SB2214 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 11401 HLH 22272 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2214

Introduced 2/7/2025, by Sen. Paul Faraci

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 605/605-625	was 20 ILCS 605/46.25
20 ILCS 605/605-940	was 20 ILCS 605/46.37
20 ILCS 630/Act rep.
30 ILCS 780/5-5
30 ILCS 780/5-30
30 ILCS 780/5-30.1 new
30 ILCS 780/5-45
35 ILCS 19/50-45
305 ILCS 22/30
305 ILCS 22/99
315 ILCS 25/4	from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.11

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Removes language requiring the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish a freight rate information service for U.S. and foreign shippers. Repeals certain duties of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity related to a local government clearing house. Repeals the Illinois Emergency Employment Development Act. Amends the Music and Musicians Tax Credit and Jobs Act. Repeals certain provisions requiring the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to submit reports under that Act. Amends the Eliminate the Digital Divide Law. Sets forth provisions concerning grants from the Digital Divide Elimination Fund. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by changing Sections 605-625 and 605-940 as follows:

(20 ILCS 605/605-625) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.25)

Sec. 605-625. Promotion of water ports and airport facilities. In cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and the International Trade and Port Promotion Advisory Committee, to (i) establish a freight rate information service for U.S. and foreign shippers; (ii) promote the advantages of Illinois water ports and existing airport facilities through appropriate means and media in this country and overseas; and (ii) (iii) cooperate with the export expansion projects and any other activity that results in the additional flow of agricultural and manufactured products through the Illinois water ports and existing airport facilities.

(Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)

(20 ILCS 605/605-940) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.37)

Sec. 605-940. Clearing house for local government problems; aid with financial and administrative matters. The Department shall provide for a central clearing house for information concerning local government problems and various solutions to those problems and shall assist and aid local governments of the State in matters relating to budgets, fiscal procedures, and administration. In performing this responsibility the Department shall have the power and duty to do the following:

(1) Maintain communication with all local governments and assist them, at their request, to improve their administrative procedures and to facilitate improved local government and development.

(2) Assemble and disseminate information concerning State and federal programs, grants, gifts, and subsidies available to local governments and to provide counsel and technical services and other assistance in applying for those programs, grants, gifts, and subsidies.

(3) Assist in coordinating activities by obtaining information, on forms provided by the Department or by receipt of proposals and applications, concerning State and federal assisted programs, grants, gifts, and subsidies applied for and received by all local governments.

(4) Provide direct consultative services to local governments upon request and provide staff services to special commissions, the Governor, or the General Assembly or its committees.

(5) Render advice and assistance with respect to the establishment and maintenance of programs for the training of local government officials and other personnel.

(6) Act as the official State agency for the receipt and distribution of federal funds that are or may be provided to the State on a flat grant basis for distribution to local governments or in the event federal law requires a State agency to implement programs affecting local governments and for State funds that are or may be provided for the use of local governments unless otherwise provided by law.

(7) Administer laws relating to local government affairs as the General Assembly may direct.

(8) Provide all advice and assistance to improve local government administration, ensure the economical and efficient provision of local government services, and make the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois effective.

(9) Give advice and counsel on fiscal problems of local governments of the State to those local governments.

(10) (Blank). Prepare uniform budgetary forms for use by the local governments of the State.

(11) (Blank). Assist and advise the local governments of the State in matters pertaining to budgets, appropriation requests and ordinances, the determination of property tax levies and rates, and other matters of a financial nature.

(12) Be a repository for financial reports and statements required by law of local governments of the State, and publish financial summaries of those reports and statements.

(13) (Blank).

(14) (Blank). Prepare proposals and advise on the investment of idle local government funds.

(15) (Blank). Administer the program of grants, loans, and loan guarantees under the federal Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. 3121 and following, and receive and disburse State and federal funds provided for that program and moneys received as repayments of loans made under the program.

(16) (Blank). After January 1, 1985, upon the request of local governments, prepare and provide model financial statement forms designed to communicate to taxpayers, service consumers, voters, government employees, and news media, in a non-technical manner, all significant financial information regarding a particular local government, and to prepare and provide to local governments a summary of local governments' obligations concerning the adoption of an annual operating budget. The summary shall be set forth in a non-technical manner and shall be designed principally for distribution to, and the use of, taxpayers, service consumers, voters, government employees, and news media.

(Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00; 91-583, eff. 1-1-00; 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)

(20 ILCS 630/Act rep.)

Section 10. The Illinois Emergency Employment Development Act is repealed.

Section 20. The Eliminate the Digital Divide Law is amended by changing Sections 5-5, 5-30, and 5-45 and by adding Section 5-30.1 as follows:

(30 ILCS 780/5-5)

Sec. 5-5. Definitions; descriptions. As used in this Article:

"Community-based organization" means a private not-for-profit organization that is located in an Illinois community and that provides services to citizens within that community and the surrounding area.

"Covered population" means individuals who live in covered households, including aging individuals, veterans, individuals with disabilities, individuals with a language barrier (including those who are English learners and have low levels of literacy), members of racial or ethnic minority groups, and individuals who primarily reside in a rural area. "Covered population" also includes incarcerated individuals (other than those incarcerated in a federal correctional facility), including all justice-impacted and system-impacted individuals.

"Digital navigator program" means a program in which designated volunteers or staff of an organization offer technical assistance to support broadband adoption, digital skill building, and the use of devices.

"Senior citizen home" means an Illinois-based residential facility for people who are over the age of 65. The term "senior citizen home" includes, but is not limited to, convalescent homes, long-term care facilities, assistive living facilities, and nursing homes.

"Community technology centers" provide computer access and educational services using information technology. Community technology centers are diverse in the populations they serve and programs they offer, but similar in that they provide technology access to individuals, communities, and populations that typically would not otherwise have places to use computer and telecommunications technologies.

"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"National school lunch program" means a program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state agencies that provides free or reduced price lunches to economically disadvantaged children. A child whose family income is between 130% and 185% of applicable family size income levels contained in the nonfarm poverty guidelines prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget is eligible for a reduced price lunch. A child whose family income is 130% or less of applicable family size income levels contained in the nonfarm income poverty guidelines prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget is eligible for a free lunch.

"Telecommunications services" provided by telecommunications carriers include all commercially available telecommunications services in addition to all reasonable charges that are incurred by taking such services, such as state and federal taxes.

"Other special services" provided by telecommunications carriers include Internet access and installation and maintenance of internal connections in addition to all reasonable charges that are incurred by taking such services, such as state and federal taxes.

(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06; 95-740, eff. 1-1-09.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-30)

Sec. 5-30. Community Technology Center Grant Program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall administer the Community Technology Center Grant Program under which the Department shall make grants in accordance with this Article for planning, establishment, administration, and expansion of Community Technology Centers and for assisting public hospitals, libraries, and park districts in eliminating the digital divide. The purposes of the grants shall include, but not be limited to, volunteer recruitment and management, training and instruction, infrastructure, and related goods and services, including case management, administration, personal information management, and outcome-tracking tools and software for the purposes of reporting to the Department and for enabling participation in digital government and consumer services programs, for Community Technology Centers and public hospitals, libraries, and park districts. No Community Technology Center may receive a grant of more than $75,000 under this Section in a particular fiscal year.

(b) Public hospitals, libraries, park districts, and State educational agencies, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, senior citizen homes, and other public and private nonprofit or for-profit agencies and organizations are eligible to receive grants under this Program, provided that a local educational agency or public or private educational agency or organization must, in order to be eligible to receive grants under this Program, provide computer access and educational services using information technology to the public at one or more of its educational buildings or facilities at least 12 hours each week. A group of eligible entities is also eligible to receive a grant if the group follows the procedures for group applications in 34 CFR 75.127-129 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations.

To be eligible to apply for a grant, a Community Technology Center must serve a covered population or a community in which not less than 40% of the students are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the national school lunch program or in which not less than 30% of the students are eligible for a free lunch under the national school lunch program; however, if funding is insufficient to approve all grant applications for a particular fiscal year, the Department may impose a higher minimum percentage threshold for that fiscal year. Determinations of communities and determinations of the percentage of students in a community who are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the national school lunch program shall be in accordance with rules adopted by the Department.

Any entities that have received a Community Technology Center grant under the federal Community Technology Centers Program are also eligible to apply for grants under this Program.

The Department shall provide assistance to Community Technology Centers in making those determinations for purposes of applying for grants.

The Department shall encourage Community Technology Centers to participate in public and private computer hardware equipment recycling initiatives that provide computers at reduced or no cost to low-income families, including programs authorized by the State Property Control Act. On an annual basis, the Department must provide the Director of Central Management Services with a list of Community Technology Centers that have applied to the Department for funding as potential recipients of surplus State-owned computer hardware equipment under programs authorized by the State Property Control Act.

(c) Grant applications shall be submitted to the Department on a schedule of one or more deadlines established by the Department by rule.

(d) The Department shall adopt rules setting forth the required form and contents of grant applications.

(e) (Blank).

(f) (Blank).

(g) Duties of the Digital Divide Elimination Working Group include all of the following:

(1) Undertaking a thorough review of grant programs available through the federal government, local agencies, telecommunications providers, and business and charitable entities for the purpose of identifying appropriate sources of revenues for the Digital Divide Elimination Fund and attempting to update available grants on a regular basis.

(2) Researching and cataloging programs designed to advance digital literacy and computer access that are available through the federal government, local agencies, telecommunications providers, and business and charitable entities and attempting to update available programs on a regular basis.

(3) Presenting the information compiled from items (1) and (2) to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which shall serve as a single point of contact for applying for funding for the Digital Divide Elimination Fund and for distributing information to the public regarding all programs designed to advance digital literacy and computer access.

(Source: P.A. 102-1071, eff. 6-10-22.)

(30 ILCS 780/5-30.1 new)

Sec. 5-30.1. Digital Divide Elimination Fund. Funds made available through the Digital Divide Elimination Fund shall also be used to make grants that further the State's digital equity vision in which:

(1) all Illinoisans are empowered to use and participate fully in an increasingly digital economy and society through universal access to high-speed broadband that is affordable, reliable, and fully scalable;

(2) new and existing resources are used to implement targeted digital inclusion strategies and sustainable broadband equity outcomes; and

(3) all Illinoisans are empowered to use and participate fully in an increasingly digital economy and society.

Examples of digital inclusion strategies include, but are not limited to, establishing digital navigator programs, programs that provide digital literacy and digital skills training, computer refurbishment programs, and device distribution programs.

Grants under this Section shall be distributed to public hospitals, libraries, park districts, State agencies, local agencies, institutions of higher education, senior citizens homes, and other public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations that serve one or more of the covered populations.

Grant applications under this Section shall be submitted to the Department.

The Department may adopt rules concerning grant applications under this Section.

(30 ILCS 780/5-45)

Sec. 5-45. Statewide Community Technology Center Network.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall expend not more than $100,000 in fiscal year 2001 to establish and administer a Statewide Community Technology Center Network and public facing data source that that serves as a digital hub for mapping, data collection, and program evaluation to assist in local and regional planning under this Article.

(b) Subject to appropriation, the Department may expend not more than $100,000 in fiscal year 2006 and each fiscal year thereafter to establish and administer a Statewide Community Technology Center Network and public facing data source that that serves as a digital hub for mapping, data collection, and program evaluation to assist in local and regional planning and revenue development and outreach under this Article.

(Source: P.A. 94-734, eff. 4-28-06.)

Section 25. The Music and Musicians Tax Credit and Jobs Act is amended by changing Section 50-45 as follows:

(35 ILCS 19/50-45)

Sec. 50-45. Qualified music program evaluation and reports.

(a) (Blank).

The Department may make a recommendation to extend, modify, or not extend the program based on the evaluation.

(b) (Blank). At the end of each fiscal quarter, the Department shall submit to the General Assembly a report that includes, without limitation:

(1) an assessment of the economic impact of the program, including the number of jobs created and retained, and whether the job positions are entry level, management, vendor, or production related;

(2) the amount of qualified music company spending brought to Illinois, including the amount of spending and type of Illinois vendors hired in connection with a qualified music company; and

(3) a determination of whether those receiving qualifying Illinois labor expenditure salaries or wages reflect the geographic, racial and ethnic, gender, and income level diversity of the State of Illinois.

(c) At the end of each fiscal year, the Department shall submit to the General Assembly a report that includes, without limitation:

(1) the identification of each vendor that provided goods or services that were included in a qualified music company's Illinois spending;

(2) a statement of the amount paid to each identified vendor by the qualified music program and whether the vendor is a minority-owned or women-owned business as defined in Section 2 of the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act; and

(3) a description of the steps taken by the Department to encourage qualified music companies to use vendors who are minority-owned or women-owned businesses.

(Source: P.A. 103-592, eff. 6-7-24; 103-1055, eff. 12-20-24.)

Section 30. The Good Samaritan Energy Plan Act is amended by changing Sections 30 and 99 as follows:

(305 ILCS 22/30)

Sec. 30. Distribution of moneys from Fund. Subject to appropriations made by the General Assembly, the Department may spend moneys from the Good Samaritan Energy Trust Fund for the purpose of providing assistance authorized under Section 25. The Department, with the advice and consent of the Low Income Energy Assistance Policy Advisory Council, shall establish priorities for the distribution of moneys from the Good Samaritan Energy Trust Fund to low-income consumers to enable them to pay gas or electric bill arrearages in order to have household gas or electric utility service connected. Low-income consumers who are unable to have their service connected even with a LIHEAP grant shall be given preference. The Department shall ensure that moneys donated for the Fund (other than moneys used for administrative expenses as authorized in Section 25) are distributed to low-income consumers who reside in the county from which those moneys were received. On June 30, 2025, or as soon thereafter as possible, the Comptroller shall order transferred and the Treasurer shall transfer the balance of moneys held in the Good Samaritan Energy Trust Fund from the Good Samaritan Energy Trust Fund to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund. Moneys so transferred shall be distributed in accordance with the Energy Assistance Act and administrative rules governing the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

(Source: P.A. 93-285, eff. 7-22-03.)

(305 ILCS 22/99)

Sec. 99. Effective date; repeal. This Act takes effect upon becoming law. This Act is repealed on July 1, 2025.

(Source: P.A. 93-285, eff. 7-22-03.)

Section 35. The Urban Community Conservation Act is amended by changing Section 4 as follows:

(315 ILCS 25/4) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.11)

Sec. 4. Excepting any municipality for and in which there exists a Department of Urban Renewal created pursuant to the provisions of the "Urban Renewal Consolidation Act of 1961", enacted by the Seventy-Second General Assembly, any municipality, after 30 days' notice, published in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality, and public hearing, shall have the power to provide for the creation of a Conservation Board, to operate within the boundaries of such municipality, pursuant to the provisions of this Act. The presiding officer of any municipality in which a Conservation Board is established shall appoint, with the approval of the governing body and of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, five residents of the municipality to act as a Conservation Board, hereinafter referred to as "the Board." Members of the Board shall be citizens of broad civic interest, administrative experience and ability in the fields of finance, real estate, building, or related endeavors, not more than three of whom shall belong to the same political party. One such member shall be designated by the presiding officer as Commissioner and shall serve at the pleasure of the presiding officer. He shall administer the functions assigned by the Board, preside over its meetings, and carry out whatever other functions may be assigned to him by the governing body. The Commissioner shall devote his full-time attention to the duties of his office and shall receive no public funds by way of salary, compensation, or remuneration for services rendered, from any other governmental agency or public body during his tenure in office, other than the salary provided by the governing body, except as herein otherwise specifically provided.

Four other members of the Board shall be appointed, to serve one, two, three and four year terms. After the expiration of the initial term of office each subsequent term shall be of four years' duration. A member shall hold office until his successor shall have been appointed and qualified. Members of the Board shall be eligible to succeed themselves. Members of the Board other than the Commissioner shall serve without pay, except as herein otherwise specifically provided and no member of the Board shall acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in any conservation project, or in any property included or planned to be included in any conservation project, nor shall any member have any interest in any contract or proposed contract in connection with any such project. Members may be dismissed by the Presiding Office of the Municipality for good cause shown. Such dismissal may be set aside by a two-thirds vote of the governing body. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the Commissioner, may, during all or any part of his term also serve as Chairman or member of a Redevelopment Commission created pursuant to "The Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporation Law" approved July 9, 1941, as amended, and shall be entitled to receive and retain any salary payable to him as Chairman or member of any such Redevelopment Commission. Three members of the Conservation Board shall constitute a quorum to transact business and no vacancy shall impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the Board; and every act, order, rule, regulation or resolution of the Conservation Board approved by a majority of the members thereof at a regular or special meeting shall be deemed to be the act, order, rule, regulation or resolution of the Conservation Board.

The Conservation Board shall designate Conservation Areas and

(a) Approve all conservation plans developed for Conservation Areas in the manner prescribed herein;

(b) Approve each use of eminent domain for the acquisition of real property for the purposes of this Act, provided that every property owner affected by condemnation proceedings shall have the opportunity to be heard by the Board before such proceedings may be approved;

(c) Act as the agent of the Municipality in the acquisition, management, and disposition of property acquired pursuant to this Act as hereinafter provided;

(d) Act as agent of the governing body, at the discretion of the governing body, in the enforcement and the administration of any ordinances relating to the conservation of urban residential areas and the prevention of slums enacted by the governing body pursuant to the laws of this State;

(e) Report annually to the presiding officer of the municipality;

(f) Shall, as agent for the Municipality upon approval by the governing body, have power to apply for and accept capital grants and loans from, and contract with, the United States of America, the Housing and Home Finance Agency, or any other Agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, for or in aid of any of the purposes of this Act, and to secure such loans by the issuance of debentures, notes, special certificates, or other evidences of indebtedness, to the United States of America; and

(g) Exercise any and all other powers as shall be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

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