Public Act 102-0287
 
SB0317 EnrolledLRB102 09943 RJF 15261 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 Illinois Promotion Act is amended by
changing Sections 3, 4, 8a, and 13 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 665/3)  (from Ch. 127, par. 200-23)
    Sec. 3. Definitions. The following words and terms,
whenever used or referred to in this Act, shall have the
following meanings, except where the context may otherwise
require:
    (a) "Department" means the Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity of the State of Illinois.
    (b) "Local promotion group" means any non-profit
corporation, organization, association, agency or committee
thereof formed for the primary purpose of publicizing,
promoting, advertising or otherwise encouraging the
development of tourism in any municipality, county, or region
of Illinois.
    (c) "Promotional activities" means preparing, planning and
conducting campaigns of information, advertising and publicity
through such media as newspapers, radio, television,
magazines, trade journals, moving and still photography,
posters, outdoor signboards and personal contact within and
without the State of Illinois; dissemination of information,
advertising, publicity, photographs and other literature and
material designed to carry out the purpose of this Act; and
participation in and attendance at meetings and conventions
concerned primarily with tourism, including travel to and from
such meetings.
    (d) "Municipality" means "municipality" as defined in
Section 1-1-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as heretofore
and hereafter amended.
    (e) "Tourism" means travel 50 miles or more one-way or an
overnight trip outside of a person's normal routine.
    (f) "Municipal amateur sports facility" means a sports
facility that: (1) is owned by a unit of local government; (2)
has contiguous indoor sports competition space; (3) is
designed to principally accommodate and host amateur
competitions for youths, adults, or both; and (4) is not used
for professional sporting events where participants are
compensated for their participation.
    (g) "Municipal convention center" means a convention
center or civic center owned by a unit of local government or
operated by a convention center authority, or a municipal
convention hall as defined in paragraph (1) of Section 11-65-1
of the Illinois Municipal Code, with contiguous exhibition
space ranging between 30,000 and 125,000 square feet.
    (h) "Convention center authority" means an Authority, as
defined by the Civic Center Code, that operates a municipal
convention center with contiguous exhibition space ranging
between 30,000 and 125,000 square feet.
    (i) "Incentive" means: (1) a financial incentive provided
by a unit of local government or convention center authority
to attract a convention, meeting, or trade show held at a
municipal convention center that, but for the incentive, would
not have occurred in the State or been retained in the State;
or (2) a financial incentive provided by a unit of local
government for attracting a sporting event held at its
municipal amateur sports facility that, but for the incentive,
would not have occurred in the State or been retained in the
State; but (3) only a financial incentive offered or provided
to a person or entity in the form of financial benefits or
costs which are allowable costs pursuant to the Grant
Accountability and Transparency Act.
    (j) "Unit of local government" has the meaning provided in
Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.
    (k) "Local parks" means any park, recreation area, or
other similar facility owned or operated by a unit of local
government.
(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19.)
 
    (20 ILCS 665/4)  (from Ch. 127, par. 200-24)
    Sec. 4. Powers. The Department shall have the following
powers:
    (a) To formulate a program for the promotion of tourism
and the film industry in the State of Illinois, including, but
not limited to, the promotion of our State Parks and local
parks, fishing and hunting areas, historical shrines, vacation
regions and areas of historic or scenic interest.
    (b) To cooperate with civic groups and local, State and
federal departments and agencies, and agencies and departments
of other states in encouraging educational tourism and
developing programs therefor.
    (c) To publish tourist promotional material such as
brochures and booklets.
    (d) To promote tourism in Illinois through all media,
including but not limited to, the Internet, television,
articles and advertisements in magazines, newspapers and
travel publications and by establishing promotional
exhibitions at fairs, travel shows, and similar exhibitions.
    (e) To establish and maintain travel offices at major
points of entry to the State.
    (f) To recommend legislation relating to the encouragement
of tourism in Illinois.
    (g) To assist municipalities, other units of local
government, or local promotion groups in developing new
tourist attractions including but not limited to feasibility
studies and analyses, research and development, and management
and marketing planning for such new tourist attractions.
    (h) (Blank).
    (i) To implement a program of matching grants and loans to
counties, municipalities, other units of local government,
local promotion groups and others, as provided in Sections 5
and 8a of this Act, for the development or improvement of
tourism attractions and tourism events in Illinois under the
terms and conditions provided in this Act.
    (j) To expend funds from the International and Promotional
Fund, subject to appropriation, on any activity authorized
under this Act.
    (k) To do any other acts that, in the judgment of the
Department, are necessary and proper in fostering and
promoting tourism in the State of Illinois.
(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 92-38, eff. 6-28-01.)
 
    (20 ILCS 665/8a)  (from Ch. 127, par. 200-28a)
    Sec. 8a. Tourism grants and loans.
    (1) The Department is authorized to make grants and loans,
subject to appropriations by the General Assembly for this
purpose from the Tourism Promotion Fund, to counties,
municipalities, other units of local government, local
promotion groups, not-for-profit organizations, or for-profit
businesses for the development or improvement of tourism
attractions in Illinois. Individual grants and loans shall not
exceed $1,000,000 and shall not exceed 50% of the entire
amount of the actual expenditures for the development or
improvement of a tourist attraction. Agreements for loans made
by the Department pursuant to this subsection may contain
provisions regarding term, interest rate, security as may be
required by the Department and any other provisions the
Department may require to protect the State's interest.
    (2) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 94-91, eff. 7-1-05.)
 
    (20 ILCS 665/13)  (from Ch. 127, par. 200-33)
    Sec. 13. Powers of municipalities and counties. For the
purposes set out in this Act, the corporate authorities of
each city, village or incorporated town and the county board
of each county may (1) promote the advantages of the
municipality or county, as the case may be, for tourism,
industrial development and other activities and programs
designed to stimulate employment, (2) appropriate funds for
promotional activities and programs, (3) accept gifts and
grants to be used for promotional purposes, and (4) join with
other municipalities, counties, other units of local
government, and local promotion groups in promotional
activities and programs.
(Source: P.A. 92-38, eff. 6-28-01.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.