HB4853 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 18248 HLH 31687 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4853

Introduced , by Rep. Janet Yang Rohr

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 745/0.01	from Ch. 127, par. 1550
30 ILCS 745/1	from Ch. 127, par. 1551
30 ILCS 745/2	from Ch. 127, par. 1552
30 ILCS 745/3	from Ch. 127, par. 1553
30 ILCS 745/4	from Ch. 127, par. 1554
30 ILCS 745/5	from Ch. 127, par. 1555
30 ILCS 745/6	from Ch. 127, par. 1556
30 ILCS 745/7	from Ch. 127, par. 1557
30 ILCS 745/8	from Ch. 127, par. 1558

Amends the Public Radio and Television Grant Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Public Media Grant Act. Provides that public, educational, and government access channels are included in the grant program under the Act. Makes changes concerning the distribution of grants under the Act. 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 Public Radio and Television Grant Act is amended by changing Sections 0.01, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 as follows:

(30 ILCS 745/0.01) (from Ch. 127, par. 1550)

Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Public Media Public Radio and Television Grant Act.

(Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

(30 ILCS 745/1) (from Ch. 127, par. 1551)

Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Illinois public radio station" or "radio station" means a non-commercial public radio broadcasting station licensed as such by the Federal Communications Commission, or authorized under a program test authority by the Federal Communications Commission, which operates from a community located in this State, and meets the minimum criteria for receipt of Community Service Grants set by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; and

"Illinois public television station" or "television station" means a non-commercial public television broadcasting station licensed as such by the Federal Communications Commission, or authorized under a program test authority by the Federal Communications Commission, which operates from a community located in this State, and meets the minimum criteria for receipt of Community Service Grants set by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

"Public, educational, and government access channel" or "PEG" means a cable-operated channel that provides community programming, such as coverage of hyper-local news, high school sports, and city council meetings.

"Eligible public media outlet" station" means a public, educational, and government access channel or public radio or television station as defined hereinabove which had been in full-time operation and has met the minimum grant criteria of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting before applying for a grant under this Act.

In the event the Corporation for Public Broadcasting should cease to exist, or its Community Service Grant program should terminate, or the eligibility criteria for grants under the Community Service Grant program shall be lowered, then the criteria for eligibility for such grants which were extant on the effective date of this Act shall prevail for purposes of this Act.

"Public media outlet" or "outlet", "Station" unless otherwise qualified, means any eligible PEG, radio station, or television station.

"Actual operating cost" means the total sum expended for the operations and maintenance of an Illinois public radio or television station.

(Source: P.A. 88-494.)

(30 ILCS 745/2) (from Ch. 127, par. 1552)

Sec. 2. Certification process. Each eligible outlet station shall certify to the Illinois Arts Council, in such form and at such time as the Council shall require, its actual operating cost for the prior fiscal year. Upon acceptance by the Illinois Arts Council, such certification shall constitute the basis for grants provided under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 91-25, eff. 6-9-99.)

(30 ILCS 745/3) (from Ch. 127, par. 1553)

Sec. 3. Allocation of Funds. Funds appropriated under this Act shall be used for the purpose of making grants to public media outlets. stations under this Act shall be divided into 2 grant pools, with 75% of such appropriated funds constituting a grant pool for public television stations and 25% of such appropriated funds constituting a grant pool for public radio stations.

(Source: P.A. 84-1040.)

(30 ILCS 745/4) (from Ch. 127, par. 1554)

Sec. 4. Basic Grants. Each eligible outlet station shall receive an annual basic service grant in an amount equal to 30% of the grant pool for which it is eligible divided by the number of eligible outlets. stations.

(Source: P.A. 84-1040.)

(30 ILCS 745/5) (from Ch. 127, par. 1555)

Sec. 5. Operating Grants. Each eligible outlet station shall receive an annual operating support grant amounting to a pro-rata share of 70% of the grant pool for which it is eligible. This share shall bear the same ratio to 70% of the grant pool from which it came as the outlet's station's actual operating cost bore in the previous fiscal year to the aggregate of such actual operating cost for all eligible outlets stations for that year.

(Source: P.A. 84-1040.)

(30 ILCS 745/6) (from Ch. 127, par. 1556)

Sec. 6. Grant Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no outlet station shall in any year be allocated funds under this Act in excess of one-half of its actual operating cost for the prior fiscal year. Those funds not obligated by virtue of this limitation shall be distributed to the remaining outlets stations in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of this Act.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no outlet station shall be allocated more than 60% of all funds in its grant pool. Those funds not obligated by virtue of this limitation shall be distributed to the remaining eligible outlets stations in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 84-1040.)

(30 ILCS 745/7) (from Ch. 127, par. 1557)

Sec. 7. Required Assurances. Each eligible outlet station and, if applicable, its outlet station licensee shall certify to the Illinois Arts Council when applying for grant funds under this Act that any funds received pursuant to the provisions of this Act shall not supplant or cause to be reduced any other sources of funding for such outlets stations, and will be used solely for the benefit of public media a public broadcasting station and not for general institutional overhead or parent organization expenses.

(Source: P.A. 91-25, eff. 6-9-99.)

(30 ILCS 745/8) (from Ch. 127, par. 1558)

Sec. 8. Illinois Public Broadcasting Council. There is hereby created a public corporation to be called the Illinois Public Broadcasting Council whose directors shall consist of one representative of each outlet station eligible to receive grants under this Act. This Corporation shall function under such bylaws as shall be written by its initial directors and amended from time to time, provided, however, that such bylaws shall be in conformity with the applicable laws of the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 84-1040.)

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