Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with changes. Allows the Illinois Innovation Voucher Program to be administered by a governmental entity with expertise in innovation, technology, economic development, research and development, and public private partnerships. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, subject to appropriation, shall be authorized to provide to the entity administering the Program an administrative fee in an amount not to exceed 10% (rather than 15%) of the total value of vouchers estimated by the Department to be issued in each fiscal year. Makes the awarding of innovation vouchers subject to appropriation. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-08-27 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 102-0648
[SB2290 Detail]Download: Illinois-2021-SB2290-Chaptered.html
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| Public Act 102-0648
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| SB2290 Enrolled | LRB102 17355 RJF 22846 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 Broadband Adoption Fund Act.
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Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act: |
"Broadband Internet" means lines or wireless channels that |
terminate at an end-user location and enable the end-user to |
receive a minimum service level of 25 megabits per second |
download speed and 3 megabits per second upload speed. |
"Covered agencies" means those social service agencies |
receiving State or federal funds to assist persons eligible |
under the Illinois Broadband Adoption Program. |
"Department" means the Department of Human Services. |
"Fund" refers to the Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund. |
"Provider" means a provider of broadband Internet in this |
State.
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Section 10. Illinois Broadband Adoption Program. The |
Illinois Broadband Adoption Program is established for the |
purpose of expanding availability of broadband Internet |
connectivity throughout the State by: |
(1) providing financial assistance to State residents |
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to whom broadband Internet service is available, but who |
may require assistance to adopt or maintain service due to |
economic hardship; |
(2) promoting the adoption of home broadband Internet |
service by State residents; and |
(3) supporting digital skills training for State |
residents.
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Section 15. Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund. |
(a) The Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund is established as |
a special fund within the State treasury for the purpose of |
providing financial assistance under this Act. The Department |
shall administer the fund. |
(b) The fund consists of: |
(1) money received through the federal American Rescue |
Plan and other vehicles designed to address and relieve |
economic hardship for State households; |
(2) money appropriated by the General Assembly; |
(3) money transferred to the fund under the Treasurer |
as Custodian of Funds Act; and |
(4) donations, gifts, and money received from any |
other source, including transfers from other funds or |
accounts. |
(c) The Treasurer shall invest the money in the fund not |
currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the |
same manner as other public funds may be invested.
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Section 20. Application for financial assistance. |
(a) The Department may determine qualifications for |
broadband Internet provider participation and enter into an |
agreement with each provider under which the provider agrees |
to accept vouchers distributed by the Department under this |
Act as a form of payment for the provider's broadband Internet |
service. |
(b) In coordination with the covered agencies, the |
Department shall send information regarding the availability |
of financial assistance under this Act to each eligible family |
or person receiving the public assistance in Section (d). The |
information must include: |
(1) the name and contact information of each provider |
who has entered into an agreement with the Department as |
described in subsection (a) whose broadband Internet |
service is available in their area; and |
(2) instructions for applying to the Department for |
financial assistance under this Section. |
(c) An individual who receives information under |
subsection (b) may apply for financial assistance under this |
Section in the manner specified by the Department. Upon |
receipt of an application, the Department shall determine: |
(1) the applicant's eligibility for financial |
assistance; |
(2) the amount of financial assistance for which the |
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applicant is eligible; and |
(3) whether the applicant is eligible for a single |
payment or a recurring payment of financial assistance, |
based on the Department's assessment of the applicant's |
need. |
(d) An applicant for financial assistance under this Act |
is automatically eligible for financial assistance under this |
Act if: |
(1) the applicant is receiving, or the applicant's |
household includes, an individual who is receiving |
benefits under: |
(A) the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families |
(TANF) program; |
(B) the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance |
Program (SNAP); or |
(C) the Medicaid program; or |
(2) the applicant's household includes a child who is |
eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. |
(e) If the Department determines under subsection (c) that |
an individual is eligible for financial assistance, or that |
the individual is eligible for financial assistance under |
subsection (d), the Department may provide financial |
assistance to the individual or to the broadband Internet |
provider designated by the individual in the form of one or |
more vouchers, each in an amount of up to $50, that can be used |
by the individual to pay one or more of the following expenses: |
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(1) fees charged by a broadband Internet provider for |
installation, activation, equipment purchase, Wi-Fi |
extenders, or other one-time expenses of providing |
broadband Internet service to the individual; |
(2) monthly subscription fees charged by a broadband |
Internet provider for the provision of broadband Internet |
service to the individual household, including modem, |
router, or other service or equipment charges; and |
(3) overdue amounts owed to provider, including |
administrative fees and penalties. |
A voucher or similar designation of eligibility may be |
provided by the Department in printed or electronic form. |
(f) A provider that receives a voucher under this Section |
from an individual household who subscribes to the provider's |
broadband Internet service shall deduct the amount of the |
voucher from the amount owed by the subscriber for the |
provider's provision of broadband Internet service to the |
individual household on a monthly basis. |
(g) If the fund does not receive an ongoing appropriation |
from the General Assembly, the Department shall provide a |
90-day notice to participating households and broadband |
Internet providers that financial support will be |
discontinued.
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Section 100. The Department of Commerce and Economic |
Opportunity Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois |
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is amended by adding Section 605-1055 as follows:
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(20 ILCS 605/605-1055 new) |
Sec. 605-1055. Illinois Innovation Voucher Program. |
(a) The Department is authorized to establish the Illinois |
Innovation Voucher Program to be administered in accordance |
with this Section for the purpose of fostering research and |
development in key industry clusters leading to the creation |
of new products and services that can be marketed by Illinois |
businesses. Subject to appropriation, the Department may award |
innovation vouchers to eligible businesses to offset a portion |
of expenses incurred through a collaborative research |
engagement with an Illinois institution of higher education. |
(b) Subject to appropriation, the Department may award |
matching funds in the form of innovation vouchers up to 75% of |
the cost of the research engagement not to exceed $75,000. A |
business may receive only one innovation voucher under this |
Section per year. |
(c) The Department, when administering the Program under |
this Section: |
(1) must encourage participation among small and |
mid-sized businesses; |
(2) must encourage participation in the Program in |
diverse geographic and economic areas, including urban, |
suburban, and rural areas of the State; and |
(3) must encourage participation in the Program from |
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businesses that operate in key industries, as defined by |
the Department. These industries include, but are not |
limited to, the following: (i) agribusiness and agtech; |
(ii) energy; (iii) information technology; (iv) life |
sciences and healthcare; (v) manufacturing; and (vi) |
transportation and logistics. |
(d) In order to be eligible for an innovation voucher |
under this Section, a business must satisfy all of the |
following conditions: |
(1) the business must be an Illinois-based business. |
For the purposes of this Section, "Illinois-based |
business" means a business that has its principal place of |
business in this State or that employs at least 100 |
full-time employees, as defined under Section 5-5 of the |
Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act, |
in this State; |
(2) the business must remain in this State for the |
duration of research engagement; and |
(3) the partnering institution of higher education |
must be an Illinois-based institution of higher education |
and non-profit. For the purposes of this Section, |
"Illinois-based institution of higher education" means an |
institution of higher education that has its main physical |
campus in this State. |
(e) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to
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administer the provisions of this Section.
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Section 105. The State Finance Act is amended by adding |
Section 5.935 as follows:
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(30 ILCS 105/5.935 new) |
Sec. 5.935. The Illinois Broadband Adoption Fund.
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Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
becoming law.
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