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1 | AN ACT concerning State government.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic | ||||||
5 | Opportunity Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is | ||||||
6 | amended by changing Section 605-410 as follows:
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7 | (20 ILCS 605/605-410) (was 20 ILCS 605/46.19d)
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8 | Sec. 605-410. Rural community development. The Department
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9 | shall provide for staff for and administer a
program in which | ||||||
10 | the Department shall plan and coordinate
State efforts designed | ||||||
11 | to aid and stimulate the development
of rural communities as | ||||||
12 | well as other communities with special needs in
order to | ||||||
13 | improve their competitiveness for business retention, | ||||||
14 | expansion, and
attraction. Among other duties, the Department, | ||||||
15 | through the
program, may do all of the following:
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16 | (1) Provide information, technical support, and assistance | ||||||
17 | to
local
officials, including, but not limited to, assistance | ||||||
18 | in grant applications,
developing economic development | ||||||
19 | strategies, and complying with State and
federal laws and rules | ||||||
20 | and regulations affecting local governments. All
State | ||||||
21 | agencies shall cooperate with the program to provide the | ||||||
22 | necessary
information, materials, and assistance to enable the | ||||||
23 | Department to carry out
its function in the program in an | ||||||
24 | effective manner. Each agency shall designate
an individual to | ||||||
25 | serve as liaison to the program to provide information and
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26 | materials and to respond to requests for assistance from | ||||||
27 | communities selecting
to work through this program.
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28 | (2) Work with agencies in developing flexible regulations
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29 | through
a
regulatory review program.
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30 | (3) Evaluate and review the impact of existing economic
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31 | development
programs on the rural and special need communities | ||||||
32 | selecting to work through
this program.
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1 | (4) Assist the communities in conducting self-assessments | ||||||
2 | to
identify
specific industries and businesses in need of | ||||||
3 | targeted assistance as well as
actions that the community might | ||||||
4 | take to become more competitive for business
retention, | ||||||
5 | expansion, and attraction.
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6 | (5) Assist in formulating specific and measurable economic
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7 | development
objectives for rural and special need communities | ||||||
8 | selecting to work through
the program.
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9 | (6) Administer the Rural Diversification Act.
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10 | (7) Provide grants for the purposes described in this | ||||||
11 | Section
with
funds as appropriated by the General Assembly.
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12 | In making grants under this Section, the Department shall, | ||||||
13 | subject to appropriation, develop a program to make grants to | ||||||
14 | municipalities and counties for the purpose of funding local | ||||||
15 | development organizations. Under this program, a county or | ||||||
16 | municipality may apply to the Department for a grant to be | ||||||
17 | awarded to the municipality or county to be used by a local | ||||||
18 | development organization in that county or municipality for the | ||||||
19 | purpose of fostering local or regional economic development. | ||||||
20 | For purposes of this Section, "local development | ||||||
21 | organization" means a private or public entity organized for | ||||||
22 | the purpose of the economic development within a municipality, | ||||||
23 | county, or region of the State. | ||||||
24 | All grant awards under this program are subject to | ||||||
25 | appropriation and may be used for any of the following: | ||||||
26 | (1) expenses related to the start-up or expansion of a | ||||||
27 | local development organization; | ||||||
28 | (2) local or regional economic development planning | ||||||
29 | and related studies; and | ||||||
30 | (3) any other specific use authorized by Department | ||||||
31 | rule relating to the start-up or expansion of and economic | ||||||
32 | planning by a local economic development organization. | ||||||
33 | The Department may adopt any rules necessary to implement | ||||||
34 | and operate this program.
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35 | (Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)
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