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| 1 | AN ACT concerning State government.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Department of Natural Resources Act is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:
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| 6 | (20 ILCS 801/1-15)
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| 7 | Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.
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| 8 | (a) It shall be the duty of the Department to investigate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | practical
problems, implement studies, conduct research and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | provide assistance,
information and data relating to the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | technology and administration of
the natural history, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | entomology, zoology, and botany of this State; the geology
and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | natural resources of this State; the water and atmospheric | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | resources of
this State; and the archeological and cultural | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | history of this State.
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| 16 | (b) The Department (i) shall obtain, store, and process | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | relevant
data; recommend technological, administrative, and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | legislative changes and
developments; cooperate with other | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | federal, state, and local governmental
research agencies, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | facilities, or institutes in the selection of projects
for | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | study; cooperate with the Board of Higher Education and with | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | the public
and private colleges and universities in this State | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | in developing relevant
interdisciplinary approaches to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | problems; and evaluate curricula at all
levels
of education | ||||||
| 2 | and provide assistance to instructors and (ii) may
sponsor an
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| 3 | annual
conference of leaders in government, industry, health, | ||||||
| 4 | and education to
evaluate the state of this State's | ||||||
| 5 | environment and natural resources.
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| 6 | (c) The Director, in accordance with the Personnel Code, | ||||||
| 7 | shall employ
such personnel, provide such facilities, and | ||||||
| 8 | contract for such outside services
as may be necessary to | ||||||
| 9 | carry out the purposes of the Department. Maximum use
shall be | ||||||
| 10 | made of existing federal and state agencies, facilities, and | ||||||
| 11 | personnel
in conducting research under this Act.
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| 12 | (d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has | ||||||
| 13 | the following
powers:
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| 14 | (1) To obtain, store, process, and provide data and | ||||||
| 15 | information
related to the powers and duties of the | ||||||
| 16 | Department under this Act.
This subdivision (d)(1) does | ||||||
| 17 | not give authority to the Department to
require reports | ||||||
| 18 | from nongovernmental sources or entities.
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| 19 | (2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois Science
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| 20 | and Technology Advisory
Committee and the Illinois | ||||||
| 21 | Coalition for the purpose of facilitating the
effective | ||||||
| 22 | operations and activities of such entities. Support may | ||||||
| 23 | include,
but need not be limited to, providing space for | ||||||
| 24 | the operations of the
Committee and the Illinois | ||||||
| 25 | Coalition.
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| 26 | (e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local | ||||||
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| 1 | not-for-profit
organizations for the purposes of development, | ||||||
| 2 | maintenance and study of
wetland areas.
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| 3 | (f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive | ||||||
| 4 | and administer
on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests, | ||||||
| 5 | donations, income from property
rental and endowments. Any | ||||||
| 6 | such funds received by the Department shall be
deposited into | ||||||
| 7 | the Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby
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| 8 | created in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of | ||||||
| 9 | this Act or,
when appropriate, for such purposes and under | ||||||
| 10 | such restrictions, terms and
conditions as are predetermined | ||||||
| 11 | by the donor or grantor of such funds or
property. Any accrued | ||||||
| 12 | interest from money deposited into the Natural
Resources Fund | ||||||
| 13 | shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in the same
manner | ||||||
| 14 | as the principal. The Director shall maintain records which | ||||||
| 15 | account
for and assure that restricted funds or property are | ||||||
| 16 | disbursed or used
pursuant to the restrictions, terms or | ||||||
| 17 | conditions of the donor.
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| 18 | (g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and promote | ||||||
| 19 | our special
heritage of recreational hunting and trapping by | ||||||
| 20 | providing opportunities to
hunt and trap in accordance with | ||||||
| 21 | the Wildlife Code.
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| 22 | (h) The Department shall fly a United States Flag, an | ||||||
| 23 | Illinois flag, and a POW/MIA flag at all State parks. | ||||||
| 24 | (Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 91-582, eff. 8-14-99; | ||||||
| 25 | 92-326, eff. 8-9-01.)
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