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92_SB0881eng SB881 Engrossed LRB9201990TApr 1 AN ACT concerning natural resources. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Department of Natural Resources Act is 5 amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows: 6 (20 ILCS 801/1-15) 7 Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties. 8 (a) It shall be the duty of the Department to 9 investigate practical problems, implement studies, conduct 10 research and provide assistance, information and data 11 relating to the technology and administration of the natural 12 history, entomology, zoology, and botany of this State; the 13 geology and natural resources of this State; the water and 14 atmospheric resources of this State; and the archeological 15 and cultural history of this State. 16 (b) The Department (i) shall obtain, store, and process 17 relevant data; recommend technological, administrative, and 18 legislative changes and developments; cooperate with other 19 federal, state, and local governmental research agencies, 20 facilities, or institutes in the selection of projects for 21 study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and with 22 the public and private colleges and universities in this 23 State in developing relevant interdisciplinary approaches to 24 problems; and evaluate curricula at all levels of education 25 and provide assistance to instructors;and (ii) may sponsor 26 an annual conference of leaders in government, industry, 27 health, and education to evaluate the state of this State's 28 environment and natural resources. 29 (c) The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code, 30 shall employ such personnel, provide such facilities, and 31 contract for such outside services as may be necessary to SB881 Engrossed -2- LRB9201990TApr 1 carry out the purposes of the Department. Maximum use shall 2 be made of existing federal and state agencies, facilities, 3 and personnel in conducting research under this Act. 4 (d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has 5 the following powers: 6 (1) To obtain, store, process, and provide data and 7 information related to the powers and duties of the 8 Department under this Act. This subdivision (d)(1) does 9 not give authority to the Department to require reports 10 from nongovernmental sources or entities. 11 (2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois 12 Science and Technology Advisory Committee and the 13 Illinois Coalition for the purpose of facilitating the 14 effective operations and activities of such entities. 15 Support may include, but need not be limited to, 16 providing space for the operations of the Committee and 17 the Illinois Coalition. 18 (e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local 19 not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development, 20 maintenance and study of wetland areas. 21 (f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive 22 and administer on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests, 23 donations, income from property rental and endowments. Any 24 such funds received by the Department shall be deposited into 25 the Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby 26 created in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of 27 this Act or, when appropriate, for such purposes and under 28 such restrictions, terms and conditions as are predetermined 29 by the donor or grantor of such funds or property. Any 30 accrued interest from money deposited into the Natural 31 Resources Fund shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in 32 the same manner as the principal. The Director shall maintain 33 records which account for and assure that restricted funds or 34 property are disbursed or used pursuant to the restrictions, SB881 Engrossed -3- LRB9201990TApr 1 terms or conditions of the donor. 2 (g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and 3 promote our special heritage of recreational hunting and 4 trapping by providing opportunities to hunt and trap in 5 accordance with the Wildlife Code. 6 (Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 91-582, eff. 8-14-99.) 7 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 8 becoming law.