093_HB1600

 
                                     LRB093 04498 JAM 04551 b

 1        AN ACT concerning tourism.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.   The  Department  of  Commerce and Community
 5    Affairs Law of the Civil Administrative Code of  Illinois  is
 6    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
 9    bureaus.
10        (a)  To establish a grant program  of  grants  for  local
11    tourism  and convention bureaus.  The Department will develop
12    and implement a program for the use of funds,  as  authorized
13    under this Act, by local tourism and convention bureaus.  For
14    the  purposes  of this Act, bureaus eligible to receive funds
15    are those local tourism and convention bureaus that  are  (i)
16    either   units   of   local  government  or  incorporated  as
17    not-for-profit organizations; (ii) in legal existence  for  a
18    minimum  of 2 years before July 1, 2001; (iii) operating with
19    a paid, full-time staff whose  sole  purpose  is  to  promote
20    tourism  in  the designated service area; and (iv) affiliated
21    with one or more municipalities or counties that support  the
22    bureau  with  local  hotel-motel  taxes.  After July 1, 2001,
23    bureaus requesting certification in order  to  receive  funds
24    for  the  first  time  must  be  local tourism and convention
25    bureaus that are (i) either  units  of  local  government  or
26    incorporated  as  not-for-profit organizations; (ii) in legal
27    existence for a minimum of 2 years  before  the  request  for
28    certification;  (iii)  operating with a paid, full-time staff
29    whose sole purpose is to promote tourism  in  the  designated
30    service    area;    and   (iv)   affiliated   with   multiple
31    municipalities or counties that support the bureau with local
 
                            -2-      LRB093 04498 JAM 04551 b
 1    hotel-motel taxes. Each bureau receiving funds under this Act
 2    will  be  certified  by  the  Department  as  the  designated
 3    recipient to serve an area of the State. Notwithstanding  the
 4    criteria  set  forth  in  this  subsection  (a),  or any rule
 5    adopted under  this  subsection  (a),  the  Director  of  the
 6    Department may provide for the award of grant funds to one or
 7    more  entities if in the Department's judgment that action is
 8    necessary in order to prevent a loss of funding  critical  to
 9    promoting  tourism  in  a  designated  geographic area of the
10    State.
11        (b)  To distribute grants to local tourism and convention
12    bureaus from appropriations made from the Local Tourism  Fund
13    for  that  purpose.   Of the amounts appropriated annually to
14    the Department for expenditure under this Section,  one-third
15    of  those  monies  shall be used for grants to convention and
16    tourism bureaus in cities  with  a  population  greater  than
17    500,000.     The   remaining   two-thirds   of   the   annual
18    appropriation shall be used  for  grants  to  convention  and
19    tourism  bureaus in the remainder of the State, in accordance
20    with  a  formula  based  upon  the  population  served.   The
21    Department may reserve up to 10% of the total appropriated to
22    conduct audits of grants, to provide incentive funds to those
23    bureaus that will conduct promotional activities designed  to
24    further  the  Department's statewide advertising campaign, to
25    fund special statewide promotional activities,  and  to  fund
26    promotional  activities  that support an increased use of the
27    State's parks or historic sites.
28    (Source: P.A. 91-239,  eff.  1-1-00;  91-357,  eff.  7-29-99;
29    92-16,  eff.  6-28-01;  92-38,  eff.  6-28-01;  92-524,  eff.
30    2-8-02.)