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1 | AN ACT concerning conservation.
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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 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Conservation Acquisition and Resource Enhancement Program Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | recognizes that the statewide network of land and water | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | resources, the State's prime agricultural and forestry lands, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | and the State's natural, cultural, historic, and recreational | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | areas are a priceless legacy that enhance the health of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | ecosystems, encourage working landscapes, foster natural | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | resource stewardship, sustain a healthy economy, and promote a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | sustainable high quality of life for current and future | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | generations of Illinois citizens. The General Assembly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | recognizes the critical role nonprofit conservation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | organizations and organizations that are tax-exempt have in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | partnering with municipalities, counties, and the State in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | accomplishing land conservation goals.
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19 | Section 10. Program creation, scope, purpose. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | (a) The Conservation Acquisition and Resource Enhancement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | Program is created. The purpose of the Program is to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | permanently protect land and water, or interests therein, that |
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1 | is in an undeveloped, natural state or that has been developed | ||||||
2 | only to an extent that does not interfere with its conservation | ||||||
3 | value.
The following types of resources are eligible for | ||||||
4 | consideration in meeting the purpose of the Program: | ||||||
5 | (1) water quality protection for rivers, streams, and | ||||||
6 | lakes; | ||||||
7 | (2) flood protection; | ||||||
8 | (3) wetlands protection;
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9 | (4) reduction of erosion through protection of slopes, | ||||||
10 | areas with erodible soils, and stream banks;
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11 | (5) protection of riparian buffers and other areas that | ||||||
12 | serve as natural habitat and corridors for native plant and | ||||||
13 | animal species;
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14 | (6) protection of prime agricultural and forestry | ||||||
15 | lands;
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16 | (7) protection of cultural sites, heritage corridors, | ||||||
17 | and archeological and historic resources;
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18 | (8) scenic protection;
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19 | (9) provision of recreation in the form of boating, | ||||||
20 | hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, running, jogging, | ||||||
21 | biking, walking, or similar outdoor activities;
and | ||||||
22 | (10) connection of existing or planned areas | ||||||
23 | contributing to the goals set out in this subsection.
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24 | (b) The Program should promote partnerships for the | ||||||
25 | conservation of land resources that are identified by | ||||||
26 | municipalities or counties as locally valuable or identified by |
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1 | the Department of Natural Resources as having statewide | ||||||
2 | significance. The Program should also promote alternative land | ||||||
3 | conservation funding options in cooperation with private, | ||||||
4 | non-profit, and tax-exempt organizations, which will augment | ||||||
5 | currently available local, State, and federal funding.
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6 | Section 15. Administration; council. | ||||||
7 | (a) The Department of Natural Resources shall administer | ||||||
8 | the Program. | ||||||
9 | (b) The Open Space Council is created. The Open Space | ||||||
10 | Council shall consist of the Director of the Department of | ||||||
11 | Natural Resource's Office of Resource Conservation or his or | ||||||
12 | her designee, the Director of the Department of Natural | ||||||
13 | Resource's Office of Realty and Environmental Planning or his | ||||||
14 | or her designee, the Director of Agriculture or his or her | ||||||
15 | designee, the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or | ||||||
16 | his or her designee, the president of the Association of Soil | ||||||
17 | and Water Conservation Districts or his or her designee, the | ||||||
18 | Director of the Illinois Finance Authority or his or her | ||||||
19 | designee, and 3 additional members appointed by the Governor. | ||||||
20 | (c) At a minimum, the Program shall include: | ||||||
21 | (1) The opportunity for municipalities or counties to | ||||||
22 | develop, submit to the Council, and sponsor, a community | ||||||
23 | land conservation project to protect locally identified | ||||||
24 | land resources with high environmental values or | ||||||
25 | conservation benefits. |
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1 | (2) Assistance for municipalities and counties with | ||||||
2 | the development of community land conservation project | ||||||
3 | proposals including program requirements and technical | ||||||
4 | assistance with real estate transactions. | ||||||
5 | (3) The Department may develop, submit to the Council, | ||||||
6 | and sponsor a State land conservation project to accomplish | ||||||
7 | the strategic investment in protection of land resources | ||||||
8 | identified by the Department as having high environmental | ||||||
9 | values or conservation benefits. | ||||||
10 | (4) The Department shall make recommendations to the | ||||||
11 | Council based on the review of each land conservation | ||||||
12 | project, including recommended funding sources, funding | ||||||
13 | levels, and conditions. | ||||||
14 | Section 20. Council duties.
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15 | (a) The Council shall review each land conservation project | ||||||
16 | proposal and shall consider the recommendations of the | ||||||
17 | Department, as well as the Program's procedures, conditions, | ||||||
18 | components, priorities, and criteria under this Act. The | ||||||
19 | decision of the Council that a land conservation project | ||||||
20 | complies with all of the required terms and conditions and is | ||||||
21 | approved shall cause the municipality, county, or Department to | ||||||
22 | become eligible for funding. | ||||||
23 | The Council shall adopt procedures for organizations that | ||||||
24 | are tax-exempt to enter into partnerships with municipalities, | ||||||
25 | counties, or the Department to assist with: (1) the |
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1 | identification and development of land conservation project | ||||||
2 | proposals; (2) the establishment of a local funding match; and | ||||||
3 | (3) to accept and administer property acquired by a | ||||||
4 | municipality, county or the Department. | ||||||
5 | (b) The Council shall have a link on the Department's | ||||||
6 | Internet website providing information on the Conservation | ||||||
7 | Acquisition and Resource Enhancement Program and other open | ||||||
8 | space related programs offered at the State and federal level | ||||||
9 | and programs that may be available through other sources such | ||||||
10 | as non-profit organizations and businesses. | ||||||
11 | (c) The Department may, by agreement with a municipality or | ||||||
12 | county, accept and administer property acquired by the | ||||||
13 | municipality or county or make such other agreements for the | ||||||
14 | ownership and operation of the property.
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15 | Section 25. Conservation Acquisition and Resource | ||||||
16 | Enhancement Fund.
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17 | (a) The Conservation Acquisition and Resource Enhancement | ||||||
18 | Program Fund is created as a special fund in the State | ||||||
19 | treasury. The Fund shall consist of moneys appropriated, paid | ||||||
20 | under an intergovernmental contract, voluntarily contributed, | ||||||
21 | federal funds, revenue from the check-off established by this | ||||||
22 | Act, and other moneys acquired by any fund raising or other | ||||||
23 | promotional techniques. Moneys will be made available in each | ||||||
24 | fiscal year for grants to municipalities and counties with an | ||||||
25 | approved community land conservation project under this Act, |
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1 | that have complied with State laws, regulations, contracts, and | ||||||
2 | agreements, and have matching funds at a percentage of the | ||||||
3 | total project cost as established by the Department. | ||||||
4 | The Council shall use at a minimum the following criteria | ||||||
5 | in granting project approval: | ||||||
6 | (1) the project must promote the permanent protection | ||||||
7 | of conservation land; | ||||||
8 | (2) the identification and commitment of local land use | ||||||
9 | ordinances and local conservation and preservation | ||||||
10 | ordinances, policies, and regulations that further the | ||||||
11 | achievement of the permanent protection of conservation | ||||||
12 | land; and | ||||||
13 | (3) a multi-jurisdictional scope or regional impact. | ||||||
14 | (b) Moneys from the Fund shall be expended solely to defray | ||||||
15 | the costs of acquisition of conservation land or of | ||||||
16 | conservation easements that contribute to the goals set out | ||||||
17 | under this Act. | ||||||
18 | Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||||||
19 | Section 5.675 as follows: | ||||||
20 | (30 ILCS 105/5.675 new) | ||||||
21 | Sec. 5.675. The Conservation Acquisition and Resource | ||||||
22 | Enhancement Program Fund. | ||||||
23 | Section 95. The Illinois Income Tax Act is amended by |
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1 | adding Section 507OO and by changing Sections 509 and 510 as | ||||||
2 | follows: | ||||||
3 | (35 ILCS 5/507OO new)
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4 | Sec. 507OO. The conservation enhancement checkoff. For | ||||||
5 | taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2007, the | ||||||
6 | Department shall print, on its standard individual income tax | ||||||
7 | form, a provision indicating that, if the taxpayer wishes to | ||||||
8 | contribute to the Conservation Acquisition and Resource | ||||||
9 | Enhancement Program Fund, as authorized by this amendatory Act | ||||||
10 | of the 95th General Assembly, then he or she may do so by | ||||||
11 | stating the amount of the contribution (not less than $1) on | ||||||
12 | the return and indicating that the contribution will reduce the | ||||||
13 | taxpayer's refund or increase the amount of payment to | ||||||
14 | accompany the return. The taxpayer's failure to remit any | ||||||
15 | amount of the increased payment reduces the contribution | ||||||
16 | accordingly. This Section does not apply to any amended return.
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17 | (35 ILCS 5/509) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-509)
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18 | Sec. 509. Tax checkoff explanations. All individual income | ||||||
19 | tax return forms
shall contain appropriate explanations and | ||||||
20 | spaces to enable the taxpayers to
designate contributions to | ||||||
21 | the funds to which contributions may be made under this Article | ||||||
22 | 5.
following funds:
the Child Abuse Prevention Fund,
the | ||||||
23 | Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund (as required by the | ||||||
24 | Illinois
Non-Game Wildlife Protection Act),
the Alzheimer's |
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1 | Disease Research Fund (as required by the Alzheimer's
Disease | ||||||
2 | Research Act),
the Assistance to the Homeless Fund (as required | ||||||
3 | by this Act),
the Penny Severns Breast and Cervical Cancer | ||||||
4 | Research Fund,
the National World War II Memorial Fund,
the | ||||||
5 | Prostate Cancer Research Fund,
the Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) | ||||||
6 | Research Fund,
the Multiple Sclerosis Assistance Fund,
the | ||||||
7 | Sarcoidosis Research Fund, the Leukemia Treatment and | ||||||
8 | Education Fund,
the World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial | ||||||
9 | Fund,
the Korean War Veterans National Museum and Library Fund,
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10 | the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund,
the Blindness | ||||||
11 | Prevention Fund, the Illinois Veterans' Homes Fund, the | ||||||
12 | Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund, the | ||||||
13 | Diabetes Research Checkoff Fund, the Vince Demuzio Memorial | ||||||
14 | Colon Cancer Fund, the Autism Research Fund, the Heartsaver AED | ||||||
15 | Fund, the Asthma and Lung Research Fund, and the Illinois Brain | ||||||
16 | Tumor Research Fund.
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17 | Each form shall contain a statement that the contributions | ||||||
18 | will reduce the
taxpayer's refund or increase the amount of | ||||||
19 | payment to accompany the return.
Failure to remit any amount of | ||||||
20 | increased payment shall reduce the contribution
accordingly.
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21 | If, on October 1 of any year, the total contributions to | ||||||
22 | any one of the
funds made under this Article 5
Section do not | ||||||
23 | equal $100,000 or more, the explanations
and spaces for | ||||||
24 | designating contributions to the fund shall be removed from the
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25 | individual income tax return forms for the following and all | ||||||
26 | subsequent years
and all subsequent contributions to the fund |
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1 | shall be refunded to the taxpayer.
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2 | (Source: P.A. 93-36, eff. 6-24-03; 93-131, eff. 7-10-03; | ||||||
3 | 93-292, eff. 7-22-03; 93-324, eff. 7-23-03; 93-776, eff. | ||||||
4 | 7-21-04; 94-73, eff. 6-23-05; 94-107, eff. 7-1-05; 94-141, eff. | ||||||
5 | 1-1-06; 94-142, eff. 1-1-06; 94-442, eff. 8-4-05; 94-602, eff. | ||||||
6 | 8-16-05; 94-649, eff. 8-22-05; 94-876, eff. 6-19-06; revised | ||||||
7 | 8-3-06.)
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8 | (35 ILCS 5/510) (from Ch. 120, par. 5-510)
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9 | Sec. 510. Determination of amounts contributed. The | ||||||
10 | Department shall
determine the total amount contributed to each | ||||||
11 | of the funds made under this Article 5
following:
the Child | ||||||
12 | Abuse Prevention Fund,
the Illinois Wildlife Preservation | ||||||
13 | Fund,
the Assistance to the Homeless Fund,
the Alzheimer's | ||||||
14 | Disease Research Fund,
the Penny Severns Breast and Cervical | ||||||
15 | Cancer Research Fund,
the National World War II Memorial Fund,
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16 | the Prostate Cancer Research Fund,
the Illinois Military Family | ||||||
17 | Relief Fund,
the Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) Research Fund,
the | ||||||
18 | Multiple Sclerosis Assistance Fund,
the Sarcoidosis Research | ||||||
19 | Fund, the Leukemia Treatment and Education Fund,
the World War | ||||||
20 | II Illinois Veterans Memorial Fund,
the Korean War Veterans | ||||||
21 | National Museum and Library Fund, the Illinois Veterans' Homes | ||||||
22 | Fund, the Epilepsy Treatment and Education Grants-in-Aid Fund,
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23 | the Diabetes Research Checkoff Fund, the Vince Demuzio Memorial | ||||||
24 | Colon Cancer Fund, the Autism Research Fund, the Blindness | ||||||
25 | Prevention Fund, the Heartsaver AED Fund, the Asthma and Lung |
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1 | Research Fund, and the Illinois Brain Tumor Research Fund;
and | ||||||
2 | shall notify the State Comptroller and the State Treasurer of | ||||||
3 | the amounts
to be transferred from the General Revenue Fund to | ||||||
4 | each fund, and upon receipt
of such notification the State | ||||||
5 | Treasurer and Comptroller shall transfer the
amounts.
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6 | (Source: P.A. 93-36, eff. 6-24-03; 93-131, eff. 7-10-03; | ||||||
7 | 93-292, eff. 7-22-03; 93-324, eff. 7-23-03; 93-776, eff. | ||||||
8 | 7-21-04; 94-73, eff. 6-23-05; 94-107, eff. 7-1-05; 94-141, eff. | ||||||
9 | 1-1-06; 94-142, eff. 1-1-06; 94-442, eff. 8-4-05; 94-602, eff. | ||||||
10 | 8-16-05; 94-649, eff. 8-22-05; 94-876, eff. 6-19-06; revised | ||||||
11 | 8-3-06.)
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12 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, | ||||||
13 | 2007.
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