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| Public Act 098-0252 | ||||
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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 changing Sections 605-705 and 605-707 as follows:
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(20 ILCS 605/605-705) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.6a)
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Sec. 605-705. Grants to local tourism and convention | ||||
bureaus.
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(a) To establish a grant program for local tourism and
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convention bureaus. The Department will develop and implement a | ||||
program
for the use of funds, as authorized under this Act, by | ||||
local tourism and
convention bureaus. For the purposes of this | ||||
Act,
bureaus eligible to receive funds are those local tourism | ||||
and
convention bureaus that are (i) either units of local | ||||
government or
incorporated as not-for-profit organizations; | ||||
(ii) in legal existence
for a minimum of 2 years before July 1, | ||||
2001; (iii) operating with a
paid, full-time staff whose sole | ||||
purpose is to promote tourism in the
designated service area; | ||||
and (iv) affiliated with one or more
municipalities or counties | ||||
that support the bureau with local hotel-motel
taxes. After | ||||
July 1, 2001, bureaus requesting certification in
order to | ||||
receive funds for the first time must be local tourism and
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convention bureaus that are (i) either units of local | ||
government or
incorporated as not-for-profit organizations; | ||
(ii) in legal existence
for a minimum of 2 years before the | ||
request for certification; (iii)
operating with a paid, | ||
full-time staff whose sole purpose is to promote
tourism in the | ||
designated service area; and (iv) affiliated with
multiple | ||
municipalities or counties that support the bureau with local
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hotel-motel taxes. Each bureau receiving funds under this Act | ||
will be
certified by the Department as the designated recipient | ||
to serve an area of
the State.
Notwithstanding the criteria set | ||
forth in this subsection (a), or any rule
adopted under this | ||
subsection (a), the Director of the Department may
provide for | ||
the award of grant funds to one or more entities if in the
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Department's judgment that action is necessary in order to | ||
prevent a loss of
funding critical to promoting tourism in a | ||
designated geographic area of the
State.
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(b) To distribute grants to local tourism and convention | ||
bureaus from
appropriations made from the Local Tourism Fund | ||
for that purpose. Of the
amounts appropriated annually to the | ||
Department for expenditure under this
Section prior to July 1, | ||
2011, one-third of those monies shall be used for grants to | ||
convention and
tourism bureaus in cities with a population | ||
greater than 500,000. The
remaining two-thirds of the annual | ||
appropriation prior to July 1, 2011 shall be used for grants to
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convention and tourism bureaus in the
remainder of the State, | ||
in accordance with a formula based upon the
population served. | ||
Of the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for | ||
expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 18% of | ||
such moneys shall be used for grants to convention and tourism | ||
bureaus in cities with a population greater than 500,000. Of | ||
the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for | ||
expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 82% of | ||
such moneys shall be used for grants to convention bureaus in | ||
the remainder of the State, in accordance with a formula based | ||
upon the population served. The Department may reserve up to | ||
10% of total
local tourism funds available for costs of | ||
administering the program to conduct audits of grants, to | ||
provide incentive funds to
those
bureaus that will conduct | ||
promotional activities designed to further the
Department's | ||
statewide advertising campaign, to fund special statewide
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promotional activities, and to fund promotional activities | ||
that support an
increased use of the State's parks or historic | ||
sites. The During fiscal year 2013, the Department 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. During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall reserve | ||
$2,000,000 of the available local tourism funds for | ||
appropriation to the Historic Preservation Agency for the | ||
operation of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and | ||
Museum and State historic sites.
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(Source: P.A. 97-617, eff. 10-26-11; 97-732, eff. 6-30-12.)
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(20 ILCS 605/605-707) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.6d)
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Sec. 605-707. International Tourism Program.
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(a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity | ||
must establish a
program for international tourism. The | ||
Department shall develop and
implement the program on January | ||
1, 2000 by rule. As part of the program, the
Department may | ||
work in cooperation with local convention and tourism bureaus
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in Illinois in the coordination of international tourism | ||
efforts at the State
and local level. The
Department may (i)
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work in cooperation with local convention and tourism bureaus | ||
for efficient use
of their international tourism marketing
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resources, (ii) promote
Illinois in international meetings and | ||
tourism markets, (iii) work with
convention and tourism bureaus | ||
throughout the State to increase the number of
international | ||
tourists to Illinois, (iv) provide training,
research, | ||
technical support, and grants to certified convention and
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tourism bureaus, (v) provide staff, administration, and | ||
related support
required to manage the programs under this | ||
Section, and (vi) provide grants
for the development of or the | ||
enhancement of
international tourism
attractions.
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(b) The Department shall make grants for expenses related | ||
to international
tourism and pay for the staffing,
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administration, and related support from the International
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Tourism Fund, a special fund created in the State Treasury. Of | ||
the amounts
deposited into the Fund in fiscal year 2000 after | ||
January 1, 2000 through fiscal year 2011, 55% shall be
used for | ||
grants to convention and tourism bureaus in Chicago (other than | ||
the
City of Chicago's Office of Tourism) and 45% shall be used | ||
for development of
international tourism in areas outside of | ||
Chicago. Of the amounts
deposited into the Fund in fiscal year | ||
2001 and thereafter, 55% shall be used
for grants to convention | ||
and tourism bureaus in Chicago, and of that amount not
less | ||
than
27.5% shall be used
for
grants to convention and tourism | ||
bureaus in Chicago other than the
City of Chicago's Office of | ||
Tourism, and 45%
shall be
used for administrative expenses and | ||
grants authorized under this Section and
development of | ||
international tourism in areas outside of Chicago, of which not
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less than $1,000,000
shall be used annually to make grants to | ||
convention and tourism bureaus in
cities other than Chicago | ||
that demonstrate their international tourism appeal
and | ||
request to develop or expand their international tourism | ||
marketing
program, and may also be used to provide grants under | ||
item (vi) of subsection
(a) of
this Section. All of the amounts | ||
deposited into the Fund in fiscal year 2012 and thereafter | ||
shall be used for administrative expenses and grants authorized | ||
under this Section and development of international tourism in | ||
areas outside of Chicago, of which not less than $1,000,000 | ||
shall be used annually to make grants to convention and tourism | ||
bureaus in cities other than Chicago that demonstrate their | ||
international tourism appeal and request to develop or expand | ||
their international tourism marketing program, and may also be | ||
used to provide grants under item (vi) of subsection (a) of | ||
this Section. Amounts appropriated to the State Comptroller for | ||
administrative expenses and grants authorized by the Illinois | ||
Global Partnership Act are payable from the International | ||
Tourism Fund.
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(c) A convention and tourism bureau is eligible to receive | ||
grant moneys
under this Section if the bureau is certified to | ||
receive funds under Title 14
of the Illinois Administrative | ||
Code, Section 550.35. To be eligible for a
grant, a convention | ||
and tourism bureau must provide matching funds equal to the
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grant amount. The During fiscal year 2013, the Department 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. In certain
circumstances as determined by the Director | ||
of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,
however, the City of
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Chicago's
Office of Tourism or any other convention and tourism | ||
bureau
may provide
matching funds equal to no less than 50% of | ||
the grant amount to be
eligible to
receive
the grant.
One-half | ||
of this 50% may be provided through in-kind contributions.
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Grants received by the City of Chicago's Office of Tourism and | ||
by convention
and tourism bureaus in Chicago may be expended | ||
for the general purposes of
promoting conventions and tourism.
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(Source: P.A. 97-617, eff. 10-26-11; 97-732, eff. 6-30-12.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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