95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB1858

 

Introduced 2/23/2007, by Rep. Kurt M. Granberg

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Economic Development Institute Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall establish the Economic Development Institute. Provides that the Institute shall work in conjunction with one or more of the State's universities and with professional associations involved in development to establish the Institute as a central coordinating entity for economic development training and educational programs in Illinois. Provides that the Institute shall sponsor specialized education programs, promote professional development and certification, and produce technical workbooks for local and regional economic development professionals on proven as well as innovative strategies to improve their opportunities for community growth. Provides specific economic development, professional development, and publication development guidelines. Sets forth the powers of duties of the Institute. Gives the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity the power to make rules to implement the Act.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning economic development.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Economic Development Institute Act.
 
6     Section 5. Purpose; findings.
7     (a) The purpose of this Act is to advance and coordinate
8 the professional training and educational opportunities for
9 economic development practitioners in the State of Illinois and
10 to provide information, assistance, and advocacy to facilitate
11 and advance the economic development process in partnership
12 with Illinois' communities, businesses, and networks of public
13 and private service providers.
14     (b) The General Assembly finds all of the following:
15         (1) An economic development profession requires
16     working knowledge of a wide variety of disciplines:
17     research, business planning, economics, organizational
18     management, group dynamics, neighborhood development,
19     local government, and area promotion, among others.
20         (2) Over the longer term, the best avenue to enhance
21     the overall skills of the individuals involved in community
22     economic development is to create an Economic Development
23     Institute, a comprehensive, coordinated program of

 

 

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1     professional education, training, and support.
2         (3) There is an ongoing need to assist the economic
3     development community at large through professional
4     development, economic development training, and advanced
5     education. No such comprehensive, concerted program effort
6     exists at this time.
 
7     Section 10. The Economic Development Institute. The
8 Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall
9 establish the Economic Development Institute. The Institute
10 shall work in conjunction with one or more of the State's
11 universities and with professional associations involved in
12 development to establish the Institute as a central
13 coordinating entity for economic development training and
14 educational programs in Illinois. The Institute shall sponsor
15 specialized education programs, promote professional
16 development and certification, and produce technical workbooks
17 for local and regional economic development professionals on
18 proven as well as innovative strategies to improve their
19 opportunities for community growth.
 
20     Section 15. Economic and professional development;
21 publications.
22     (a) The economic development component of the Institute
23 shall include workshops and extended training courses for the
24 new or the experienced economic developer. Training may include

 

 

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1 any of the following:
2         (1) Intensive, week-long basic development courses on
3     the fundamentals of community and economic development.
4         (2) Advanced economic development training for State
5     and local staff.
6         (3) Volunteer training for local development boards
7     regarding common sense information about economic
8     development.
9     The topics of the economic development component shall
10 cover general themes (such as capital formation, recruitment,
11 retention, expansion, market promotion, entrepreneurial
12 development, business management, and modernization) or
13 specific themes (such as development finance, tax increment
14 financing, community development finance institutions, and
15 grants-writing).
16     The Institute may provide (A) leadership training,
17 technical skill development, information sessions, current
18 topic forums, and other training sessions or workshops, which
19 may vary in length from half-day to 5-day sessions; (B)
20 training for development volunteers that is directed to
21 providing local leaders with basic information about economic
22 development, as well as innovative, proven ideas that can help
23 them to improve their opportunities for community growth; and
24 (C) advanced development education, including capital
25 formation, market promotion, entrepreneurial development,
26 business management and modernization, development finance,

 

 

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1 tax increment financing, community development finance
2 institutions, and grants-writing.
3     (b) The professional development component of the
4 Institute shall serve to bolster the professional development
5 for those involved in community and economic improvement
6 programs. The purpose of the professional development
7 component is to foster cooperation among economic development
8 professionals and afford economic developers a means for
9 assembly and collective expression. For this component, the
10 Institute shall cooperate with those groups that already have
11 knowledge of customer needs and requirements, including
12 organizations such as the Illinois Development Council, the Tax
13 Increment Association, the Community Action Association, the
14 Business Development Center Association, and others with a
15 vested interest in developing the skills and professionalism of
16 community and economic development practitioners.
17     (c) The Institute must (1) conduct appropriate surveys and
18 background work and publish articles and reports on innovative
19 practices and techniques in specialized development
20 applications, including development of curriculum,
21 instructional materials, workbooks, and templates; (2) conduct
22 substantive research in areas of importance to the profession,
23 such as development challenges affecting municipalities and
24 local development organizations, State competitiveness issues,
25 and ongoing professional training needs; (3) publish slide
26 shows, resource publications, computer spreadsheets, and

 

 

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1 templates of use to the profession; and (4) create a
2 content-oriented Internet website for the economic and
3 community development profession
 
4     Section 20. Duties of the Institute. The Institute shall
5 have the following duties:
6         (1) To secure planning advice as needed from
7     appropriate teams and focus groups made up of the various
8     constituent groups being served. Major project decisions
9     should be developed with the assistance of economic
10     development practitioners, professional associations,
11     local officials, volunteers, and universities.
12         (2) To prepare an annual list of major project topics.
13     This topic list shall guide the formulation of materials
14     and sessions to be presented throughout the year. The
15     Institute shall be responsible for final selection of
16     training sessions, technical publications, and
17     professional development activities.
18         (3) To identify potential grantee organizations that
19     hold appropriate credentials related to the function being
20     addressed. Deliverers are expected to have regional and
21     national standing within the economic development field.
22         (4) To prepare bids and other formal solicitations and
23     select grantees to perform the research, training,
24     workshops, curriculum development, and professional
25     services.

 

 

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1         (5) To assume administrative and overhead
2     responsibilities in coordinating the delivery of project
3     services by the field experts.
4         (6) To promote the training sessions, technical
5     publications, and professional development efforts,
6     including preparation and distribution of fliers, direct
7     mail, or other appropriate promotions and marketing.
8         (7) To facilitate planning, delivery, and follow-up on
9     specific projects, under assignment of a specific
10     Institute project manager for each training session,
11     technical publication, or professional development effort.
12         (8) To develop written and oral reports on a periodic
13     basis to demonstrate project success.
 
14     Section 25. Rules. The Department of Commerce and Economic
15 Opportunity shall adopt any rules necessary for the
16 implementation of this Act.