Bill Text: IL HB0678 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Regional Economic Development Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in consultation with the Office of the Governor, shall establish economic development regions of the State and shall establish within each region at least one regional office. Provides for the boundaries of economic development regions. Provides for duties of the Department concerning economic development regions. Provides that the Governor shall establish regional economic development councils, one for each of the economic development regions. Provides for the duties, membership, and meetings of each council. Provides for the adoption of rules. Defines terms.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-27 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB0678 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB0678-Introduced.html

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102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 HB0678 Introduced , by Rep. Joyce Mason SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Regional Economic Development Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in consultation with the Office of the Governor, shall establish economic development regions of the State and shall establish within each region at least one regional office. Provides for the boundaries of economic development regions. Provides for duties of the Department concerning economic development regions. Provides that the Governor shall establish regional economic development councils, one for each of the economic development regions. Provides for the duties, membership, and meetings of each council. Provides for the adoption of rules. Defines terms.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Regional Economic Development Act.
Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Council" means a regional economic development council
created under this Act.
"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity.
"Director" means the Director of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity.
Section 10. Economic development regions.
(a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,
in consultation with the Office of the Governor, shall
establish economic development regions of the State and shall
establish within each region at least one regional office.
(b) The boundaries of regions shall be based on factors
including, but not limited to: (i) interdependence and
commonality of economic and social interests; (ii) previous
cooperation in economic development related matters; (iii)
intraregional commuting and transportation patterns; (iv)

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geographic proximity to and dependence on centers of
employment and economic opportunity, population concentration,
and markets; (v) unifying topographic characteristics; (vi)
labor markets; and (vii) geographic size.
(c) The Department, through its regional offices, is
authorized: (i) to serve as a center for information regarding
economic development resources available from State, federal,
and local agencies; (ii) to provide outreach to businesses,
with attention to small and medium-sized businesses, including
minority and women-owned business enterprises, for financial
and technical assistance offered by State economic development
agencies, authorities, or other economic entities; (iii) to
serve as a regional center to accept applications for State
economic development programs; (iv) to coordinate the economic
development programs and activities of State agencies and
authorities within each region including, but not limited to,
outreach to businesses, technical assistance services, skills
training assistance, sharing of information, strategic
economic development plans and programs, to provide or arrange
for assistance in compliance with federal, State, and local
rules, regulations, permits, and licenses, and other measures
to enhance regional economic development and eliminate
duplication of services; (v) to provide or arrange for
assistance to persons, firms, agencies, partnerships or
corporations, either public or private, in applying for
assistance from State economic development programs or for

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necessary licenses and permits or seeking to comply with
federal, State and local rules and regulations; (vi) to review
and comment, within their knowledge and expertise, with
respect to applications for State assistance in a timely
manner and form prescribed by the Director; (vii) to
distribute literature and marketing material describing the
facilities, advantages, and attractions of the region for
business; (viii) to provide economic development information,
planning services and technical assistance to counties and
municipalities within the region; (ix) to provide information
and assistance in the certification of minority and
women-owned business enterprises; and (x) to provide or
arrange for assistance to private sector employers, whether
operating for profit or not for profit, and to organizations
and associations of such employers in developing and
implementing innovative and flexible employee compensation,
assistance and benefit programs to enhance competitiveness and
meet emerging demographic and market conditions.
(d) To effectuate the purposes of this Section, the
Director may request from any department, division, board,
bureau, commission, or other agency of the State or from any
public benefit corporation or public authority, and the same
are authorized to provide, such assistance, services and data
as will enable the Department to properly carry out its
functions, powers, and duties hereunder.

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Section 15. Regional economic development councils.
(a) The Governor shall establish regional economic
development councils, one for each of the economic development
regions established under Section 10.
(b) Each regional economic development council shall
develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth within
its region of the State, and shall (i) develop regional job
growth strategies, (ii) make recommendations for projects for
State and local funding, (iii) work to align local initiatives
with State development priorities, and (iv) perform any other
duties relevant to regional economic development as may be
prescribed by the Governor and the Department.
(c) The members of each regional economic development
council shall be local experts and stakeholders from
businesses, academia, municipalities, and non-governmental
organizations within the region. All such members shall be
appointed by the Governor and shall serve at the pleasure of
the Governor without compensation.
(d) Meetings of a regional economic development council
shall be open to the public and subject to the requirements of
the Open Meetings Act.
Section 20. Rules. The Governor and the Department shall
adopt all rules necessary for the implementation of this Act.