Bill Text: IL HB5606 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law. Creates the Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment. Provides that the Office shall assist minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities, and other underserved communities and constituencies through targeted programs, resources, and outreach and promotional activities. Provides that the Office may engage in or conduct promoting and conducting outreach efforts to ensure access to State and federal funding opportunities, and assisting minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and businesses owned by persons with disabilities and other underserved communities and constituencies in applying for and receiving loan funds in the State. Provides that the Office may engage in other specified workshops, public forums, and other functions that assist minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities, and other underserved communities and constituencies.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-04-18 - Referred to Assignments [HB5606 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB5606-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning transportation.
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 adding Section 605-1032 as follows:
(20 ILCS 605/605-1032 new)
Sec. 605-1032. Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment.
(a) As used in this Section:
"Not-for-profit corporation" has the meaning given to that
term in Section 101.80 of the General Not For Profit
Corporation Act of 1986.
"Office" means the Office of Economic Equity and
Empowerment.
(b) The Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment is
hereby created within the Department. The Office shall assist
minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses,
veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with
disabilities, not-for-profit corporations, and other
underserved communities and constituencies through targeted
programs, resources, and outreach and promotional activities.
The Office may engage in or conduct the following activities:
(1) promoting and conducting outreach efforts to

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ensure access to State and federal funding opportunities,
and assisting minority-owned businesses, women-owned
businesses, veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by
persons with disabilities, not-for-profit corporations,
and other underserved communities and constituencies in
applying for and receiving loan funds in the State;
(2) providing and hosting workshops and public forums
and engaging in outreach efforts for minority-owned
businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned
businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities,
and other underserved communities and constituencies to
encourage participation in programs under the Business
Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with
Disabilities Act, and assisting those businesses in
becoming designated under that Act and under similar
certification programs;
(3) providing and hosting workshops and public forums
and engaging in outreach efforts that assist and educate
minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses,
veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with
disabilities, not-for-profit corporations, and other
underserved communities and constituencies on the process
of applying for and becoming certified to apply for State
grant funds under the Grant Accountability and
Transparency Act;
(4) providing and hosting workshops and public forums

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and engaging in outreach efforts that assist and educate
aspiring and existing minority-owned businesses,
women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses,
businesses owned by persons with disabilities,
not-for-profit corporations, and other underserved
communities and constituencies with understanding concepts
such as, but not limited to, business formation and
not-for-profit incorporation, business planning, capital
access, and marketing a business or not-for-profit
corporation;
(5) administering programs established by the
Department or the General Assembly to provide grants to
minority-owned businesses, woman-owned businesses,
veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with
disabilities, not-for-profit corporations, and other
underserved communities and constituencies;
(6) coordinating assistance for minority-owned
businesses, woman-owned businesses, veteran-owned
businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities,
not-for-profit corporations, and other underserved
communities and constituencies with other State agencies;
(7) providing staff, administration, and related
support required to administer this Section; and
(8) establishing applications, notifications,
contracts, and other forms and procedures, and adopting
rules deemed necessary and appropriate.

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