HB5585eng 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5585 Engrossed LRB095 15993 HLH 42006 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 605-407 as follows:

(20 ILCS 605/605-407 new)

Sec. 605-407. New Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Council.

(a) The New Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Council is created within the Department for the purpose of advocating, coordinating, and implementing policies to help manufacturers in the State compete in the global marketplace.

(b) The Council, the make-up of which must reflect the diversity of the citizens of the State of Illinois, shall consist of 21 members, as follows:

(1) the Director, or his or her designee, who shall serve as the co-chairperson of the Council;

(2) the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, or his or her designee, who shall serve as co-chairperson of the Council;

(3) seven members who are manufacturing executives of Illinois-based businesses, one from a business that is headquartered within the City of Chicago, 4 from businesses that are headquartered within Cook County (outside of the City of Chicago) or within Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane, or Will counties, and 2 from businesses that are headquartered outside of the Chicagoland area;

(4) two members from organizations representing manufacturers, which may include, but not be limited to, the Illinois Manufacturers Association, the Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing, the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, and the Tooling and Manufacturing Association;

(5) two members employed by community colleges in the State, one of which is located within the Chicagoland area and the other of which is located outside of the Chicagoland area;

(6) two members employed by research universities in the State, one of which is located within the Chicagoland area and the other of which is located outside of the Chicagoland area;

(7) one member from a for-profit institution of higher education in the State;

(8) four members appointed, one each, by the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and

(9) one member, appointed by the Governor, who represents a labor organization. The Director must appoint the members to the Council set forth under items (3) through (7) of this subsection, and each of the members set forth under item (3) must be appointed from a business firm with not less than 40 and not more than 100 employees and with annual revenues of not less than $3,000,000 and not more than $22,500,000. For the purpose of this subsection, "Chicagoland area" means the Counties of Cook, Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane, and Will.

(c) The members of the Council shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for their reasonable expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(d) In performing its duties and functions under this Section, the Council must study and develop procedures to be used by the State to:

(1) create conditions for economic growth and manufacturing investment;

(2) identify new regional, national, and international markets;

(3) strengthen education, retraining, and economic diversification in the State;

(4) partner with educational and technological institutions;

(5) increase research and development and encourage innovation;

(6) assist manufacturers in the State to retool for new products; and

(7) develop a technology transfer and commercialization program.

(e) The Department must provide administrative and technical assistance to the Council. The Council shall meet at the call of the chairperson and must meet at least 4 times each year. The Council must present its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the General Assembly no later than December 31 of each year.