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Public Act 097-0573
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| HB3414 Enrolled | LRB097 08433 HLH 48560 b |
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the |
Illinois Main Street Act.
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Section 5. Legislative purpose. The General Assembly makes |
the following findings: |
(1) The continued economic vitality of downtown and |
neighborhood commercial districts in our municipalities is |
essential to community preservation, social cohesion, and |
economic growth. |
(2) Municipalities need to maintain their local |
economies so that business owners will be able to provide |
goods and services to the community, to provide employment |
opportunities, to avoid disinvestment and economic |
dislocations, and to develop and sustain downtown and |
neighborhood commercial district revitalization programs |
to address these problems.
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Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act: |
"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic |
Opportunity. |
"Director" means the Director of Commerce and Economic |
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Opportunity. |
"Program" means the Illinois Main Street Program.
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Section 15. Illinois Main Street Program. The Illinois Main |
Street Program is created within the Department. In order to |
implement the Illinois Main Street Program, the Department |
shall do all of the following: |
(1) Provide assistance to municipalities designated as |
Main Street Communities, municipalities interested in |
becoming designated through the program, and businesses, |
property owners, organizations, and municipalities |
undertaking a comprehensive downtown or neighborhood |
commercial district revitalization initiative and |
management strategy. Assistance may include, but is not |
limited to, initial site evaluations and assessments, |
training for local programs, training for local program |
staff, site visits and assessments by technical |
specialists, local program design assistance and |
evaluation, and continued local program on-site |
assistance. |
(2) To the extent funds are made available, provide |
financial assistance to municipalities or local |
organizations to assist in initial downtown or |
neighborhood commercial district revitalization program |
specialized training, specific project feasibility |
studies, market studies, and design assistance. |
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(3) Operate the Illinois Main Street Program in |
accordance with the plan developed by the Department. |
(4) Consider other factors the Department deems |
necessary for the implementation of this Act.
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Section 20. Main Street Community designation. |
(a) The Department shall adopt criteria for the designation |
of a Main Street Community. In establishing the criteria, the |
Department shall consider all of the following: |
(1) The degree of interest and commitment to |
comprehensive downtown or neighborhood commercial district |
revitalization and, where applicable, historic |
preservation by both the public and private sectors. |
(2) The evidence of potential private sector |
investment in the downtown or neighborhood commercial |
district. |
(3) Where applicable, a downtown or neighborhood |
commercial district with sufficient historic fabric to |
become a foundation for an enhanced community image. |
(4) The capacity of the organization to undertake a |
comprehensive program and the financial commitment to |
implement a long-term downtown or neighborhood commercial |
district revitalization program that includes a commitment |
to employ a professional program manager. |
(5) The National Main Street Center's criteria for |
designating official main street municipalities. |
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(6) Other factors the Department deems necessary for |
the designation of a local program. |
(b) Illinois Main Street shall designate local downtown or |
neighborhood commercial district revitalization programs and |
official local main street programs. |
(c) The Department must approve all local downtown or |
neighborhood commercial district revitalization program |
boundaries. The boundaries of a local downtown or neighborhood |
commercial district revitalization program are typically |
defined using the pedestrian core of a traditional commercial |
district.
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Section 25. Illinois Main Street Plan. The Department |
shall, in consultation with the Lieutenant Governor, develop a |
plan for the Illinois Main Street Program. The plan shall |
describe: |
(1) the objectives and strategies of the Illinois Main |
Street Program; |
(2) how the Illinois Main Street Program will be |
coordinated with existing federal, state, local, and |
private sector business development and historic |
preservation efforts; |
(3) the means by which private investment will be |
solicited and employed; |
(4) the methods of selecting and providing assistance |
to participating local programs; and |
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(5) a means to solicit private contributions for State |
and local operations of the Illinois Main Street Program.
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Section 30. Role of the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant |
Governor shall be the Ambassador of the Illinois Main Street |
Program. The Department shall advise and consult with the |
Lieutenant Governor on the activities of the Illinois Main |
Street Program. The Lieutenant Governor, with the assistance of |
the Department, shall promote and encourage the success of the |
Illinois Main Street Program.
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Section 35. Illinois Main Street Fund. The Illinois Main |
Street Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. |
All receipts from private contributions, federal funds, |
legislative appropriations, and fees for services, if levied, |
must be deposited into the Fund. Subject to appropriation, |
expenditures from the Fund may be used only for the benefit of |
the Illinois Main Street Program.
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Section 90. The Green Governments Illinois Act is amended |
by changing Sections 15, 35, and 45 as follows:
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(20 ILCS 3954/15)
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Sec. 15. Composition of the Council. The Council shall be |
composed comprised of representatives from various State |
agencies and State universities with specific fiscal, |
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procurement, educational, and environmental policy expertise. |
Until the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th |
General Assembly, the The Lieutenant Governor is the chair of |
the Council. On and after the effective date of this amendatory |
Act of the 97th General Assembly, the Governor is the chair of |
the Council, and the Lieutenant Governor, or his or her |
designee, shall be a member of the council. The director or |
President, respectively, of each of the following State |
agencies and State universities, or his or her designee, is a |
member of the Council: the Department of Commerce and Economic |
Opportunity, the Environmental Protection Agency, the |
University of Illinois, the Department of Natural Resources, |
the Department of Central Management Services, the Governor's |
Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Agriculture, |
the Department of Transportation, the Department of |
Corrections, the Department of Human Services, the Department |
of Public Health, the State Board of Education, the Board of |
Higher Education, and the Capital Development Board. The Office |
of the Lieutenant Governor shall provide administrative |
support to the Council. A minimum of one staff position in the |
Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall be dedicated to the |
Green Governments Illinois program.
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(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07; 95-728, eff. 7-1-08 - See |
Sec. 999; 96-74, eff. 7-24-09.)
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(20 ILCS 3954/35)
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Sec. 35. Environmental Plans and Reporting. |
(a) Each State agency shall submit an annual adopted |
environmental sustainability plan to the chairman of the |
Council for review and approval on or before April 1, 2008 and |
each April 1 thereafter. |
On or before November 1, 2007, the Council shall prepare a |
downloadable plan template designed to provide a simple |
framework for the development of an environmental |
sustainability plan as required by this Act. The Council shall |
adopt procedures for reviewing and approving the plans, and |
make staff available during preparation of the plans to assist |
State agencies with their plan-writing efforts. The Council |
shall complete its plan review process on or before June 1, |
2008. The sustainability plans shall be reviewed and updated |
periodically, but at least once every 3 years. Units of local |
government and educational institutions are encouraged to |
submit similar sustainability plans to the chairman of the |
Council for review and approval. |
(b) On or before January 1, 2008, each State agency, using |
existing resources, shall form an internal environmental |
sustainability committee. The environmental sustainability |
committee shall (i) assess the environmental and resource use |
impacts of its major operational activities making |
environmental improvements, conserving resources, and reducing |
health risks; (ii) develop an annual environmental |
sustainability plan as required under this Act; and (iii) |
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establish an ongoing process through which their |
sustainability efforts can be reviewed and improved upon. The |
committee shall focus on the most significant environmental and |
resource use impacts, examine the feasibility and |
cost-effectiveness of addressing these impacts, and prioritize |
their actions accordingly. |
Where feasible, the committee shall quantify the specific |
impacts of major operational activities such as gallons of |
water used, pounds of solid waste generated, gallons of |
gasoline consumed, and dollars spent per year on electricity. |
The committee shall consist of representatives from different |
departments and program areas, including purchasing, |
maintenance, and facility management. A senior member of |
management shall be designated to coordinate environmental |
sustainability efforts of each committee. The coordinator |
shall provide information to agency facilities and staff, |
coordinate planning and reporting activities, and act as |
liaison to the Council. Where appropriate, State agencies may |
appoint facility coordinators in addition to the agency |
coordinator. Coordinators shall be given full management |
support and provided with the necessary resources to meet the |
goals of this Act. |
(c) On or before July 1, 2008 and on or before September 1 |
of each subsequent year, each State agency shall submit to the |
chairman of the Council a report summarizing the progress made |
in implementing its annual environmental sustainability plan, |
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including sustainability measures adopted and goals achieved. |
The information in this report shall encompass the previous |
fiscal year. |
On or before June 1, 2008, the Council shall develop and |
adopt a reporting form to be used to comply with the provisions |
of this Section. Participating units of local government and |
educational institutions are encouraged to submit an annual |
progress report on or before September 1 of each year. |
(d) State agencies shall be invited to participate in the |
Council's efforts to foster environmental sustainability |
practices throughout State government. |
(e) The Council shall provide technical assistance to State |
agencies, units of local government, and educational |
institutions for the purpose of implementing the environmental |
sustainability planning requirement. |
(f) The Council may establish criteria for exempting select |
State agencies from the environmental sustainability planning |
based on staff size, probable environmental impacts, and scope |
of operations.
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(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07; 96-74, eff. 7-24-09.)
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(20 ILCS 3954/45)
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Sec. 45. Green Governments Illinois website. |
(a) The Green Governments Illinois staff member of the |
Lieutenant Governor's Office shall be responsible for |
establishing and maintaining an Internet website devoted to the |
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Green Governments Illinois program. |
(b) The content and capabilities of the website shall, at a |
minimum, include: |
(1) (blank) the ability to receive submitted plans and |
reports; |
(2) (blank) a downloadable template for preparing |
reports; |
(3) viewable and downloadable plans and reports |
submitted by the participating units of State and local |
government and educational institutions; |
(4) a listing of sources of information on developing |
environmental programs and Internet links, if available, |
to those sources; |
(5) a listing of sources of funding for environmental |
programs and Internet links, if available, to those |
sources; |
(6) information on forming intergovernmental |
agreements for the purpose of developing collaborative |
environmental plans between units of local government; and |
(7) guidance materials to assist State agencies, units |
of local government, and educational institutions in |
identifying environmental impacts and evaluating practical |
actions to prevent pollution and conserve resources.
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(Source: P.A. 95-657, eff. 10-10-07.)
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Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding |