Public Act 098-0252
 
HB2687 EnrolledLRB098 06986 HLH 37043 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 Commerce and Economic 
Opportunity Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is 
amended  by changing Sections 605-705 and 605-707 as follows:
 



    (20 ILCS 605/605-705)  (was 20 ILCS 605/46.6a)



    Sec. 605-705. Grants to local tourism and convention 
bureaus. 

    (a) To establish a grant program for local tourism and

convention bureaus.  The Department will develop and implement a 
program
for the use of funds, as authorized under this Act, by 
local tourism and
convention bureaus.  For the purposes of this 
Act,
bureaus eligible to receive funds are those local tourism 
and
convention bureaus that are (i) either units of local 
government or
incorporated as not-for-profit organizations; 
(ii) in legal existence
for a minimum of 2 years before July 1, 
2001; (iii) operating with a
paid, full-time staff whose sole 
purpose is to promote tourism in the
designated service area; 
and (iv) affiliated with one or more
municipalities or counties 
that support the bureau with local hotel-motel
taxes.  After 
July 1, 2001, bureaus requesting certification in
order to 
receive funds for the first time must be local tourism and

convention bureaus that are (i) either units of local 
government or
incorporated as not-for-profit organizations; 
(ii) in legal existence
for a minimum of 2 years before the 
request for certification; (iii)
operating with a paid, 
full-time staff whose sole purpose is to promote
tourism in the 
designated service area; and (iv) affiliated with
multiple 
municipalities or counties that support the bureau with local

hotel-motel taxes. Each bureau receiving funds under this Act 
will be
certified by the Department as the designated recipient 
to serve an area of
the State.
Notwithstanding the criteria set 
forth in this subsection (a), or any rule
adopted under this 
subsection (a), the Director of the Department may
provide for 
the award of grant funds to one or more entities if in the

Department's judgment that action is necessary in order to 
prevent a loss of
funding critical to promoting tourism in a 
designated geographic area of the
State.

    (b) To distribute grants to local tourism and convention 
bureaus from
appropriations made from the Local Tourism Fund 
for that purpose.  Of the
amounts appropriated annually to the 
Department for expenditure under this
Section prior to July 1, 
2011, one-third of those monies shall be used for grants to 
convention and
tourism bureaus in cities with a population 
greater than 500,000.  The
remaining two-thirds of the annual 
appropriation prior to July 1, 2011 shall be used for grants to

convention and tourism bureaus in the
remainder of the State, 
in accordance with a formula based upon the
population served. 
Of the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for 
expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 18% of 
such moneys shall be used for grants to convention and tourism 
bureaus in cities with a population greater than 500,000. Of 
the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for 
expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 82% of 
such moneys shall be used for grants to convention bureaus in 
the remainder of the State, in accordance with a formula based 
upon the population served.  The Department may reserve up to 
10% of total
local tourism funds available for costs of 
administering the program to conduct audits of grants, to 
provide incentive funds to
those
bureaus that will conduct 
promotional activities designed to further the
Department's 
statewide advertising campaign, to fund special statewide

promotional activities, and to fund promotional activities 
that support an
increased use of the State's parks or historic 
sites. The During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall 
require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a 
grant under this Section that requires matching funds shall 
provide matching funds equal to no less than 50% of the grant 
amount. During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall reserve 
$2,000,000 of the available local tourism funds for 
appropriation to the Historic Preservation Agency for the 
operation of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and 
Museum and State historic sites. 

(Source: P.A. 97-617, eff. 10-26-11; 97-732, eff. 6-30-12.)

 



    (20 ILCS 605/605-707)  (was 20 ILCS 605/46.6d)


    Sec. 605-707. International Tourism Program. 

    (a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity 
must establish a
program for international tourism.  The 
Department shall develop and
implement the program on January 
1, 2000 by rule.  As part of the program, the
Department may 
work in cooperation with local convention and tourism bureaus

in Illinois in the coordination of international tourism 
efforts at the State
and local level.  The
Department may (i)

work in cooperation with local convention and tourism bureaus 
for efficient use
of their international tourism marketing

resources, (ii) promote
Illinois in international meetings and 
tourism markets, (iii)  work with
convention and tourism bureaus 
throughout the State to increase the number of
international 
tourists to Illinois, (iv) provide training,
research, 
technical support, and grants to certified convention and

tourism bureaus, (v) provide staff, administration, and 
related support
required to manage the programs under this 
Section, and (vi) provide grants
for the development of or the 
enhancement of
international tourism
attractions.

    (b) The Department shall make grants for expenses related 
to international
tourism and pay for the staffing,

administration, and related support from the International

Tourism Fund, a special fund created in the State Treasury.  Of 
the amounts
deposited into the Fund in fiscal year 2000 after 
January 1, 2000 through fiscal year 2011, 55% shall be
used for 
grants to convention and tourism bureaus in Chicago (other than 
the
City of Chicago's Office of Tourism) and 45% shall be used 
for development of
international tourism in areas outside of 
Chicago.  Of the amounts
deposited into the Fund in fiscal year 
2001 and thereafter, 55% shall be used
for grants to convention 
and tourism bureaus in Chicago, and of that amount not
less 
than
27.5% shall be used
for
grants to convention and tourism 
bureaus in Chicago other than the
City of Chicago's Office of 
Tourism, and 45%
shall be
used for administrative expenses and 
grants authorized under this Section and
development of 
international tourism in areas outside of Chicago, of which not

less than $1,000,000
shall be used annually to make grants to 
convention and tourism bureaus in
cities other than Chicago 
that demonstrate their international tourism appeal
and 
request to develop or expand their international tourism 
marketing
program, and may also be used to provide grants under 
item (vi) of subsection
(a) of
this Section. All of the amounts 
deposited into the Fund in fiscal year 2012 and thereafter 
shall be used for administrative expenses and grants authorized 
under this Section and development of international tourism in 
areas outside of Chicago, of which not less than $1,000,000 
shall be used annually to make grants to convention and tourism 
bureaus in cities other than Chicago that demonstrate their 
international tourism appeal and request to develop or expand 
their international tourism marketing program, and may also be 
used to provide grants under item (vi) of subsection (a) of 
this Section. Amounts appropriated to the State Comptroller for 
administrative expenses and grants authorized by the Illinois 
Global Partnership Act are payable from the International 
Tourism Fund.


    (c) A convention and tourism bureau is eligible to receive 
grant moneys
under this Section if the bureau is certified to 
receive funds under Title 14
of the Illinois Administrative 
Code, Section 550.35.  To be eligible for a
grant, a convention 
and tourism bureau must provide matching funds equal to the

grant amount.  The During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall 
require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a 
grant under this Section that requires matching funds shall 
provide matching funds equal to no less than 50% of the grant 
amount. In certain
circumstances as determined by the Director 
of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,
however, the City of

Chicago's
Office of Tourism or any other convention and tourism 
bureau
may provide
matching funds equal to no less than 50% of 
the grant amount to be
eligible to
receive
the grant.
One-half 
of this 50% may be provided through in-kind contributions.

Grants received by the City of Chicago's Office of Tourism and 
by convention
and tourism bureaus in Chicago may be expended 
for the general purposes of
promoting conventions and tourism.

(Source: P.A. 97-617, eff. 10-26-11; 97-732, eff. 6-30-12.)

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


Effective Date:  8/9/2013