Public Act 102-0388
 
SB2089 EnrolledLRB102 17340 KMF 22831 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 Natural Resources Act is
amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 801/1-15)
    Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.
    (a) It shall be the duty of the Department to investigate
practical problems, implement studies, conduct research and
provide assistance, information and data relating to the
technology and administration of the natural history,
entomology, zoology, and botany of this State; the geology and
natural resources of this State; the water and atmospheric
resources of this State; and the archeological and cultural
history of this State.
    (b) The Department (i) shall obtain, store, and process
relevant data; recommend technological, administrative, and
legislative changes and developments; cooperate with other
federal, state, and local governmental research agencies,
facilities, or institutes in the selection of projects for
study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and with
the public and private colleges and universities in this State
in developing relevant interdisciplinary approaches to
problems; and evaluate curricula at all levels of education
and provide assistance to instructors and (ii) may sponsor an
annual conference of leaders in government, industry, health,
and education to evaluate the state of this State's
environment and natural resources.
    (c) The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code,
shall employ such personnel, provide such facilities, and
contract for such outside services as may be necessary to
carry out the purposes of the Department. Maximum use shall be
made of existing federal and state agencies, facilities, and
personnel in conducting research under this Act.
    (d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has
the following powers:
        (1) To obtain, store, process, and provide data and
    information related to the powers and duties of the
    Department under this Act. This subdivision (d)(1) does
    not give authority to the Department to require reports
    from nongovernmental sources or entities.
        (2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois Science
    and Technology Advisory Committee and the Illinois
    Coalition for the purpose of facilitating the effective
    operations and activities of such entities. Support may
    include, but need not be limited to, providing space for
    the operations of the Committee and the Illinois
    Coalition.
    (e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local
not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development,
maintenance and study of wetland areas.
    (f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive
and administer on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests,
donations, income from property rental and endowments. Any
such funds received by the Department shall be deposited into
the Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby
created in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of
this Act or, when appropriate, for such purposes and under
such restrictions, terms and conditions as are predetermined
by the donor or grantor of such funds or property. Any accrued
interest from money deposited into the Natural Resources Fund
shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in the same manner
as the principal. The Director shall maintain records which
account for and assure that restricted funds or property are
disbursed or used pursuant to the restrictions, terms or
conditions of the donor.
    (g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and promote
our special heritage of recreational hunting and trapping by
providing opportunities to hunt and trap in accordance with
the Wildlife Code.
    (h) Within 5 years after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Department
shall fly a United States Flag, an Illinois flag, and a POW/MIA
flag at all State parks. Donations may be made by groups and
individuals to the Department's Special Projects Fund for
costs related to the implementation of this subsection.
(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 91-582, eff. 8-14-99;
92-326, eff. 8-9-01.)