Public Act 097-0573
 
HB3414 EnrolledLRB097 08433 HLH 48560 b



    AN ACT concerning State government.

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






 
 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
Illinois Main Street Act.
 
    Section 5. Legislative purpose. The General Assembly makes 
the following findings:
        (1) The continued economic vitality of downtown and 
    neighborhood commercial districts in our municipalities is 
    essential to community preservation, social cohesion, and 
    economic growth.
        (2) Municipalities need to maintain their local 
    economies so that business owners will be able to provide 
    goods and services to the community, to provide employment 
    opportunities, to avoid disinvestment and economic 
    dislocations, and to develop and sustain downtown and 
    neighborhood commercial district revitalization programs 
    to address these problems.
 
    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
    "Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic 
Opportunity.
    "Director" means the Director of Commerce and Economic 
Opportunity.
    "Program" means the Illinois Main Street Program.
 
    Section 15. Illinois Main Street Program. The Illinois Main 
Street Program is created within the Department. In order to 
implement the Illinois Main Street Program, the Department 
shall do all of the following:
        (1) Provide assistance to municipalities designated as 
    Main Street Communities, municipalities interested in 
    becoming designated through the program, and businesses, 
    property owners, organizations, and municipalities 
    undertaking a comprehensive downtown or neighborhood 
    commercial district revitalization initiative and 
    management strategy. Assistance may include, but is not 
    limited to, initial site evaluations and assessments, 
    training for local programs, training for local program 
    staff, site visits and assessments by technical 
    specialists, local program design assistance and 
    evaluation, and continued local program on-site 
    assistance.
        (2) To the extent funds are made available, provide 
    financial assistance to municipalities or local 
    organizations to assist in initial downtown or 
    neighborhood commercial district revitalization program 
    specialized training, specific project feasibility 
    studies, market studies, and design assistance.
        (3) Operate the Illinois Main Street Program in 
    accordance with the plan developed by the Department.
        (4) Consider other factors the Department deems 
    necessary for the implementation of this Act.
 
    Section 20. Main Street Community designation.
    (a) The Department shall adopt criteria for the designation 
of a Main Street Community. In establishing the criteria, the 
Department shall consider all of the following:
        (1) The degree of interest and commitment to 
    comprehensive downtown or neighborhood commercial district 
    revitalization and, where applicable, historic 
    preservation by both the public and private sectors.
        (2) The evidence of potential private sector 
    investment in the downtown or neighborhood commercial 
    district.
        (3) Where applicable, a downtown or neighborhood 
    commercial district with sufficient historic fabric to 
    become a foundation for an enhanced community image.
        (4) The capacity of the organization to undertake a 
    comprehensive program and the financial commitment to 
    implement a long-term downtown or neighborhood commercial 
    district revitalization program that includes a commitment 
    to employ a professional program manager.
        (5) The National Main Street Center's criteria for 
    designating official main street municipalities.
        (6) Other factors the Department deems necessary for 
    the designation of a local program.
    (b) Illinois Main Street shall designate local downtown or 
neighborhood commercial district revitalization programs and 
official local main street programs.
    (c) The Department must approve all local downtown or 
neighborhood commercial district revitalization program 
boundaries. The boundaries of a local downtown or neighborhood 
commercial district revitalization program are typically 
defined using the pedestrian core of a traditional commercial 
district.
 
    Section 25. Illinois Main Street Plan. The Department 
shall, in consultation with the Lieutenant Governor, develop a 
plan for the Illinois Main Street Program. The plan shall 
describe:
        (1) the objectives and strategies of the Illinois Main 
    Street Program;
        (2) how the Illinois Main Street Program will be 
    coordinated with existing federal, state, local, and 
    private sector business development and historic 
    preservation efforts;
        (3) the means by which private investment will be 
    solicited and employed;
        (4) the methods of selecting and providing assistance 
    to participating local programs; and
        (5) a means to solicit private contributions for State 
    and local operations of the Illinois Main Street Program.
 
    Section 30. Role of the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant 
Governor shall be the Ambassador of the Illinois Main Street 
Program. The Department shall advise and consult with the 
Lieutenant Governor on the activities of the Illinois Main 
Street Program. The Lieutenant Governor, with the assistance of 
the Department, shall promote and encourage the success of the 
Illinois Main Street Program.
 
    Section 35. Illinois Main Street Fund. The Illinois Main 
Street Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. 
All receipts from private contributions, federal funds, 
legislative appropriations, and fees for services, if levied, 
must be deposited into the Fund. Subject to appropriation, 
expenditures from the Fund may be used only for the benefit of 
the Illinois Main Street Program.
 
    Section 90. The Green Governments Illinois Act is amended  
by changing Sections 15, 35, and 45 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 3954/15)

    Sec. 15. Composition of the Council. The Council shall be 
composed comprised of representatives from various State 
agencies and State universities with specific fiscal, 
procurement, educational, and environmental policy expertise.  
Until the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th 
General Assembly, the The Lieutenant Governor is the chair of 
the Council. On and after the effective date of this amendatory 
Act  of the 97th General Assembly, the Governor is the chair of 
the Council, and the Lieutenant Governor, or his or her 
designee, shall be a member of the council. The director or 
President, respectively, of each of the following State 
agencies and State universities,  or his or her designee, is a 
member of the Council: the Department of Commerce and Economic 
Opportunity, the Environmental Protection Agency, the 
University of Illinois, the Department of Natural Resources, 
the Department of Central Management Services, the Governor's 
Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Agriculture, 
the Department of Transportation, the Department of 
Corrections, the Department of Human Services, the Department 
of Public Health, the State Board of Education, the Board of 
Higher Education, and the Capital Development Board. The Office 
of the Lieutenant Governor shall provide administrative 
support to the Council. A minimum of one staff position in the 
Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be dedicated to the 
Green Governments Illinois program.

(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07; 95-728, eff. 7-1-08 - See 
Sec. 999; 96-74, eff. 7-24-09.)
 
    (20 ILCS 3954/35)

    Sec. 35. Environmental Plans and Reporting. 
    (a) Each State agency shall submit an annual adopted 
environmental sustainability plan to the chairman of the 
Council for review and approval on or before   April 1, 2008 and 
each April 1 thereafter.   
    On or before November 1, 2007, the Council shall prepare a 
downloadable plan template designed to provide a simple 
framework for the development of an environmental 
sustainability plan as required by this Act.  The Council shall 
adopt procedures for reviewing and approving the plans, and 
make staff available during preparation of the plans to assist 
State agencies with their plan-writing efforts.  The Council 
shall complete its plan review process on or before June 1, 
2008.  The sustainability plans shall be reviewed and updated 
periodically, but at least once every 3 years.  Units of local 
government and educational institutions are encouraged to 
submit similar sustainability plans to the chairman of the 
Council for review and approval.
    (b) On or before January 1, 2008, each State agency, using 
existing resources, shall form an internal environmental 
sustainability committee.   The environmental sustainability 
committee shall (i) assess the environmental and resource use 
impacts of its major operational activities  making 
environmental improvements, conserving resources, and reducing 
health risks; (ii) develop an annual environmental 
sustainability plan as required under this Act; and (iii) 
establish an ongoing process through which their 
sustainability efforts can be reviewed and improved upon.   The 
committee shall focus on the most significant environmental and 
resource use impacts, examine the feasibility and 
cost-effectiveness of addressing these impacts, and prioritize 
their actions accordingly.   
    Where feasible, the committee shall quantify the specific 
impacts of major operational activities such as gallons of 
water used, pounds of solid waste generated, gallons of 
gasoline consumed, and dollars spent per year on electricity.   
The committee shall consist of representatives from different 
departments and program areas, including purchasing, 
maintenance, and facility management.   A senior member of 
management shall be designated to coordinate environmental 
sustainability efforts of each committee.   The coordinator 
shall provide information to agency facilities and staff, 
coordinate planning and reporting activities, and act as 
liaison to the Council.   Where appropriate, State agencies may 
appoint facility coordinators in addition to the agency 
coordinator.  Coordinators shall be given full management 
support and provided with the necessary resources to meet the 
goals of this Act.
    (c) On or before July 1, 2008 and on or before September 1 
of each subsequent year, each State agency shall submit to the 
chairman of the Council a report summarizing the progress made 
in implementing its annual environmental sustainability plan, 
including sustainability measures adopted and goals achieved.  
The information in this report shall encompass the previous 
fiscal year.    
    On or before June 1, 2008, the Council shall develop and 
adopt a reporting form to be used to comply with the provisions 
of this Section.  Participating units of local government and 
educational institutions are encouraged to submit an annual 
progress report on or before September 1 of each year.
    (d) State agencies shall be invited to participate in the 
Council's efforts to foster environmental sustainability 
practices throughout State government.
    (e) The Council shall provide technical assistance to State 
agencies, units of local government, and educational 
institutions for the purpose of implementing the environmental 
sustainability planning requirement.
    (f) The Council may establish criteria for exempting select 
State agencies from the environmental sustainability planning  
based on staff size, probable environmental impacts, and scope 
of operations.

(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07; 96-74, eff. 7-24-09.)
 
    (20 ILCS 3954/45)

    Sec. 45. Green Governments Illinois website. 
    (a) The Green Governments Illinois staff member of the 
Lieutenant Governor's Office shall be responsible for 
establishing and maintaining an Internet website devoted to the 
Green Governments Illinois program.
    (b) The content and capabilities of the website shall, at a 
minimum, include:
        (1) (blank) the ability to receive submitted plans and 
    reports;
        (2) (blank) a downloadable template for preparing 
    reports;
        (3) viewable and downloadable plans and reports 
    submitted by the participating units of State and local 
    government and educational institutions;
        (4) a listing of sources of information on developing 
    environmental programs and Internet links, if available, 
    to those sources;
        (5) a listing of sources of funding for environmental 
    programs and Internet links, if available, to those 
    sources;
        (6) information on forming intergovernmental 
    agreements for the purpose of developing collaborative 
    environmental plans between units of local government; and
        (7) guidance materials to assist State agencies, units 
    of local government, and educational institutions in 
    identifying environmental impacts and evaluating practical 
    actions to prevent pollution and conserve resources.

(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07.)
 
    Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended  by adding 
Section 5.786 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 105/5.786 new)
    Sec. 5.786. The Illinois Main Street Fund.
  
 

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