101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB4405

 

Introduced 1/29/2020, by Rep. Kelly M. Burke

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
525 ILCS 35/3  from Ch. 85, par. 2103

    Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that any portion of an advanced grant payment not expended by a grantee within 2 years shall be returned to the Department of Natural Resources for distribution with the remainder of the grant on a reimbursement basis. Clarifies that grant funds may be made available for expenditure by a grantee for a period longer than 2 years as long as the grant funds have been legally obligated by the unit of local government prior to the expiration of the 2-year period. Effective immediately.


LRB101 19648 CMG 69136 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4405LRB101 19648 CMG 69136 b

1    AN ACT concerning conservation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development
5Act is amended by changing Section 3 as follows:
 
6    (525 ILCS 35/3)  (from Ch. 85, par. 2103)
7    Sec. 3. From appropriations made from the Capital
8Development Fund, Build Illinois Bond Fund or other available
9or designated funds for such purposes, the Department shall
10make grants to local governments as financial assistance for
11the capital development and improvement of park, recreation or
12conservation areas, marinas and shorelines, including planning
13and engineering costs, and for the acquisition of open space
14lands, including acquisition of easements and other property
15interests less than fee simple ownership if the Department
16determines that such property interests are sufficient to carry
17out the purposes of this Act, subject to the conditions and
18limitations set forth in this Act.
19    No more than 10% of the amount so appropriated for any
20fiscal year may be committed or expended on any one project
21described in an application under this Act.
22    Any grant under this Act to a local government shall be
23conditioned upon the state providing assistance on a 50/50

 

 

HB4405- 2 -LRB101 19648 CMG 69136 b

1matching basis for the acquisition of open space lands and for
2capital development and improvement proposals. However, a
3local government defined as "distressed" under criteria
4adopted by the Department through administrative rule shall be
5eligible for assistance up to 90% for the acquisition of open
6space lands and for capital development and improvement
7proposals, provided that no more than 10% of the amount
8appropriated under this Act in any fiscal year is made
9available as grants to distressed local governments.
10    A minimum of 50% of any grant made to a unit of local
11government under this Act must be paid to the unit of local
12government at the time the Department awards the grant. The
13remainder of the grant shall be distributed to the local
14government quarterly on a reimbursement basis. Any portion of
15the advanced payment not expended by the unit of local
16government within 2 years shall be returned by the unit of
17local government to the Department. The Department shall
18distribute any such returned amount along with the remainder of
19the grant to the unit of local government on a reimbursement
20basis. A grant may be extended for a period longer than 2 years
21to allow a unit of local government to complete an approved
22project and to make any remaining grant funds available for
23expenditure by the unit of local government if the grant funds
24have been legally obligated by the unit of local government
25prior to the expiration of the 2-year period. Nothing in this
26Act or the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act prohibits the

 

 

HB4405- 3 -LRB101 19648 CMG 69136 b

1Department from granting an extension beyond 2 years.
2(Source: P.A. 98-326, eff. 8-12-13; 98-520, eff. 8-23-13;
398-756, eff. 7-16-14.)
 
4    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
5becoming law.