Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4981

LRB104 19708 HLH 33157 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4981

Introduced , by Rep. Mary Gill

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 605/605-1119 new

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall establish an office to serve as a single point of contact for the purpose of guiding businesses through the various registrations required by Illinois law and any unit of local government. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall prepare a report on the various registration or licensing requirements for small business and provide the report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 31, 2026. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

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 605-1119 as follows:

(20 ILCS 605/605-1119 new)

Sec. 605-1119. Supporting small business creation.

(a) Small businesses are the lifeblood of Illinois' economy, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the businesses created in Illinois since 2020 have fewer than 20 employees. Those businesses have created more than 172,000 jobs. However, various State and local laws impose requirements on new businesses that can create difficulties for those businesses. This is particularly true for businesses with little to no capital or those located in areas with limited legal resources. In Illinois, new small businesses are often required to register or provide information to multiple State agencies, including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue, the Department of Employment Security, the Department of Labor, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Additionally, counties and some municipalities have established their own regulatory requirements. Each registration requires an additional fee. Navigating these registration requirements often requires legal assistance. It is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that small businesses have an opportunity to thrive and help grow the State's economy without the burden of overregulation.

(b) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall establish an office within the Department to serve as a single point of contact for the purpose of guiding businesses through the various registrations required by Illinois law and any unit of local government. This includes, but is not limited to, registrations required by the Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue, the Department of Labor, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

(c) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall prepare a report on the various registration or licensing requirements for small business and provide the report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 31, 2026.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.