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91_HB3973 LRB9112632MWgc 1 AN ACT to amend the Department of Commerce and Community 2 Affairs Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois by 3 changing Section 605-400. 4 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 5 represented in the General Assembly: 6 Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Community 7 Affairs Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is 8 amended by changing Section 605-400 as follows: 9 (20 ILCS 605/605-400) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.19c) 10 Sec. 605-400. Office of Urban Assistance. The Department 11 shall provide for, staff, and administer an Office of Urban 12 Assistance, which shall plan and coordinate existing State 13 programs designed to aid and stimulate the economic growth of 14 depressed urban areas. Among other duties assigned by the 15 Department, the Office shall have the following duties: 16 (1) To coordinate the activities of the following 17 units and programs of the Department and all other 18 present and future units and programs of the Department 19 that impact depressed urban areas to the extent that they 20 impact upon or concern urban economics: 21 (A) Enterprise Zone Program. 22 (B) Small Business Development Center Program. 23 (C) Programs that assist in the development of 24 community infrastructure. 25 (D) Illinois House Energy Assistance Program. 26 (E) Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance 27 Program. 28 (F) Programs financed with Community Services Block 29 Grant funds. 30 (G) Industrial Training Program. 31 (H) Technology Transfer and Innovation Program. -2- LRB9112632MWgc 1 (I) Rental Rehabilitation Program. 2 (J) Displaced Homemaker Program. 3 (K) Programs under the federal Job Training 4 Partnership Act. 5 The Office shall convene quarterly meetings of 6 representatives who are designated by the Department to 7 represent the units and programs listed in items (A) through 8 (K). 9 (2) To gather information concerning any State or 10 federal program that is designed to revitalize or assist 11 depressed urban areas in the State and to provide this 12 information to public and private entities upon request. 13 (3) To promote and assist in developing urban inner city 14 industrial parks. 15 (4) To promote economic parity and the autonomy of 16 citizens of this State through promoting and assisting the 17 development of urban inner city small business development 18 centers, urban youth unemployment projects, small business 19 incubators, family resource centers, urban developments 20 banks, self managed urban businesses, and plans for urban 21 infrastructure projects over the next 25 years. 22 (5) To recommend to the General Assembly and the 23 Governor economic policies for urban areas and planning 24 models that will result in the reconstruction of the economy 25 of urban areas, especially those urban areas where 26 economically and socially disadvantaged people live. 27 (6) To make recommendations to the General Assembly and 28 the Governor on the establishment of urban economic policy in 29 the areas of (i) housing, (ii) scientific research, (iii) 30 urban youth unemployment, (iv) business incubators and family 31 resource centers in urban inner cities, and (v) alternative 32 energy resource development, and the need thereof, in urban 33 areas as part of the department's 5-year plan for economic 34 development. -3- LRB9112632MWgc 1 (7) To make any rules and regulations necessary to carry 2 out its responsibilities under the Civil Administrative Code 3 of Illinois. 4 (8) To encourage new industrial enterprises to locate in 5 urban areas (i) through educational promotions that point out 6 the opportunities of any such area as a commercial and 7 industrial field of opportunity and (ii) by the solicitation 8 of industrial enterprises; and to do other acts that, in the 9 judgment of the Office, are necessary and proper in fostering 10 and promoting the industrial development and economic welfare 11 of any urban area. The Office, however, shall have no power 12 to require reports from or to regulate any business. 13 (9) To accept grants, loans, or appropriations from the 14 federal government or the State, or any agency or 15 instrumentality thereof, to be used for the operating 16 expenses of the Office or for any purposes of the Office, 17 including the making of direct loans or grants of those funds 18 for public, private, experimental, or cooperative housing, 19 scientific research, urban inner city industrial parks, urban 20 youth employment projects, business incubators, urban 21 infrastructure development, alternative energy resource 22 development, community facilities needed in urban areas, and 23 any other purpose related to the revitalization of urban 24 areas. 25 (10) To establish within each local branch of the Office 26 a local board of directors to act as an advisory board to the 27 Department. Each local board of directors shall consist of 9 28 members appointed by the Director of the Department. Five 29 members of the local board of directors shall be from private 30 industry and 4 members shall be from community-based 31 organizations and community leadership. 32 (Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.) 33 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon -4- LRB9112632MWgc 1 becoming law.