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| Public Act 094-0279 |
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic | ||||
Opportunity Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is | ||||
amended by adding Section 605-425 as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 605/605-425 new) | ||||
Sec. 605-425. Illinois Steel Development Board.
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(a) The Illinois Steel Development Board is established
as an | ||||
advisory board to the Department of Commerce and
Economic | ||||
Opportunity. The Board shall be composed of the
following | ||||
voting members: the Director of Commerce and
Economic | ||||
Opportunity, who shall be Chairman of the Board, the
Deputy | ||||
Director of the Bureau of Business Development within the | ||||
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, 4 members
of | ||||
the General Assembly (one each appointed by the President
of | ||||
the Senate, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the
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House of Representatives, and the House Minority Leader), and 8 | ||||
persons
appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent | ||||
of the
Senate. Members appointed by the Governor must include: | ||||
(1) one member shall be a member of the faculty of a school of | ||||
business located within Illinois; (2) one member shall be a | ||||
member of the faculty of a school of engineering located within | ||||
Illinois; (3) one member shall represent a labor union that | ||||
represents steelworkers; and (4) 5 members shall represent the | ||||
Illinois steel industry, including but not limited to | ||||
technology, transportation, financial, production, and use. | ||||
Members
appointed by the Governor shall be chosen from persons | ||||
of
recognized ability and experience in their designated | ||||
field. | ||||
The members appointed by the Governor shall serve for
terms | ||||
of 4 years. The initial terms of the initial
appointees shall | ||||
expire on July 1, 2009. A member appointed
by a legislative | ||
leader shall serve for the duration of the
General Assembly for | ||
which he or she is appointed, so long as
the member remains a | ||
member of that General Assembly. | ||
The Board shall meet at least annually or at the call of
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the Chairman. At any time the majority of the Board may
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petition the Chairman for a meeting of the Board. Nine
members | ||
of the Board shall constitute a quorum. | ||
Members of the Board shall be reimbursed for actual and
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necessary expenses incurred while performing their duties as
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members of the Board from funds appropriated to the
Department | ||
for that purpose. | ||
(b) The Board shall provide advice and make recommendations | ||
to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
on the | ||
following: | ||
(1) The development of an annual agenda that may
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include, but is not limited to, research, marketing, and
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promotional methodologies conducted for the purpose of
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increasing the use of American steel
produced, used, or | ||
transported by Illinois companies with
emphasis on the | ||
following areas: maintaining and
increasing employment of | ||
Illinois workers in the steel
industry; steel preparation | ||
and characterization;
marketing; public awareness and | ||
education;
transportation; and environmental impacts. | ||
(2) The support and coordination of American
steel | ||
research, marketing, and promotion; the
approval of | ||
projects consistent with the annual agenda
and budget for | ||
steel research, marketing, and promotion;
and the approval | ||
of the annual budget and operating plan
for administration | ||
of the Board. | ||
(3) The promotion and coordination of available
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research, marketing, and promotional information on the
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production, preparation, distribution, and uses of
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American steel. The Board shall advise the
existing | ||
research institutions within the State on areas
where | ||
research may be necessary. | ||
(4) The cooperation to the fullest extent possible
with | ||
State and federal agencies and departments,
independent | ||
organizations, and other interested groups,
public and | ||
private, for the purposes of promoting
American steel | ||
resources. | ||
(5) The submission of an annual report to the
Governor | ||
and the General Assembly outlining the progress
and | ||
accomplishments made during the calendar year and
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furnishing other relevant information. | ||
(6) Focusing on existing steel research, marketing,
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and promotion efforts in carrying out its mission, ways
to | ||
make use of existing facilities in Illinois or other
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institutions carrying out research, marketing, and
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promotion of American steel and, as far as
practical, to | ||
make maximum use of the facilities
available in Illinois, | ||
including universities and
colleges located within the | ||
State of Illinois, and the
creation of a consortium or | ||
center that conducts,
coordinates, and supports steel | ||
research, promotion, and
marketing activities in the State | ||
of Illinois.
Programmatic activities of the consortium or | ||
center shall
be subject to approval by the Department and | ||
shall be
consistent with the purposes of this Section. The
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Department may authorize the expenditure of funds in
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support of the administrative and programmatic operations
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of the center or consortium that are consistent with its
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authority. Administrative actions undertaken by or for
the | ||
center or consortium shall be subject to the approval
of | ||
the Department. | ||
(7) Reasonable ways, before initiating any
research, | ||
to avoid duplication of effort and expense
through the | ||
coordination of the research efforts of
various agencies, | ||
departments, universities, or
organizations. | ||
(8) The adoption, amendment, and repeal of rules,
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regulations, and bylaws governing the Board's
organization | ||
and conduct of business. | ||
(9) The search for, the acceptance of, and the
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expenditure of gifts or grants in any form, from any
public | ||
agency or from any other source. The gifts and
grants may | ||
be held in trust by the Department and
expended at the | ||
direction of the Department and in the
exercise of the | ||
Department's powers and performance of
the Department's | ||
duties. | ||
(10) The publication, from time to time, of the
results | ||
of American steel research,
marketing, and promotion | ||
projects funded through the
Department. | ||
(c) The Board shall also provide advice and make
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recommendations to the Department on the following: | ||
(1) The creation and maintenance of current and
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accurate records on all markets for and actual uses of
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steel processed, utilized, or transported in Illinois and
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ways of making those records available to the public upon
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request. | ||
(2) The identification of all current and
anticipated | ||
future technical, economic, institutional,
market, | ||
environmental, regulatory, and other impediments
to the | ||
use of American steel and the
Illinois steel industry. | ||
(3) The identification of alternative plans or
actions | ||
that would maintain or increase the use of
American steel | ||
and the Illinois steel
industry. | ||
(4) The development of strategies and proposing
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policies to promote responsible uses of American
steel | ||
processed, used, or transported by the
Illinois steel | ||
industry.
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