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91_HB4655
LRB9113281MWgc
1 AN ACT in relation to training and technology grant
2 programs.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Community
6 Affairs Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
7 amended by changing Sections 605-355, 605-800, and 605-805
8 and by adding Sections 605-807 and 605-808 as follows:
9 (20 ILCS 605/605-355) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.19a in part)
10 Sec. 605-355. Grants for research and development in
11 high technology and service sectors.
12 (a) The Department is authorized to establish a program
13 of grants to universities, community colleges, research
14 institutions, research consortiums, other not-for-profit
15 entities, and Illinois businesses for the purpose of
16 fostering research and development in the high technology and
17 the service sector leading to the development of new products
18 and services that can be marketed by Illinois businesses. All
19 grant awards shall include a contract that may provide for
20 payment of negotiated royalties to the Department if the
21 product or service to be developed by the grantee is
22 subsequently licensed for production.
23 (b) Grants may be awarded to universities and research
24 institutions to assist them in making their faculties and
25 facilities available to Illinois businesses. The grants may
26 be used by a university or research institution for purposes
27 including but not limited to the following: (i) to establish
28 or enhance computerized cataloging of all research labs and
29 university staff and make those catalogues available to
30 Illinois businesses; (ii) to market products developed by the
31 university to Illinois businesses; (iii) to review
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1 publications in order to identify, catalog, and inform
2 Illinois businesses of new practices in areas such as
3 robotics, and biotechnology, and e-commerce; (iv) to build an
4 on-line, information and technology system that relies on
5 other computerized networks in the United States; and (v) to
6 assist in securing temporary replacement for faculty who are
7 granted a leave of absence from their teaching duties for the
8 purpose of working full-time for an Illinois business to
9 assist that business with technology transfer.
10 (c) Grants may be awarded to universities and research
11 institutions, research consortiums, and other not-for-profit
12 entities for the purpose of identifying and supporting
13 Illinois businesses engaged in high technology and service
14 sector enterprises. The Illinois businesses identified and
15 funded shall include recipients of Small Business Innovation
16 Research Program funds under subsections (e) through (k) of
17 Section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638,
18 subsections (e) through (k)). Entities receiving grants under
19 this subsection (c) shall be known as commercialization
20 centers and shall engage in one or more of the following
21 activities:
22 (1) Directing research assistance for new venture
23 creations.
24 (2) General feasibility studies of new venture
25 ideas.
26 (3) Furthering the technical and intellectual
27 skills of the managers and owners of Illinois small
28 businesses.
29 (4) Commercialization of technology and research.
30 (5) Development of prototypes and testing new
31 products.
32 (6) Identifying and assisting in securing
33 financing.
34 (7) Marketing assistance.
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1 (8) Assisting Illinois inventors in finding
2 Illinois manufacturers to produce and market their
3 inventions.
4 A commercialization center may charge a nominal fee or
5 accept royalty agreements for conducting feasibility studies
6 and other services.
7 (d) Grants may be awarded by the Department to Illinois
8 businesses to fund research and consultation arrangements
9 between businesses and universities, community colleges,
10 research institutions, research consortiums, and other
11 not-for-profit entities within this State.
12 The Department shall give priority to Illinois small
13 businesses in awarding grants. Each grant awarded under this
14 subsection (d) shall provide funding for up to 50% of the
15 cost of the research or consultation arrangements, not to
16 exceed $100,000; provided that the grant recipient utilizes
17 Illinois not for profit research and academic institutions to
18 perform the research and development function for which grant
19 funds were requested.
20 (e) Grants may be awarded to research consortiums and
21 other qualified applicants, in conjunction with private
22 sector or federal funding, for other creative systems that
23 bridge university resources and business, technological,
24 production, and development concerns.
25 (f) For the purposes of this Section:
26 "High technology" means any area of research or
27 development designed to foster greater knowledge or
28 understanding in fields such as computer science,
29 electronics, physics, chemistry, or biology for the purpose
30 of producing designing, developing, or improving prototypes
31 and new processes.
32 "Illinois business" means a "small business concern" as
33 defined in 15 U.S.C. 632 that conducts its business
34 primarily in Illinois.
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1 "Illinois research institutions" refers to not-for-profit
2 entities, which include federally funded research
3 laboratories, that conduct research and development
4 activities for the purpose of producing, designing,
5 developing, or improving prototypes and new processes.
6 "Other not-for-profit entities" means nonprofit
7 organizations based in Illinois that are primarily devoted
8 to new enterprise or product development.
9 "Private sector" has the meaning ascribed to it in 29
10 U.S.C. 1503.
11 "University" means either a degree granting institution
12 located in Illinois as defined in Section 2 of the Academic
13 Degree Act, or a State-supported institution of higher
14 learning administered by the Board of Trustees of the
15 University of Illinois, the Board of Trustees of Southern
16 Illinois University, the Board of Trustees of Chicago State
17 University, the Board of Trustees of Eastern Illinois
18 University, the Board of Trustees of Governors State
19 University, the Board of Trustees of Illinois State
20 University, the Board of Trustees of Northeastern Illinois
21 University, the Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois
22 University, the Board of Trustees of Western Illinois
23 University, or the Illinois Community College Board.
24 "Venture" means any Illinois business engaged in research
25 and development to create new products or services with high
26 growth potential.
27 (g) The Department may establish a program of grant
28 assistance on a matching basis to universities, community
29 colleges, small business development centers, community
30 action agencies and other not-for-profit economic development
31 agencies to encourage new enterprise development and new
32 business formation and to encourage enterprises in this
33 State. The Department may provide grants, which shall be
34 exempt from the provisions of Section 35-360, to
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1 universities, community colleges, small business development
2 centers, community action agencies, and other not-for-profit
3 economic development entities for the purpose of making loans
4 to small businesses. All grant applications shall contain
5 information as required by the Department, including the
6 following: a program operation plan; a certification and
7 assurance that the small business applicants have received
8 business development training or education, have a business
9 and finance plan, and have experience in the proposed
10 business area; and a description of the support services that
11 the grant recipient will provide to the small business. No
12 more than 10% of the grant may be used by the grant recipient
13 for administrative costs associated with the grant. Grant
14 recipients may use grant funds under this program to make
15 loans on terms and conditions favorable to the small business
16 and shall give priority to those businesses located in high
17 poverty areas, enterprise zones, or both.
18 (Source: P.A. 90-454, eff. 8-16-97; 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)
19 (20 ILCS 605/605-800) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.19a in part)
20 Sec. 605-800. Training grants for skills in critical
21 demand.
22 (a) Grants to provide training in fields affected by
23 critical demands for certain skills may be made as provided
24 in this Section.
25 (b) The Director may make grants to eligible employers
26 or to other eligible entities on behalf of employers as
27 authorized in subsection (c) to provide training for
28 employees in fields for which there are critical demands for
29 certain skills.
30 (c) The Director may accept applications for training
31 grant funds and grant requests from: (i) entities sponsoring
32 multi-company eligible employee training projects as defined
33 in subsection (d), including business associations, strategic
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1 business partnerships, institutions of secondary or higher
2 education, large manufacturers for supplier network
3 companies, federal Job Training Partnership Act
4 administrative entities or grant recipients, and labor
5 organizations when those projects will address common
6 training needs identified by participating companies; and
7 (ii) individual employers that are undertaking eligible
8 employee training projects as defined in subsection (d),
9 including intermediaries and training agents; and (iii)
10 individual employers in manufacturing, manufacturing-related,
11 technology, or technology-related fields employing less than
12 200 full-time employees.
13 (d) The Director may make grants to eligible applicants
14 as defined in subsection (c) for employee training projects
15 that include, but need not be limited to, one or more of the
16 following:
17 (1) Training programs in response to new or
18 changing technology being introduced in the workplace.
19 (2) Job-linked training that offers special skills
20 for career advancement or that is preparatory for, and
21 leads directly to, jobs with definite career potential
22 and long-term job security.
23 (3) Training necessary to implement total quality
24 management or improvement or both management and
25 improvement systems within the workplace.
26 (4) Training related to new machinery or equipment
27 being installed in the workplace.
28 (5) Training of employees of companies that are
29 expanding into new markets or expanding exports from
30 Illinois.
31 (6) Basic, remedial, or both basic and remedial
32 training of employees as a prerequisite for other
33 vocational or technical skills training or as a condition
34 for sustained employment.
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1 (7) Self-employment training of the unemployed and
2 underemployed with comprehensive, competency-based
3 instructional programs and services, entrepreneurial
4 education and training initiatives for youth and adult
5 learners in cooperation with the Illinois Institute for
6 Entrepreneurial Education, training and education,
7 conferences, workshops, and best practice information for
8 local program operators of entrepreneurial education and
9 self-employment training programs.
10 (8) Other training activities or projects, or both
11 training activities and projects, related to the support,
12 development, or evaluation of job training programs,
13 activities, and delivery systems, including training
14 needs assessment and design.
15 (e) Grants shall be made on the terms and conditions
16 that the Department shall determine. No grant made under
17 subsection (d), however, shall exceed 50% of the direct costs
18 of all approved training programs provided by the employer or
19 the employer's training agent or other entity as defined in
20 subsection (c). Under this Section, allowable costs include,
21 but are not limited to:
22 (1) Administrative costs of tracking, documenting,
23 reporting, and processing training funds or project
24 costs.
25 (2) Curriculum development.
26 (3) Wages and fringe benefits of employees.
27 (4) Training materials, including scrap product
28 costs.
29 (5) Trainee travel expenses.
30 (6) Instructor costs, including wages, fringe
31 benefits, tuition, and travel expenses.
32 (7) Rent, purchase, or lease of training equipment.
33 (8) Other usual and customary training costs.
34 (f) The Director will ensure that a minimum of one
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1 on-site grant monitoring visit is conducted by the Department
2 either during the course of the grant period or within 6
3 months following the end of the grant period. The Department
4 shall verify that the grantee's financial management system
5 is structured to provide for accurate, current, and complete
6 disclosure of the financial results of the grant program in
7 accordance with all provisions, terms, and conditions
8 contained in the grant contract.
9 (g) The Director may establish and collect a schedule of
10 charges from subgrantee entities and other system users under
11 federal or State-supported training job-training programs,
12 federal or State-supported technology programs, or both for
13 participating in and utilizing the Department's automated
14 job-training program information systems or other
15 specialized, extraordinary services if the systems and
16 services and the necessary participation and utilization are
17 requirements of the federal or State training or technology
18 job-training programs. All moneys monies collected pursuant
19 to this subsection shall be deposited into the Training and
20 Technology Federal Job-Training Information Systems Revolving
21 Fund created in Section 605-805 35-805.
22 (Source: P.A. 90-454, eff. 8-16-97; 91-239, eff. 1-1-00;
23 91-476, eff. 8-11-99; revised 10-20-99.)
24 (20 ILCS 605/605-805) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.19a in part)
25 Sec. 605-805. Training and Technology Federal
26 Job-Training Information Systems Revolving Fund. There is
27 hereby created a special fund in the State treasury to be
28 known as the Training and Technology Federal Job-Training
29 Information Systems Revolving Fund. The deposit of monies
30 into this fund shall be limited to the collection of charges
31 pursuant to subsection (g) of Section 605-800. The monies in
32 the fund may be used by the Department, subject to
33 appropriation by the General Assembly, only for the purpose
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1 of financing the maintenance and operation of the automated
2 Training and Technology Federal Job-Training Information
3 Systems or other specialized, extraordinary services pursuant
4 to subsection (g) of Section 605-800.
5 (Source: P.A. 90-454, eff. 8-16-97; 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)
6 (20 ILCS 605/605-807 new)
7 Sec. 605-807. Technology and manufacturing training
8 vouchers.
9 (a) The Director is authorized to establish, operate,
10 and maintain a system of job-linked educational and technical
11 training vouchers issued to qualified institutions on behalf
12 of employees of technology, technology-related,
13 manufacturing, or manufacturing-related companies which, upon
14 redemption, shall defray part of the tuition and fee expenses
15 for qualified educational and technical training programs.
16 (1) All benefits provided in this Section must be
17 in the form of tuition or educational fee vouchers
18 redeemable by a qualified educational or technical
19 training entity for reimbursable services performed by
20 the entity on behalf of the individual presenting the
21 voucher.
22 (2) Each tuition or educational fee voucher must
23 state on its face the value of the voucher and the
24 conditions to be met for partial or full redemption.
25 (3) Each tuition or educational fee voucher must
26 refer to all provisions, rules, and regulations governing
27 the proper use of the voucher and all penalties that may
28 result in the event the voucher is not used in
29 accordance with those provisions, rules, and regulations.
30 (b) An employee is entitled to receive benefits under
31 this Section if it is determined that:
32 (1) the individual is an employee of an eligible
33 company and employed in the State of Illinois;
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1 (2) the employee has enrolled in a job-linked
2 program at a qualified institution or training provider
3 that has been certified by the Department as eligible for
4 reimbursement for the acquisition of additional skills
5 relevant to the employer's need by means of individual or
6 multi-course programs or certifications that may contain
7 educational or technical components; and
8 (3) the employee (i) has not been issued vouchers
9 in the maximum amount authorized under subsection (c)
10 within the 24 months previous to the pending
11 determination of eligibility for benefits and (ii) is not
12 receiving funds for the educational or technical training
13 programs from another State or federally-funded program.
14 (c) An individual who claims benefits under this Section
15 and who is entitled to receive benefits under subsection (b)
16 may receive vouchers. The aggregate value of the vouchers,
17 for the 12 months commencing on the first day of the week
18 during which a claim is made, may not exceed 50% of the
19 aggregate costs for tuition or other educational fees
20 eligible for payment under rules of the Department. In no
21 event, however, may the aggregate value of the vouchers
22 issued together with all such vouchers issued within the 24
23 months previous to the determination of eligibility exceed
24 $3,000.
25 No person may receive vouchers under this Section unless
26 funds have been appropriated or otherwise made available for
27 the purposes of this Section during the fiscal year.
28 A voucher is deemed to be received by the individual
29 making a claim for benefits under this Section at the time
30 the Department delivers the voucher to the entity providing
31 qualified educational or technical training services.
32 Delivery of a voucher by the Department to a training
33 provider is the same as though the individual on whose behalf
34 the voucher is made delivered the voucher himself or herself.
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1 A voucher may not be issued for any qualified claim after 52
2 weeks after the first day of the week during which the claim
3 is made and for educational or technical training services
4 that are not completed before 92 weeks after the first day of
5 the week during which the claim is made.
6 (d) An individual entitled to benefits under this
7 Section must apply the benefits toward defraying the cost of
8 qualified job-linked educational or technical training
9 programs that will help qualify the individual to meet his or
10 her employer's skill needs.
11 Upon becoming admitted to a qualified job-linked
12 educational or technical training program, the individual may
13 cause the entity that operates the program to notify the
14 Department of the individual's admission, the cost of
15 participation in the program, the courses of instruction that
16 comprises the program, and the term periods of the program.
17 Upon receiving the notice described in this subsection
18 and conducting any other investigations it determines are
19 necessary to make certain the individual is qualified and has
20 been admitted to a qualified educational or technical
21 training program, the Department shall immediately issue a
22 voucher in the appropriate amount. The voucher must be
23 delivered to the entity providing the qualified training
24 program. A copy of the voucher shall be delivered to the
25 individual receiving benefits and to his or her employer.
26 Upon receipt of the voucher, the entity shall deliver the
27 voucher to the State Comptroller who shall draw a warrant on
28 the State Treasurer for payment to the training entity from
29 the Department's appropriations.
30 (e) The Department must, on or before the beginning of
31 each fiscal year, publish a list of qualified training
32 courses, training programs, and training providers. The
33 training must be provided by an educational, vocational, or
34 technical training institution that is located in Illinois
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1 and that is (i) operated by a public school as provided in
2 the School Code or by a public community college as provided
3 in the Public Community College Act, (ii) operated, publicly
4 or privately, on a not-for-profit basis and meets standards
5 substantially equivalent to those of comparable institutions
6 operated by this State or by public community colleges, (iii)
7 operated by a college or any business, trade, technical, or
8 vocational school that is recognized or accredited by a
9 recognized national or multi-state organization or
10 association that regularly recognizes or accredits colleges
11 or schools, or (iv) operated by a public or private company
12 or training entity that can provide industry-recognized
13 technical training resulting in portable or transferable
14 skills or certifications to the employee of direct benefit to
15 the employee's current employer. The Department may amend the
16 published list of qualified training courses, training
17 programs, and training providers at any time during the
18 course of the State fiscal year in response employer demand.
19 (20 ILCS 605/605-808 new)
20 Sec. 605-808. School-to-work grants. The Director may
21 make grants to support innovative programs that foster
22 school-to-work efforts. In making these grant awards, the
23 Director shall give priority consideration to those projects
24 with demonstrated employer involvement and commitment that
25 address critical current or projected future skill shortages
26 in the workforce that are hindering or have the potential to
27 hinder the Department's economic development activities.
28 Grant funds may be used for, but are not necessarily limited
29 to, the following:
30 (1) New program development activities, including
31 skill standards development.
32 (2) Curriculum development.
33 (3) Career and industry awareness.
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1 (4) Educator industry awareness workshops.
2 (5) Professional development days for teachers.
3 (6) Student support mechanisms, stipends, or both.
4 (7) Student work-site experience stipends.
5 (8) Skill aptitude tests, assessment tests, or
6 both.
7 (9) Administrative costs of a project, not to
8 exceed 15% of the total grant award including indirect
9 costs.
10 (10) Other usual and customary costs.
11 Section 10. The Prairie State 2000 Authority Act is
12 amended by adding Section 1.5 as follows:
13 (20 ILCS 4020/1.5 new)
14 Sec. 1.5. Transfer to the Department of Commerce and
15 Community Affairs. All obligations of the Prairie State 2000
16 Authority that are outstanding on the effective date of this
17 amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly are transferred
18 to the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. Any
19 appropriations made to the Authority that are unexpended on
20 the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General
21 Assembly are transferred to the Department of Commerce and
22 Community Affairs.
23 Moneys remaining in the Prairie State 2000 Fund on the
24 effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General
25 Assembly may be used, subject to appropriation, by the
26 Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.
27 Section 15. The State Finance Act is amended by changing
28 Section 5.195 as follows:
29 (30 ILCS 105/5.195) (from Ch. 127, par. 141.195)
30 Sec. 5.195. The Training and Technology Federal Job
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1 Training Information Systems Revolving Fund.
2 (Source: P.A. 84-1124.)
3 (20 ILCS 605/605-360 rep.)
4 Section 20. The Department of Commerce and Community
5 Affairs Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
6 amended by repealing Section 605-360.
7 (20 ILCS 4020/2 rep.)
8 (20 ILCS 4020/3 rep.)
9 (20 ILCS 4020/4 rep.)
10 (20 ILCS 4020/7 rep.)
11 (20 ILCS 4020/8 rep.)
12 (20 ILCS 4020/9 rep.)
13 (20 ILCS 4020/10 rep.)
14 (20 ILCS 4020/11 rep.)
15 (20 ILCS 4020/12 rep.)
16 (20 ILCS 4020/13 rep.)
17 (20 ILCS 4020/14 rep.)
18 (20 ILCS 4020/15 rep.)
19 (20 ILCS 4020/16 rep.)
20 (20 ILCS 4020/17 rep.)
21 (20 ILCS 4020/18 rep.)
22 (20 ILCS 4020/19 rep.)
23 (20 ILCS 4020/22 rep.)
24 Section 25. The Prairie State 2000 Authority Act is
25 amended by repealing Sections 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
26 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 22.
27 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
28 becoming law.
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1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
3 20 ILCS 605/605-355 was 20 ILCS 605/46.19a in part
4 20 ILCS 605/605-800 was 20 ILCS 605/46.19a in part
5 20 ILCS 605/605-805 was 20 ILCS 605/46.19a in part
6 20 ILCS 605/605-807 new
7 20 ILCS 605/605-808 new
8 20 ILCS 4020/1.5 new
9 30 ILCS 105/5.195 from Ch. 127, par. 141.195
10 20 ILCS 605/605-360 rep.
11 20 ILCS 4020/2 rep.
12 20 ILCS 4020/3 rep.
13 20 ILCS 4020/4 rep.
14 20 ILCS 4020/7 rep.
15 20 ILCS 4020/8 rep.
16 20 ILCS 4020/9 rep.
17 20 ILCS 4020/10 rep.
18 20 ILCS 4020/11 rep.
19 20 ILCS 4020/12 rep.
20 20 ILCS 4020/13 rep.
21 20 ILCS 4020/14 rep.
22 20 ILCS 4020/15 rep.
23 20 ILCS 4020/16 rep.
24 20 ILCS 4020/17 rep.
25 20 ILCS 4020/18 rep.
26 20 ILCS 4020/19 rep.
27 20 ILCS 4020/22 rep.