SB1526 Engrossed LRB096 03959 RCE 13994 b

1     AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Department of Natural Resources Act is
5 amended by changing Section 1-15 as follows:
 
6     (20 ILCS 801/1-15)
7     Sec. 1-15. General powers and duties.
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.
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 and
2 provide assistance to instructors and (ii) may sponsor an
3 annual conference of leaders in government, industry, health,
4 and education to evaluate the state of this State's environment
5 and natural resources.
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 carry
9 out the purposes of the Department. Maximum use shall be made
10 of existing federal and state agencies, facilities, and
11 personnel in conducting research under this Act.
12     (d) In addition to its other powers, the Department has the
13 following powers:
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 not
17     give authority to the Department to require reports from
18     nongovernmental sources or entities.
19         (2) To cooperate with and support the Illinois Science
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 Coalition.
25     (e) The Department is authorized to make grants to local
26 not-for-profit organizations for the purposes of development,

 

 

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1 maintenance and study of wetland areas.
2     (f) The Department has the authority to accept, receive and
3 administer on behalf of the State any gifts, bequests,
4 donations, income from property rental and endowments. Any such
5 funds received by the Department shall be deposited into the
6 Natural Resources Fund, a special fund which is hereby created
7 in the State treasury, and used for the purposes of this Act
8 or, when appropriate, for such purposes and under such
9 restrictions, terms and conditions as are predetermined by the
10 donor or grantor of such funds or property. Any accrued
11 interest from money deposited into the Natural Resources Fund
12 shall be reinvested into the Fund and used in the same manner
13 as the principal. The Director shall maintain records which
14 account for and assure that restricted funds or property are
15 disbursed or used pursuant to the restrictions, terms or
16 conditions of the donor.
17     (g) The Department shall recognize, preserve, and promote
18 our special heritage of recreational hunting and trapping by
19 providing opportunities to hunt and trap in accordance with the
20 Wildlife Code.
21     (h) No license, permit, or other fee imposed or collected
22 by the Department, and no related federal funds received by the
23 State for the use of the Department, shall be used for any
24 purpose other than the administration of the Department or the
25 implementation and enforcement of its policies and programs or
26 any purpose not in compliance with the federal funding

 

 

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1 requirements.
2 (Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99; 91-582, eff. 8-14-99;
3 92-326, eff. 8-9-01.)
 
4     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
5 becoming law.