Public Act 0287 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0317 Enrolled LRB102 09943 RJF 15261 b

Public Act 102-0287

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Promotion Act is amended by changing Sections 3, 4, 8a, and 13 as follows:

(20 ILCS 665/3) (from Ch. 127, par. 200-23)

Sec. 3. Definitions. The following words and terms, whenever used or referred to in this Act, shall have the following meanings, except where the context may otherwise require:

(a) "Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity of the State of Illinois.

(b) "Local promotion group" means any non-profit corporation, organization, association, agency or committee thereof formed for the primary purpose of publicizing, promoting, advertising or otherwise encouraging the development of tourism in any municipality, county, or region of Illinois.

(c) "Promotional activities" means preparing, planning and conducting campaigns of information, advertising and publicity through such media as newspapers, radio, television, magazines, trade journals, moving and still photography, posters, outdoor signboards and personal contact within and without the State of Illinois; dissemination of information, advertising, publicity, photographs and other literature and material designed to carry out the purpose of this Act; and participation in and attendance at meetings and conventions concerned primarily with tourism, including travel to and from such meetings.

(d) "Municipality" means "municipality" as defined in Section 1-1-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as heretofore and hereafter amended.

(e) "Tourism" means travel 50 miles or more one-way or an overnight trip outside of a person's normal routine.

(f) "Municipal amateur sports facility" means a sports facility that: (1) is owned by a unit of local government; (2) has contiguous indoor sports competition space; (3) is designed to principally accommodate and host amateur competitions for youths, adults, or both; and (4) is not used for professional sporting events where participants are compensated for their participation.

(g) "Municipal convention center" means a convention center or civic center owned by a unit of local government or operated by a convention center authority, or a municipal convention hall as defined in paragraph (1) of Section 11-65-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code, with contiguous exhibition space ranging between 30,000 and 125,000 square feet.

(h) "Convention center authority" means an Authority, as defined by the Civic Center Code, that operates a municipal convention center with contiguous exhibition space ranging between 30,000 and 125,000 square feet.

(i) "Incentive" means: (1) a financial incentive provided by a unit of local government or convention center authority to attract a convention, meeting, or trade show held at a municipal convention center that, but for the incentive, would not have occurred in the State or been retained in the State; or (2) a financial incentive provided by a unit of local government for attracting a sporting event held at its municipal amateur sports facility that, but for the incentive, would not have occurred in the State or been retained in the State; but (3) only a financial incentive offered or provided to a person or entity in the form of financial benefits or costs which are allowable costs pursuant to the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act.

(j) "Unit of local government" has the meaning provided in Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

(k) "Local parks" means any park, recreation area, or other similar facility owned or operated by a unit of local government.

(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19.)

(20 ILCS 665/4) (from Ch. 127, par. 200-24)

Sec. 4. Powers. The Department shall have the following powers:

(a) To formulate a program for the promotion of tourism and the film industry in the State of Illinois, including, but not limited to, the promotion of our State Parks and local parks, fishing and hunting areas, historical shrines, vacation regions and areas of historic or scenic interest.

(b) To cooperate with civic groups and local, State and federal departments and agencies, and agencies and departments of other states in encouraging educational tourism and developing programs therefor.

(c) To publish tourist promotional material such as brochures and booklets.

(d) To promote tourism in Illinois through all media, including but not limited to, the Internet, television, articles and advertisements in magazines, newspapers and travel publications and by establishing promotional exhibitions at fairs, travel shows, and similar exhibitions.

(e) To establish and maintain travel offices at major points of entry to the State.

(f) To recommend legislation relating to the encouragement of tourism in Illinois.

(g) To assist municipalities, other units of local government, or local promotion groups in developing new tourist attractions including but not limited to feasibility studies and analyses, research and development, and management and marketing planning for such new tourist attractions.

(h) (Blank).

(i) To implement a program of matching grants and loans to counties, municipalities, other units of local government, local promotion groups and others, as provided in Sections 5 and 8a of this Act, for the development or improvement of tourism attractions and tourism events in Illinois under the terms and conditions provided in this Act.

(j) To expend funds from the International and Promotional Fund, subject to appropriation, on any activity authorized under this Act.

(k) To do any other acts that, in the judgment of the Department, are necessary and proper in fostering and promoting tourism in the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 92-38, eff. 6-28-01.)

(20 ILCS 665/8a) (from Ch. 127, par. 200-28a)

Sec. 8a. Tourism grants and loans.

(1) The Department is authorized to make grants and loans, subject to appropriations by the General Assembly for this purpose from the Tourism Promotion Fund, to counties, municipalities, other units of local government, local promotion groups, not-for-profit organizations, or for-profit businesses for the development or improvement of tourism attractions in Illinois. Individual grants and loans shall not exceed $1,000,000 and shall not exceed 50% of the entire amount of the actual expenditures for the development or improvement of a tourist attraction. Agreements for loans made by the Department pursuant to this subsection may contain provisions regarding term, interest rate, security as may be required by the Department and any other provisions the Department may require to protect the State's interest.

(2) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 94-91, eff. 7-1-05.)

(20 ILCS 665/13) (from Ch. 127, par. 200-33)

Sec. 13. Powers of municipalities and counties. For the purposes set out in this Act, the corporate authorities of each city, village or incorporated town and the county board of each county may (1) promote the advantages of the municipality or county, as the case may be, for tourism, industrial development and other activities and programs designed to stimulate employment, (2) appropriate funds for promotional activities and programs, (3) accept gifts and grants to be used for promotional purposes, and (4) join with other municipalities, counties, other units of local government, and local promotion groups in promotional activities and programs.

(Source: P.A. 92-38, eff. 6-28-01.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/6/2021