Bill Text: IL SB2629 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a local government that has submitted a distressed location project as defined by Department of Natural Resources rule shall be eligible for assistance up to 100% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement projects on distressed location projects. Provides that no less than 10% of the amount appropriated under the Act in any fiscal year shall be made available as grants to distressed communities.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-2)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-03 - Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Cristina Castro [SB2629 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB2629-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2629 Introduced 10/26/2023, by Sen. Celina Villanueva SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
525 ILCS 35/2.06 new
525 ILCS 35/3 from Ch. 85, par. 2103
525 ILCS 35/4 from Ch. 85, par. 2104
525 ILCS 35/5 from Ch. 85, par. 2105
525 ILCS 35/6 from Ch. 85, par. 2106
525 ILCS 35/7 from Ch. 85, par. 2107
525 ILCS 35/9 from Ch. 85, par. 2109
Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a local government that has submitted a distressed location project as defined by Department of Natural Resources rule shall be eligible for assistance up to 100% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement projects on distressed location projects. Provides that no less than 10% of the amount appropriated under the Act in any fiscal year shall be made available as grants to distressed communities.
LRB103 34890 RLC 64757 b
A BILL FOR
SB2629 LRB103 34890 RLC 64757 b
AN ACT concerning conservation.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Open Space Lands Acquisition and
Development Act is amended by changing Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 9 and by adding Section 2.06 as follows:
(525 ILCS 35/2.06 new)
Sec. 2.06. Distressed location project. "Distressed
location project" means a proposal for the acquisition of open
space lands or for the capital development of park,
recreation, or conservation areas by a local government when
the location of the project for the acquisition or capital
development is located within a distressed area as determined
by the Department through administrative rule.
(525 ILCS 35/3) (from Ch. 85, par. 2103)
Sec. 3. From appropriations made from the Capital
Development Fund, Build Illinois Bond Fund or other available
or designated funds for such purposes, the Department shall
make grants to local governments as financial assistance for
the capital development and improvement of park, recreation or
conservation areas, marinas and shorelines, including planning
and engineering costs, and for the acquisition of open space

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lands, including acquisition of easements and other property
interests less than fee simple ownership if the Department
determines that such property interests are sufficient to
carry out the purposes of this Act, subject to the conditions
and limitations set forth in this Act.
No more than 10% of the amount so appropriated for any
fiscal year may be committed or expended on any one project or
any one distressed location project described in an
application under this Act.
Any Except for grants awarded from new appropriations in
fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2024, any grant under this Act
to a local government shall be conditioned upon the state
providing assistance on a 50/50 matching basis for the
acquisition of open space lands and for capital development
and improvement proposals. However, a local government that is
defined as a "distressed community" under criteria adopted by
the Department through administrative rule or a local
government that has submitted a "distressed location project"
as defined under criteria adopted by the Department through
administrative rule shall be eligible for assistance up to
100% 90% for the acquisition of open space lands and for
capital development and improvement projects or distressed
location projects. No proposals, provided that no more than
10% of the amount appropriated under this Act in any fiscal
year shall be is made available as grants to distressed
location projects local governments. No less than 10% of the

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amount appropriated under this Act in any fiscal year shall be
made available as grants to distressed communities. For grants
awarded from new appropriations in fiscal year 2023 and fiscal
year 2024 only, a local government defined as "distressed" is
eligible for assistance up to 100% for the acquisition of open
space lands and for capital development and improvement
proposals. The Department may make more than 10% of the amount
appropriated in fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2024
available as grants to distressed local governments.
An advance payment of a minimum of 50% of any grant made to
a unit of local government under this Act must be paid to the
unit of local government at the time the Department awards the
grant. A unit of local government may opt out of the advanced
payment option at the time of the award of the grant. The
remainder of the grant shall be distributed to the local
government quarterly on a reimbursement basis. The Department
shall consider an applicant's request for an extension to a
grant under this Act if (i) the advanced payment is expended or
legally obligated within the 2 years required by Section 5 of
the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act or (ii) no advanced
payment was made.
(Source: P.A. 102-200, eff. 7-30-21; 102-699, eff. 4-19-22;
103-8, eff. 6-7-23.)
(525 ILCS 35/4) (from Ch. 85, par. 2104)
Sec. 4. Any local government may apply to the Department

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for a grant under this Act. An application must be in writing
and contain a narrative description of the project or the
distressed location project, the legal description of the open
lands to be acquired or used for the capital development
project or capital development of a distressed location
project, a current appraisal showing the fair market value of
those lands to be acquired, the project or distressed location
project cost, identification of a source of continuous funding
sufficient to maintain the new facilities to be created by
capital development, the amount of the project cost the
applicant proposes to provide and such other information as
the Department reasonably requires.
(Source: P.A. 84-109.)
(525 ILCS 35/5) (from Ch. 85, par. 2105)
Sec. 5. In considering applications for grants under this
Act, the Department shall give priority to distressed location
projects and projects which (i) that will provide the greatest
benefit to the residents of the areas of the State that which
have the highest concentration or density of population, (ii)
that which are based upon criteria established by the
Department that which reflect outdoor recreation needs and
priorities identified through the Statewide Comprehensive
Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) Program carried out by the
Department, or (iii) that which are located in flood plain
areas.

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The total amount of grants made for any fiscal year may not
exceed the amount of the appropriation for grants made for
that fiscal year.
(Source: P.A. 84-109.)
(525 ILCS 35/6) (from Ch. 85, par. 2106)
Sec. 6. The Department shall consider all applications for
grants for a fiscal year before awarding any grants for that
year. No consideration shall be given for that fiscal year to
an application that has not been timely filed. If an
application does not describe a distressed location project or
a project that is compatible with the purposes of this Act, the
Department shall deny that application. The Department shall
evaluate those applications that have been timely filed and
have been approved as being compatible with the purposes of
this Act and, subject to the limits established by Section 3,
list in order of priority the applicant, project, or
distressed location project and dollar amount of each grant
recommended to be awarded. The Department shall also indicate
on the priority listing of approved projects or distressed
location projects the last grant that which may be paid during
that fiscal year because of the limit of moneys appropriated
for grants for that fiscal year.
(Source: P.A. 84-109.)
(525 ILCS 35/7) (from Ch. 85, par. 2107)

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Sec. 7. Within 30 days after completing its consideration
of applications for grants for a fiscal year, the Department
shall notify each applicant of the disposition made of its
application. The Department shall, in addition, direct the
payment of grants to those applicants whose projects or
distressed location projects have been approved and have been
assigned a priority within the limits of the amounts
appropriated for grants for that fiscal year.
(Source: P.A. 84-109.)