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Public Act 91-0592
SB752 Enrolled LRB9101810PTpk
AN ACT concerning business assistance.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
amended by adding Sections 46.70 and 46.71 as follows:
(20 ILCS 605/46.70 new)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2004)
Sec. 46.70. Small business incubator grants.
(a) Subject to availability of funds in the Small
Business Incubator Fund, the Director of Commerce and
Community Affairs may make grants to eligible small business
incubators in an amount not to exceed 50% of State income
taxes paid in the previous calendar year by qualified tenant
businesses subject to the restrictions of this Section.
(b) There is created a special fund in the State
Treasury known as the Small Business Incubator Fund. The
money in the Fund may be used only for making grants under
subsection (a) of this Section. The Department of Revenue
shall certify by March 1 of each year to the General
Assembly the amount of State income taxes paid by qualified
tenant businesses in the previous year. The Department of
Revenue may, by rule, prescribe forms necessary to identify
qualified tenant businesses under this Section. An amount
equal to 50% of the amount certified by the Department of
Revenue shall be appropriated into the Fund annually.
(c) Eligible small business incubators that receive a
grant under this Section may use the grant only for capital
improvements on the building housing the eligible small
business incubator. Each small business incubator shall be
eligible for a grant equal to no more than 50% of the amount
of State income taxes paid in the previous year by qualified
tenant businesses of the small business incubator, minus
administrative costs. The eligible small business incubator
must keep written records of the use of the grant money for a
period of 5 years from disbursement.
(d) By April 1 of each year, an eligible small business
incubator may apply for a grant under this Section on forms
developed by the Department. The Department may require
applicants to provide proof of eligibility. Upon review of
the applications, the Director of Commerce and Community
Affairs shall approve or disapprove the application. At the
start of each fiscal year or upon approval of the budget for
that fiscal year, whichever is later, the Director shall
determine the amount of funds available for grants under this
Section and shall then approve the grants.
(e) For purposes of this Section:
(1) "eligible small business incubator" means an
entity that is dedicated to the successful development of
entrepreneurial companies, has a specific written policy
identifying requirements for a business "to graduate"
from the incubator, either owns or leases real estate in
which qualified tenant businesses operate, and provides
all of the following services: management guidance,
rental spaces, shared basic business equipment,
technology support services, and assistance in obtaining
financing.
(2) "qualified tenant business" means a business
that currently leases space from an eligible small
business incubator, is less than 5 years old, and either
has not fulfilled the eligible small business incubator's
graduation requirements or has fulfilled these
requirements within the last 5 years.
(f) Five percent of the amount that is appropriated
annually into the Small Business Incubator Fund shall be
allotted to the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs
for the purpose of administering, overseeing, and evaluating
the grant process and outcome.
(g) This Section is repealed on December 31, 2004. The
evaluation of the effectiveness of the grant process and
subsequent outcome of job and business creation shall
recommend the continuation or the repeal of this Section and
shall be submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly
before December 31, 2003.
(20 ILCS 605/46.71 new)
Sec. 46.71. Model domestic violence and sexual assault
employee awareness and assistance policy.
(a) The Department shall convene a task force including
members of the business community, employees, employee
organizations, representatives from the Department of Labor,
and directors of domestic violence and sexual assault
programs, including representatives of statewide advocacy
organizations for the prevention of domestic violence and
sexual assault, to develop a model domestic violence and
sexual assault employee awareness and assistance policy for
businesses.
The Department shall give due consideration to the
recommendations of the Governor, the President of the Senate,
and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for
participation by any person on the task force, and shall make
reasonable efforts to assure regional balance in membership.
(b) The purpose of the model employee awareness and
assistance policy shall be to provide businesses with the
best practices, policies, protocols, and procedures in order
that they ascertain domestic violence and sexual assault
awareness in the workplace, assist affected employees, and
provide a safe and helpful working environment for employees
currently or potentially experiencing the effects of domestic
violence or sexual assault. The model plan shall include but
not be limited to:
(1) the establishment of a definite corporate policy
statement recognizing domestic violence and sexual
assault as workplace issues as well as promoting the need
to maintain job security for those employees currently
involved in domestic violence or sexual assault disputes;
(2) policy and service publication requirements,
including posting these policies and service availability
pamphlets in break rooms, on bulletin boards, and in
restrooms, and transmitting them through other
communication methods;
(3) a listing of current domestic violence and
sexual assault community resources such as shelters,
crisis intervention programs, counseling and case
management programs, and legal assistance and advocacy
opportunities for affected employees;
(4) measures to ensure workplace safety including,
where appropriate, designated parking areas, escort
services, and other affirmative safeguards;
(5) training programs and protocols designed to
educate employees and managers in how to recognize,
approach, and assist employees experiencing domestic
violence or sexual assault, including both victims and
batterers; and
(6) other issues as shall be appropriate and
relevant for the task force in developing the model
policy.
(c) The model policy shall be reviewed by the task force
to assure consistency with existing law and shall be made the
subject of public hearings convened by the Department
throughout the State at places and at times which are
convenient for attendance by the public, after which the
policy shall be reviewed by the task force and amended as
necessary to reflect concerns raised at the hearings. If
approved by the task force, the model policy shall be
provided as approved with explanation of its provisions to
the Governor and the General Assembly not later than one year
after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st
General Assembly. The Department shall make every effort to
notify businesses of the availability of the model domestic
violence and sexual assault employee awareness and assistance
policy.
(d) The Department, in consultation with the task force,
providers of services, the advisory council, the Department
of Labor, and representatives of statewide advocacy
organizations for the prevention of domestic violence and
sexual assault, shall provide technical support, information,
and encouragement to businesses to implement the provisions
of the model.
(e) Nothing contained in this Section shall be deemed to
prevent businesses from adopting their own domestic violence
and sexual assault employee awareness and assistance policy.
(f) The Department shall survey businesses within 4 years
of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st
General Assembly to determine the level of model policy
adoption amongst businesses and shall take steps necessary to
promote the further adoption of such policy.
Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Section 5.490 as follows:
(30 ILCS 105/5.490 new)
Sec. 5.490. The Small Business Incubator Fund.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.
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