Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

Filed: 5/15/2009

 

 


 

 


 
09600HB0436sam001 LRB096 07997 JDS 26842 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 436

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 436 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic
5 Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
6 amended by adding Section 605-416 as follows:
 
7     (20 ILCS 605/605-416 new)
8     Sec. 605-416. Loans to qualified ex-offenders.
9     (a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may
10 establish an ex-offender business ownership grant and loan
11 program. Funding for this program shall come from the
12 Ex-Offender Fund. The Department shall provide grants to
13 organizations and entities that work with ex-offenders and
14 facilitate the reentry of ex-offenders into society.
15 Organizations wishing to participate in the program must
16 present an application to the Department in order to receive

 

 

09600HB0436sam001 - 2 - LRB096 07997 JDS 26842 a

1 funding.
2     (b) Funding distributed from the Ex-Offender Fund may be
3 used only for the following purposes:
4         (1) For the awarding of grants to organizations and
5     entities to provide low interest loans to ex-offenders so
6     that these individuals may start and operate their own
7     businesses that have a positive impact on society. The
8     maximum amount of a loan funded by a grant under this
9     Section that an ex-offender may receive is $5,000.
10         (2) For the awarding of grants to entities or
11     organizations assisting ex-offenders, so that individual
12     ex-offenders may develop business plans to start up their
13     own businesses. These grants are to be used for the sole
14     purpose of acquiring a business plan developed by a
15     credible source. In order to receive these grants,
16     qualified ex-offenders must submit an application and
17     provide 50% of the cost to develop the business plan.
18         (3) For the administration costs of the program.
19     (c) For purposes of this Section, "qualified ex-offender"
20 means any person who:
21         (1) is an eligible offender, as defined under Section
22     5-5.5-5 of the Unified Code of Corrections;
23         (2) was sentenced to a period of incarceration in an
24     Illinois adult correctional center; and
25         (3) presents an application and a professional
26     business plan to the organization or entity that is making

 

 

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1     the loan.
 
2     Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
3 Section 5.719 as follows:
 
4     (30 ILCS 105/5.719 new)
5     Sec. 5.719. The Ex-Offender Fund.
 
6     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
7 1, 2010.".