Public Act 100-0541
 
SB1462 EnrolledLRB100 11206 HLH 21517 b



    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 adding Section 605-1020 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 605/605-1020 new)
    Sec. 605-1020. Entrepreneur Learner's Permit pilot 
program.
    (a) Subject to appropriation, there is hereby established 
an Entrepreneur Learner's Permit pilot program that shall be 
administered by the Department beginning on July 1 of the first 
fiscal year for which an appropriation of State moneys is made 
for that purpose and continuing for the next 2 immediately 
succeeding fiscal years; however, the Department is not 
required to administer the program in any fiscal year for which 
such an appropriation has not been made. The purpose of the 
program shall be to encourage and assist beginning 
entrepreneurs in starting new information services, 
biotechnology, and green technology businesses by providing 
reimbursements to those entrepreneurs for any State filing, 
permitting, or licensing fees associated with the formation of 
such a business in the State. 
    (b) Applicants for participation in the Entrepreneur 
Learner's Permit pilot program shall apply to the Department, 
in a form and manner prescribed by the Department, prior to the 
formation of the business for which the entrepreneur seeks 
reimbursement of those fees. The Department shall adopt rules 
for the review and approval of applications, provided that it 
(1) shall give priority to applicants who are female or 
minority persons, or both, and (2) shall not approve any 
application by a person who will not be a beginning 
entrepreneur. Reimbursements under this Section shall be 
provided in the manner determined by the Department. In no 
event shall an applicant apply for participation in the program 
more than 3 times. 
    (c) The aggregate amount of all reimbursements provided by 
the Department pursuant to this Section shall not exceed 
$500,000 in any State fiscal year. 
    (d) On or before February 1 of the last calendar year 
during which the pilot program is in effect, the Department 
shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly 
on the cumulative effectiveness of the Entrepreneur Learner's 
Permit pilot program. The review shall include, but not be 
limited to, the number and type of businesses that were formed 
in connection with the pilot program, the current status of 
each business formed in connection with the pilot program, the 
number of employees employed by each such business, the 
economic impact to the State from the pilot program, the 
satisfaction of participants in the pilot program, and a 
recommendation as to whether the program should be continued. 
    (e) As used in this Section:
        "Beginning entrepreneur" means an individual who, at 
    the time he or she applies for participation in the 
    program, has less than 5 years of experience as a business 
    owner and is not a current business owner. 
        "Female" and "minority person" have the meanings given 
    to those terms in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, 
    Females, and Persons with Disabilities Act. 

 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
2017.