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92nd General Assembly

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Public Act 92-0524

HB3017 Enrolled                                LRB9200724MWpk

    AN ACT concerning tourism.

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

    Section  5.   The  Department  of  Commerce and Community
Affairs Law of the Civil Administrative Code of  Illinois  is
amended by changing Section 605-705 as follows:

    (20 ILCS 605/605-705) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.6a)
    Sec.  605-705.  Grants  to  local  tourism and convention
bureaus.
    (a)  To establish a grant program for local  tourism  and
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 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
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 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.
    (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,  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 shall be used  for  grants  to  convention  and
tourism  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 the total appropriated 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 promotional activities,  and  to  fund
promotional  activities  that support an increased use of the
State's parks or historic sites.
(Source: P.A. 91-239,  eff.  1-1-00;  91-357,  eff.  7-29-99;
92-16, eff. 6-28-01; 92-38, eff. 6-28-01.)

    Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.
    Passed in the General Assembly November 29, 2001.
    Approved February 08, 2002.
    Effective February 08, 2002.

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