101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB3102

 

Introduced , by Rep. Terra Costa Howard

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Small Business Advocate Act. Creates the four independent Offices of the Executive Small Business Advocate for the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Comptroller, and the Treasurer. Provides that every State agency consisting of 500 or more employees shall establish an independent Office of the Small Business Advocate. Provides that each Office shall be under the direction and supervision of an Executive Small Business Advocate or a Small Business Advocate, and shall be a fully independent Office with separate appropriations. Provides for the appointment and duties of Executive Small Business Advocates and Small Business Advocates. Provides that each Office shall assist small businesses in understanding and complying with State requirements, as well as facilitating interactions between small businesses and State government. Provides for the adoption of rules. Provides that beginning January 1, 2021, and for each year thereafter, each Office of the Executive Small Business Advocate and each Office of the Small Business Advocate shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly detailing specified items. Defines Terms. Effective January 1, 2020.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Small
5Business Advocate Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
7    "Executive branch constitutional officer" means the
8Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Comptroller, and
9the Treasurer.
10    "Office" means an Office of the Executive Small Business
11Advocate established under Section 10 or an Office of the Small
12Business Advocate established under Section 15.
13    "Small businesses" means a corporation or a concern,
14including its affiliates, that is independently owned and
15operated, not dominant in its field, and employs fewer than 50
16full-time employees or has gross annual sales of less than
17$4,000,000.
18    "State agency" means agencies created by the Illinois
19Constitution, whether in the executive, legislative, or
20judicial branch, but not including the Office of the Governor,
21the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, or any other executive
22branch constitutional officer.
 

 

 

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1    Section 10. Executive Small Business Advocates.
2    (a) Four independent Offices of the Executive Small
3Business Advocate are created, one each for the Attorney
4General, the Secretary of State, the Comptroller, and the
5Treasurer. Each Office shall be under the direction and
6supervision of an Executive Small Business Advocate, and shall
7be a fully independent Office with separate appropriations. The
8Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, and
9Treasurer shall each appoint an Executive Small Business
10Advocate without regard to political affiliation and solely on
11the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability. Each Executive
12Small Business Advocate shall serve until a successor is
13appointed and qualified. Each Executive Small Business
14Advocate shall employ and appoint personnel necessary to
15perform the functions and duties of the Offices of the
16Executive Small Business Advocate.
17    (b) Each Executive Small Business Advocate appointed under
18this Section shall be a person who by reason of training,
19experience, and attainment is qualified to represent the
20interests of small businesses in this State. In addition to
21overseeing the operations and duties of the Office, each
22Executive Small Business Advocate shall represent the
23interests of small businesses by: (1) testifying on legislation
24that would affect small businesses; (2) commenting on rules
25that would affect small businesses; (3) identifying statutes
26that would place an unnecessary burden on small businesses; and

 

 

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1(4) any other action the Executive Small Business Advocate may
2deem necessary to carry out his or her responsibility to
3represent the interests of small businesses under this Act.
4    (c) Each Office of the Executive Small Business Advocate
5shall work directly with small businesses that have specific
6business, issues, or concerns with the executive branch
7constitutional office in which the Office is established. Each
8Office shall assist small businesses in understanding and
9complying with State requirements, as well as facilitating
10interactions between small businesses and the executive branch
11constitutional office for which the Office is established.
12    (d) Each Executive Small Business Advocate appointed under
13this Section may adopt rules necessary to implement and perform
14the functions and duties of his or her Office under this
15Section.
 
16    Section 15. State agency Small Business Advocates.
17    (a) Every State agency consisting of 500 or more employees
18shall establish an independent Office of the Small Business
19Advocate. Each Office shall be under the direction and
20supervision of a Small Business Advocate, and shall be a fully
21independent Office with separate appropriations. Each head of a
22State agency subject to this subsection (a) shall appoint a
23Small Business Advocate without regard to political
24affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity and
25demonstrated ability. Each Small Business Advocate shall serve

 

 

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1until a successor is appointed and qualified. Each Small
2Business Advocate shall employ and appoint personnel necessary
3to perform the functions and duties of the Office of the Small
4Business Advocate.
5    (b) Each Small Business Advocate appointed under this
6Section shall be a person who by reason of training,
7experience, and attainment is qualified to represent the
8interests of small businesses in this State. In addition to
9overseeing the operations and duties of the Office, each Small
10Business Advocate shall represent the interests of small
11businesses by: (1) testifying on legislation that would affect
12small businesses; (2) commenting on rules that would affect
13small businesses; (3) identifying statutes that would place an
14unnecessary burden on small businesses; and (4) any other
15action the Small Business Advocate may deem necessary to carry
16out his or her responsibility to represent the interests of
17small businesses under this Act.
18    (c) Each Office of the Small Business Advocate shall work
19directly with small businesses that have specific business,
20issues, or concerns with the State agency in which the Office
21is established. Each Office shall assist small businesses in
22understanding and complying with State requirements, as well as
23facilitating interactions between small businesses and the
24State agency in which the Office is established.
25    (d) Each Small Business Advocate appointed under this
26Section may adopt rules necessary to implement and perform the

 

 

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1functions and duties of his or her Office under this Section.
 
2    Section 20. Reports. Beginning January 1, 2021, and for
3each year thereafter, each Office of the Executive Small
4Business Advocate and each Office of the Small Business
5Advocate established under this Act shall submit a report to
6the Governor and the General Assembly detailing: (1) the
7operations of each Office; (2) recommendations each Office may
8have concerning the interests of small businesses and improving
9interactions between smalls businesses and State government;
10and (3) any other information an Executive Small Business
11Advocate or a Small Business Advocate may deem necessary
12concerning the Office.
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
141, 2020.