Chicago's Office of Tourism or any other convention and tourism
18bureau may provide matching funds equal to no less than 50% of
19the grant amount to be eligible to receive the grant. One-half
20of this 50% may be provided through in-kind contributions.
21Grants received by the City of Chicago's Office of Tourism and
22by convention and tourism bureaus in Chicago may be expended
23for the general purposes of promoting conventions and tourism.
24(Source: P.A. 97-617, eff. 10-26-11; 97-732, eff. 6-30-12.)
 
25    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
26becoming law.