Public Act 099-0653
 
HB5933 EnrolledLRB099 19612 MLM 44007 b

    AN ACT concerning finance.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act is amended
by changing Sections 20 and 25 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 595/20)
    Sec. 20. Responsibilities of the Local Food, Farms, and
Jobs Council. The responsibilities of the Local Food, Farms,
and Jobs Council include, but are not limited to, the
following:
    (a) To assist State agencies, State-owned facilities, and
other entities with the purchase of local farm or food products
and with tracking and reporting of such purchases in order to
meet the goals established in Section 10 of this Act.
    (b) To assist local farm and food entrepreneurs to identify
and secure necessary resources and equipment to begin,
maintain, and expand projects and networks necessary for the
development of local farm or food products; provided, however,
that it is the intent of this Act that the Local Food, Farms,
and Jobs Council will facilitate program start-ups and then
relinquish rights, benefits, and control within a reasonably
short duration of time.
    (c) To facilitate the building of infrastructure,
including aggregation, processing, storage, packaging, and
distribution facilities necessary to move local farm or food
products to local and other markets.
    (d) To support and expand programs that recruit, train, and
provide technical assistance to Illinois farmers and residents
in order to encourage the production of local farm or food
products.
    (e) To coordinate interagency policies, initiatives, and
procedures promoting local farm and food products in Illinois
communities, by working with and involving State, federal, and
local agencies, as well as community based organizations,
educational institutions, and trade organizations in executing
the purposes of this Act.
    (f) To facilitate the elimination of legal barriers
hindering the development of a local farm and food economy by
working with federal, State, and local public health agencies,
other agencies and applicable entities, and the Illinois
Attorney General to create consistent and compatible
regulations for the production, storage, distribution, and
marketing of local farm or food products.
    (g) To facilitate the use of public lands for growing local
farm or food products by working with governmental entities at
the local, State, and federal levels.
    (h) To set annual goals for all purchases of local farm or
food products by Illinois residents and to monitor the
development and expansion of a local farm and food economy
through data collection, tracking, measurement, analysis, and
reporting on progress made in an annual report to the Illinois
General Assembly.
    (i) (Blank). To develop, in collaboration with the
Department of Agriculture, a label and certification program
different than the "Illinois Product" label program, whereby a
label with a specific name and unique design or logo may be
placed on local farm and food products.
    (j) To initiate and facilitate public awareness campaigns
about the economic benefits of a local farm and food economy.
(Source: P.A. 96-579, eff. 8-18-09.)
 
    (30 ILCS 595/25)
    Sec. 25. Governance of the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs
Council.
    (a) The Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council shall be
governed by a 20-member 35-member board of directors, which
shall be comprised of the following:
        (1) one representative each from the Department of
    Agriculture; the Department of Commerce and Economic
    Opportunity; the Department of Public Health; the Illinois
    Finance Authority; the Office of the State Treasurer; an
    agency tasked with responsibilities over economic or
    workforce development; the Department of Human Services,
    Office of Health and Prevention; the Department of Human
    Services, Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness;
        (2) the Director of the Lieutenant Governor's Rural
    Affairs Council;
        (2) (3) one agricultural specialist from the
    University of Illinois Extension;
        (3) one representative of the State's largest general
    farm organization;
        (4) thirteen representatives, each of whom shall
    represent at least one of the following interests, and each
    interest shall be represented by at least one
    representative:
            (A) local farm or food product farmers
        representing different sectors, including, but not
        limited to, dairy, meat, vegetable, and grain;
            (B) local farm or food product producers
        representing different flower, fruit, viticulture,
        aquaculture, forestry, seeds, fiber, ornamental, or
        other specialty crop sectors;
            (C) local farm or food product processors or
        distributors, preferentially those operating
        cooperatively or under local ownership;
            (D) not-for-profit educational organizations that
        specialize in supporting and expanding local farm or
        food product networks;
            (E) local farm or food product retailers;
            (F) municipalities in the State actively engaged
        in the development of local farm or food products;
            (G) banking, investment, or philanthropic
        communities with expertise in financing or supporting
        local foods production and infrastructure;
            (H) community-based organizations focusing on
        access to local farm or food products;
            (I) restaurants or food service businesses,
        schools, or institutions that use or seek to increase
        and promote use of local foods; and
            (J) employees working for businesses in the food
        system.
        (4) four local farm or food product farmers
        representing different agribusiness sectors,
        including, but not limited to, the dairy, meat,
        vegetable, and grain sectors;
        (5) four local farm or food product producers
    representing different flower, fruit, viticulture,
    aquaculture, forestry, seeds, fiber, vegetable,
    ornamental, or other specialty crop sectors;
        (6) two local farm or food product processors;
        (7) two local farm or food product distributors;
        (8) three representatives of not-for-profit
    educational organizations that specialize in supporting
    and expanding local farm or food product networks;
        (9) one certifier of specialty local farm or food
    products, such as an organic, naturally grown, biodynamic,
    Halal, or Kosher certifier;
        (10) one local farm or food product consumer
    representative;
        (11) two representatives of farm organizations;
        (12) one representative from a philanthropic
    organization supporting the development of local farm or
    food products;
        (13) one local farm or food product retailer;
        (14) two municipal representatives from different
    communities in the State actively engaged in the
    development of local farm or food products;
        (15) four representatives from community-based
    organizations focusing on access to local farm or food
    products, including at least 3 minority members; and
        (16) one chef specializing in the preparation of
    locally grown foods.
    (b) The 15 29 non-state governmental board members shall be
appointed by the Governor to 3-year staggered terms as
determined by the Governor. Persons may be nominated by
organizations representing the sectors outlined in subsection
(a) of this Section. Vacancies shall be filled by the Governor.
    (c) The Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council may apply for
and establish a not for profit corporation under the General
Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986.
    (d) The board of directors shall have all the rights,
titles, powers, privileges, and obligations provided for in the
General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986. It shall elect
its presiding officers from among its members and may elect or
appoint an executive committee, other committees, and
subcommittees to conduct the business of the organization.
    (e) The Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council may solicit
grants, loans, and contributions from public or private sources
and may enter into any contracts, grants, loans, or agreements
with respect to the use of such funds to execute the purposes
of this Act. No debt or obligation of the Local Food, Farms,
and Jobs Council shall become the debt or obligation of the
State.
    (f) The Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council shall not be
considered a State Agency, and its funds shall be considered
private funds and held in an appropriate account outside of the
State Treasury. Private funds collected by the Local Food,
Farms, and Jobs Council are not subject to the Public Funds
Investment Act. Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council procurement
is exempt from the Illinois Procurement Code. The treasurer of
Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council funds shall be custodian of
all Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council funds. The Local Food,
Farms, and Jobs Council and its officers shall be responsible
for the approval of recording of receipts, approval of
payments, and the proper filing of required reports. The Local
Food, Farms, and Jobs Council's records shall be audited
annually by an independent auditor who is a certified public
accountant and has been selected by the Board. An annual report
shall also be compiled by the Board. Both the annual report and
the annual audit shall be filed with any public agency
providing funds to the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council and
be made available to the public.
    (g) Subject to the availability of public or private funds,
the board of directors may employ an executive director,
treasurer, other staff, or independent contractors necessary
to execute the purposes of this Act, and it may fix the
compensation, benefits, terms, and conditions of those
persons' employment.
    (h) The State Governmental agencies represented on the
board of directors may re-direct existing staff, as
appropriations permit; assist in executing the purposes of this
Act; and provide office space, meeting space, and other
research and communication services as appropriate.
    (i) The Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council may be assisted
in carrying out its functions by personnel of the Department of
Agriculture. The Department shall provide reasonable
assistance to the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council to help
it achieve its purposes.
(Source: P.A. 96-579, eff. 8-18-09.)