Bill Text: IL SB3038 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Promotion Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may issue competitive grants with initial terms of 10 years for the purpose of administering an incentive program that will attract or retain conventions, meetings, sporting events, and trade shows in Illinois with the goal of increasing business or leisure travel to and within the State. Amends the State Finance Act. Establishes the Tourism Incentive Grant Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that, on July 1, 2026, and every July 1 thereafter, or as soon thereafter as practical, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the sum of $5,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Tourism Incentive Grant Program Fund. Effective immediately.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Introduced) 2026-05-22 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB3038 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB3038-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026SB3038 Introduced 1/28/2026, by Sen. Laura Ellman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
20 ILCS 665/8a from Ch. 127, par. 200-28a
30 ILCS 105/5.1038 new
30 ILCS 105/6z-149 new
Amends the Illinois Promotion Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may issue competitive grants with initial terms of 10 years for the purpose of administering an incentive program that will attract or retain conventions, meetings, sporting events, and trade shows in Illinois with the goal of increasing business or leisure travel to and within the State. Amends the State Finance Act. Establishes the Tourism Incentive Grant Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that, on July 1, 2026, and every July 1 thereafter, or as soon thereafter as practical, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the sum of $5,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Tourism Incentive Grant Program Fund. Effective immediately.
LRB104 18782 HLH 32225 b
A BILL FOR
SB3038 LRB104 18782 HLH 32225 b
AN ACT concerning State government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Promotion Act is amended by
changing Section 8a as follows:
(20 ILCS 665/8a) (from Ch. 127, par. 200-28a)
Sec. 8a. Tourism grants and loans.
(1) The Department is authorized to make grants and loans,
subject to appropriations by the General Assembly for this
purpose from the Tourism Promotion Fund, to counties,
municipalities, other units of local government, local
promotion groups, not-for-profit organizations, or for-profit
businesses for the development or improvement of tourism
attractions in Illinois. Individual grants and loans shall not
exceed $1,000,000 and shall not exceed 50% of the entire
amount of the actual expenditures for the development or
improvement of a tourist attraction. Agreements for loans made
by the Department pursuant to this subsection may contain
provisions regarding term, interest rate, security as may be
required by the Department and any other provisions the
Department may require to protect the State's interest.
(2) From appropriations to the Department from the State
CURE fund for this purpose, the Department shall establish

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Tourism Attraction grants for purposes outlined in subsection
(1). Grants under this subsection shall not exceed $1,000,000
but may exceed 50% of the entire amount of the actual
expenditure for the development or improvement of a tourist
attraction, including, but not limited to, festivals.
Expenditures of such funds shall be in accordance with the
permitted purposes under Section 9901 of the American Rescue
Plan Act of 2021 and all related federal guidance.
(3) Subject to appropriation, the Department is authorized
to issue competitive grants with initial terms of up to 5 years
for the purpose of administering an incentive program that
will attract or retain conventions, meetings, sporting events,
and trade shows in Illinois with the goal of increasing
business or leisure travel.
(4) Beginning July 1, 2026, subject to appropriation, the
Department is authorized to issue competitive grants with
initial terms of 10 years for the purpose of administering an
incentive program that will attract or retain conventions,
meetings, sporting events, and trade shows in Illinois with
the goal of increasing business or leisure travel to and
within the State. The Department shall provide for a new grant
award of available funds under this item (4) once every 3
years. An event shall not be considered ineligible for grant
funding under this item (4) if multiple Illinois destinations
are in competition for the same event. Room night credits that
are actualized, contracted, revenue-generating group room

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nights directly sourced by the grantee must exceed 200 for
outside of the City of Chicago and 5,000 within the City of
Chicago. The maximum amount awarded to entities outside the
City of Chicago is $1,000,000 in each grant award cycle. To be
eligible for grant funding under this item (4), an applicant
must be a certified convention and visitors bureau, a unit of
local government, a local promotion group, a not-for-profit
organization, a for-profit organization, or a convention
center authority. If applicants are in a service area covered
by a certified convention and visitors bureau, the application
must include a letter of support from the certified convention
and visitors bureau. Grant funding under this item (4) may be
awarded to a joint effort between a certified convention and
visitors bureau and another eligible entity. If the applicant
intends to implement its program jointly with the certified
convention and visitors bureau, the application should submit
a letter of intent from the bureau providing details of the
joint effort.
(Source: P.A. 102-16, eff. 6-17-21; 102-287, eff. 8-6-21;
102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 103-8, eff. 6-7-23.)
Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Sections 5.1038 and 6z-149 as follows:
(30 ILCS 105/5.1038 new)
Sec. 5.1038. The Tourism Incentive Grant Program Fund.

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(30 ILCS 105/6z-149 new)
Sec. 6z-149. Tourism Incentive Grant Program Fund;
creation.
(a) The Tourism Incentive Grant Program Fund is created as
a special fund in the State treasury. Money in the Tourism
Incentive Grant Program Fund shall be used, subject to
appropriation, for grants as provided in item (4) of Section
8a of the Illinois Promotion Act.
(b) On July 1, 2026, and every July 1 thereafter, or as
soon thereafter as practical, the State Comptroller shall
direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the sum of
$5,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Tourism
Incentive Grant Program Fund.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.