HB4959 EngrossedLRB103 36303 SPS 66401 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic
5Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois
6is amended by adding Section 605-1115 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 605/605-1115 new)
8    Sec. 605-1115. Creative Economy Task Force.
9    (a) Subject to appropriation, the Creative Economy Task
10Force is created within the Department of Commerce and
11Economic Opportunity to create a strategic plan to develop the
12creative economy in this State.
13    (b) The task force shall consist of the following members:
14        (1) the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
15    or the Director's designee, who shall serve as chair of
16    the task force;
17        (2) the Executive Director of the Illinois Arts
18    Council or the Executive Director's designee, who shall
19    serve as the vice-chair of the task force;
20        (3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House
21    of Representatives;
22        (4) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
23    House of Representatives;

 

 

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1        (5) one member appointed by the President of the
2    Senate;
3        (6) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
4    Senate;
5        (7) one member from the banking industry with
6    experience in matters involving the federal small business
7    administration, appointed by the Governor;
8        (8) one member from a certified public accounting firm
9    or other company with experience in financial modeling and
10    in the creative arts, appointed by the Governor;
11        (9) one member recommended by the Illinois State
12    Association of Counties, appointed by the Governor;
13        (10) one member from an Illinois public institution of
14    higher education or nonprofit research institution with
15    experience in matters involving cultural arts, appointed
16    by the Governor;
17        (11) the Director of Labor or the Director's designee;
18    and
19        (12) five members from this State's arts community,
20    appointed by the Governor, including, but not limited to,
21    the following sectors:
22            (A) film, television, and video production;
23            (B) recorded audio and music production;
24            (C) animation production;
25            (D) video game development;
26            (E) live theater, orchestra, ballet, and opera;

 

 

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1            (F) live music performance;
2            (G) visual arts, including sculpture, painting,
3        graphic design, and photography;
4            (H) production facilities, such as film and
5        television studios;
6            (I) live music or performing arts venues; and
7            (J) arts service organizations.
8    (c) No later than July 1, 2026, the task force shall
9collect and analyze data on the current state of the creative
10economy in this State and develop a strategic plan to improve
11this State's creative economy that can be rolled out in
12incremental phases to reach identified economic, social
13justice, and business development goals. The goal of the
14strategic plan shall be to ensure that this State is
15competitive with respect to attracting creative economy
16business, retaining talent within this State, and developing
17marketable content that can be exported for national and
18international consumption and monetization. The strategic plan
19shall address support for the creative community within
20historically marginalized communities, as well as the creative
21economy at large, and take into account the diverse interests,
22strengths, and needs of the people of this State. In
23developing the strategic plan for the creative economy in this
24State, the task force shall:
25        (1) identify existing studies of aspects affecting the
26    creative economy, including studies relating to tax

 

 

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1    issues, legislation, finance, population and demographics,
2    and employment;
3        (2) conduct a comparative analysis with other
4    jurisdictions that have successfully developed creative
5    economy plans and programs;
6        (3) conduct in-depth interviews to identify best
7    practices for structuring a strategic plan for this State;
8        (4) evaluate existing banking models for financing
9    creative economy projects in the private sector and
10    develop a financial model to promote investment in this
11    State's creative economy;
12        (5) evaluate existing federal, State, and local tax
13    incentives and make recommendations for improvements to
14    support the creative economy;
15        (6) identify the role that counties and cities play
16    with respect to the strategic plan, and identify specific
17    counties and cities that may need or want a stronger
18    creative economy;
19        (7) identify opportunities for aligning with new
20    business models and the integration of new technologies;
21        (8) identify the role that State education programs in
22    the creative arts play in the creative economy and with
23    respect to advancing the strategic plan;
24        (9) identify geographic areas with the least amount of
25    access or opportunity for a creative economy;
26        (10) identify opportunities for earn and learn job

 

 

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1    training employment for students who have enrolled or
2    completed a program in the arts, low-income or unemployed
3    creative workers, and others with demonstrated interest in
4    creative work in their communities; and
5        (11) identify existing initiatives and projects that
6    can be used as models for earn and learn opportunities or
7    as examples of best practices for earn and learn
8    opportunities that can be replicated Statewide or in
9    different regions.
10    (d) The task force shall submit its findings and
11recommendations to the General Assembly no later than July 1,
122026.
13    (e) Members of the task force shall serve without
14compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses
15incurred in the performance of their duties. The Department of
16Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall provide administrative
17support to the task force.
18    (f) Appropriations for the task force may be used to
19support operational expenses of the Department, including
20entering into a contract with a third-party provider for
21administrative support.
22    (g) The Director or the Director's designee may, after
23issuing a request for proposals, designate a third-party
24provider to help facilitate task force meetings, compile
25information, and prepare the strategic plan described in
26subsection (c). A third-party provider contracted by the

 

 

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1Director shall have experience conducting business in
2professional arts or experience in business development and
3drafting business plans and multidisciplinary planning
4documents.
5    (h) This Section is repealed January 1, 2027.