State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_SB0881

 
                                               LRB9201990TApr

 1        AN ACT concerning natural resources.

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

 4        Section  5.   The  Department of Natural Resources Act is
 5    amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:

 6        (20 ILCS 801/1-15)
 7        Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.
 8        (a)  It  shall  be  the  duty  of   the   Department   to
 9    investigate  practical  problems,  implement studies, conduct
10    research  and  provide  assistance,  information   and   data
11    relating  to the technology and administration of the natural
12    history, entomology, zoology, and botany of this  State;  the
13    geology  and  natural  resources of this State; the water and
14    atmospheric resources of this State;  and  the  archeological
15    and cultural history of this State.
16        (b)  The  Department (i) shall obtain, store, and process
17    relevant data; recommend technological,  administrative,  and
18    legislative  changes  and  developments; cooperate with other
19    federal, state, and  local  governmental  research  agencies,
20    facilities,  or  institutes  in the selection of projects for
21    study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and  with
22    the  public  and  private  colleges  and universities in this
23    State in developing relevant interdisciplinary approaches  to
24    problems;  and  evaluate curricula at all levels of education
25    and provide assistance to instructors; and (ii)  may  sponsor
26    an  annual  conference  of  leaders  in government, industry,
27    health, and education to evaluate the state of  this  State's
28    environment and natural resources.
29        (c)  The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code,
30    shall  employ  such  personnel,  provide such facilities, and
31    contract for such outside services as  may  be  necessary  to
 
                            -2-                LRB9201990TApr
 1    carry  out the purposes of the Department.  Maximum use shall
 2    be made of existing federal and state  agencies,  facilities,
 3    and personnel in conducting research under this Act.
 4        (d)  In  addition to its other powers, the Department has
 5    the following powers:
 6             (1)  To obtain, store, process, and provide data and
 7        information related to  the  powers  and  duties  of  the
 8        Department  under this Act.  This subdivision (d)(1) does
 9        not give authority to the Department to  require  reports
10        from nongovernmental sources or entities.
11             (2)  To  cooperate  with  and  support  the Illinois
12        Science  and  Technology  Advisory  Committee   and   the
13        Illinois  Coalition  for  the purpose of facilitating the
14        effective operations and  activities  of  such  entities.
15        Support   may  include,  but  need  not  be  limited  to,
16        providing space for the operations of the  Committee  and
17        the Illinois Coalition.
18        (e)  The Department is authorized to make grants to local
19    not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development,
20    maintenance and study of wetland areas.
21        (f)  The  Department has the authority to accept, receive
22    and administer on behalf of the State  any  gifts,  bequests,
23    donations,  income  from property rental and endowments.  Any
24    such funds received by the Department shall be deposited into
25    the Natural Resources Fund, a special fund  which  is  hereby
26    created  in  the State treasury, and used for the purposes of
27    this Act or, when appropriate, for such  purposes  and  under
28    such  restrictions, terms and conditions as are predetermined
29    by the donor or grantor  of  such  funds  or  property.   Any
30    accrued  interest  from  money  deposited  into  the  Natural
31    Resources  Fund shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in
32    the same manner as the principal. The Director shall maintain
33    records which account for and assure that restricted funds or
34    property are disbursed or used pursuant to the  restrictions,
 
                            -3-                LRB9201990TApr
 1    terms or conditions of the donor.
 2        (g)  The   Department   shall  recognize,  preserve,  and
 3    promote our special  heritage  of  recreational  hunting  and
 4    trapping  by  providing  opportunities  to  hunt  and trap in
 5    accordance with the Wildlife Code.
 6    (Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 91-582, eff. 8-14-99.)

 7        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
 8    becoming law.

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