Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford
Filed: 5/15/2009
 
 

 




 

 		












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AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 436 




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    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 436 by replacing 
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everything after the enacting clause with the following:


 
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    "Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic 
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Opportunity Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is 
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amended  by adding Section 605-416 as follows:
 
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    (20 ILCS 605/605-416  new)
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    Sec. 605-416. Loans to qualified ex-offenders.
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    (a)     The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may 
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establish an ex-offender business ownership grant and loan 
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program.  Funding for this program shall come from the 
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Ex-Offender Fund.  The Department shall provide grants to 
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organizations and entities that work with ex-offenders and 
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facilitate the reentry of ex-offenders into society.  
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Organizations wishing to participate in the program must 
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present an application to the Department in order to receive 
 


 






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funding.
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    (b)   Funding distributed from the Ex-Offender Fund may be 
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used only  for the following purposes:
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        (1)    For the awarding of grants to organizations and 
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    entities to provide low interest loans to ex-offenders so 
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    that these individuals may start and operate their own 
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    businesses that have a positive impact on society.  The 
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    maximum amount of a loan funded by a grant under this 
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    Section that an ex-offender may receive is $5,000.
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        (2)    For the awarding of grants to entities or 
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    organizations assisting ex-offenders, so that individual 
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    ex-offenders may develop  business plans to start up their 
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    own businesses.  These grants are to be used for the sole 
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    purpose of acquiring a business plan developed by a 
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    credible source.  In order to receive these grants, 
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    qualified ex-offenders must submit an application and 
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    provide 50% of the cost to develop the business plan.
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        (3)    For the administration costs of the program. 
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    (c)    For purposes of this Section, "qualified ex-offender" 
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means any person who:
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        (1)    is an eligible offender, as defined under Section 
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    5-5.5-5 of the Unified Code of Corrections;
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        (2)    was sentenced to a period of incarceration in an 
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    Illinois adult correctional center; and
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        (3)    presents an application and a professional 
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    business plan to the organization or entity that is making 
 


 






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    the loan.
 
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    Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended  by adding 
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Section 5.719 as follows:
 
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    (30 ILCS 105/5.719  new)
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    Sec. 5.719. The Ex-Offender Fund.
 

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    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 
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1, 2010.".