State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]   [ Bill Summary ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ Engrossed ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_HB1575

      20 ILCS 605/46.19a        from Ch. 127, par. 46.19a
          Amends the  Civil  Administrative  Code  of  Illinois  by
      adding  a  caption to a Section concerning grants provided by
      the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.
                                                     LRB9004619MWpc
                                               LRB9004619MWpc
 1        AN ACT to amend the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois
 2    by changing Section 46.19a.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.  The Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
 6    amended by changing Section 46.19a as follows:
 7        (20 ILCS 605/46.19a) (from Ch. 127, par. 46.19a)
 8        (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
 9        Sec. 46.19a.  (1) Grants to provide  training  in  fields
10    affected  by  critical demands for certain skills may be made
11    as provided in this subsection.
12             (a)  The Director of the Department may make  grants
13        to  eligible  employers  or to other eligible entities on
14        behalf of employers as authorized  in  paragraph  (b)  to
15        provide  training for employees in fields for which there
16        are critical demands for certain skills.
17             (b)  The  Director  may  accept   applications   for
18        training  grant  funds  and  grant  requests  from:   (i)
19        entities   sponsoring   multi-company  eligible  employee
20        training projects as defined in paragraph (c),  including
21        business  associations,  strategic business partnerships,
22        institutions of  secondary  or  higher  education,  large
23        manufacturers for supplier network companies, federal Job
24        Training Partnership Act administrative entities or grant
25        recipients,  and  labor organizations when those projects
26        will  address  common  training   needs   identified   by
27        participating  companies;  and  (ii) individual employers
28        that are undertaking eligible employee training  projects
29        as defined in paragraph (c), including intermediaries and
30        training agents.
31             (c)  The   Director  may  make  grants  to  eligible
                            -2-                LRB9004619MWpc
 1        applicants as  defined  in  paragraph  (b)  for  employee
 2        training  projects  that include, but need not be limited
 3        to, one or more of the following:
 4                  (i)  training programs in response  to  new  or
 5             changing   technology   being   introduced   in  the
 6             workplace;
 7                  (ii)  job-linked training that  offers  special
 8             skills for career advancement or that is preparatory
 9             for,  and  leads  directly  to,  jobs  with definite
10             career potential and long-term job security;
11                  (iii)  training necessary  to  implement  total
12             quality management or improvement or both management
13             and improvement systems within the workplace;
14                  (iv)  training  related  to  new  machinery  or
15             equipment;
16                  (v)  training  of  employees  of companies that
17             are expanding into new markets or expanding  exports
18             from Illinois;
19                  (vi)  basic,   remedial,   or  both  basic  and
20             remedial training of employees as a prerequisite for
21             other vocational or technical skills training or  as
22             a condition for sustained employment;
23                  (vii)  self-employment    training    of    the
24             unemployed  and  underemployed  with  comprehensive,
25             competency-based    instructional    programs    and
26             services; and
27                  (viii)  other training activities, projects, or
28             both training activities and projects related to the
29             support,  development, or evaluation of job training
30             programs,   activities,   and   delivery    systems,
31             including training needs assessment and design.
32             (d)  Grants   shall   be   made  on  the  terms  and
33        conditions that the Department shall determine, provided,
34        however, that no  grant  made  under  the  provisions  of
                            -3-                LRB9004619MWpc
 1        paragraph  (c) of this subsection shall exceed 50% of the
 2        direct costs of all approved training  programs  provided
 3        by the employer or the employer's training agent or other
 4        entity  as defined in paragraph (b).  Under this Section,
 5        allowable costs include, but are not limited to:
 6                  (i)  administrative    costs    of    tracking,
 7             documenting,  reporting,  and  processing   training
 8             funds or project costs;
 9                  (ii)  curriculum development;
10                  (iii)  wages and fringe benefits of employees;
11                  (iv)  training   materials,   including   scrap
12             product costs;
13                  (v)  trainee travel expenses;
14                  (vi)  instructor costs, including wages, fringe
15             benefits, tuition, and travel expenses;
16                  (vii)  rent,  purchase,  or  lease  of training
17             equipment; and
18                  (viii)  other  usual  and  customary   training
19             costs.
20             (e)  The Director shall ensure that periodic on-site
21        grant  monitoring  visits are conducted by the Department
22        during the course of the grant period.    The  Department
23        shall  verify  that  the  grantee's  financial management
24        system is structured to provide  for  accurate,  current,
25        and  complete  disclosure of the financial results of the
26        grant program in accordance with all  provisions,  terms,
27        and conditions contained in the grant contract.
28             (f)  The   Director  may  establish  and  collect  a
29        schedule of charges from subgrantee  entities  and  other
30        system  users  under  federal  job-training  programs for
31        participating in and utilizing the department's automated
32        job-training  program  information  systems  where   such
33        systems  and  the necessary participation and utilization
34        is a requirement of the  federal  job-training  programs.
                            -4-                LRB9004619MWpc
 1        All  monies collected pursuant to this paragraph shall be
 2        deposited  into  the  Federal  Job-Training   Information
 3        Systems Revolving Fund created in subsection (5).
 4        (2)  The  Department is authorized to establish a program
 5    of  grants  to  universities,  community  colleges,  research
 6    institutions,  research  consortiums,  other   not-for-profit
 7    entities,   and   Illinois  businesses  for  the  purpose  of
 8    fostering research and development in the high technology and
 9    the service sector leading to the development of new products
10    and services that can be marketed by Illinois businesses. All
11    grant awards shall include a contract which may  provide  for
12    payment  of  negotiated  royalties  to  the Department if the
13    product  or  service  to  be  developed  by  the  grantee  is
14    subsequently licensed for production.
15             (a)  Grants  may  be  awarded  to  universities  and
16        research institutions to  assist  them  in  making  their
17        faculties    and   facilities   available   to   Illinois
18        businesses. Such grants may be used by  a  university  or
19        research  institution  for,  including but not limited to
20        the following  purposes:  (i)  to  establish  or  enhance
21        computerized   cataloging   of   all  research  labs  and
22        university staff and make such  catalogues  available  to
23        Illinois businesses; (ii) to market products developed by
24        the  university  to  Illinois businesses; (iii) to review
25        publications in order to identify,  catalog,  and  inform
26        Illinois  businesses  of  new  practices in areas such as
27        robotics,  biotechnology;  (iv)  to  build  an   on-line,
28        information  and  technology  system that relies on other
29        computerized networks in the United States; (v) to assist
30        in securing temporary replacement  for  faculty  who  are
31        granted a leave of absence from their teaching duties for
32        the purpose of working full-time for an Illinois business
33        to assist that business with technology transfer.
34             (b)  Grants  may  be  awarded  to  universities  and
                            -5-                LRB9004619MWpc
 1        research  institutions,  research  consortiums  and other
 2        not-for-profit entities for the  purpose  of  identifying
 3        and   supporting  Illinois  businesses  engaged  in  high
 4        technology and service sector enterprises. Such  Illinois
 5        businesses identified and funded shall include recipients
 6        of Small Business Innovation Research Program funds under
 7        subsections  (e)  through  (k)  of Section 9 of the Small
 8        Business Act. (Title 15 United States Codes,  subsections
 9        638(e)-638(k)).  Entities  receiving  grants  under  this
10        paragraph (b) shall be known as commercialization centers
11        and  shall  engage  in  one  or  more  of  the  following
12        activities:
13                  (i)  directing   research  assistance  for  new
14             venture creations;
15                  (ii)  general  feasibility   studies   of   new
16             venture ideas;
17                  (iii)  furthering     the     technical     and
18             intellectual  skills  of  the managers and owners of
19             Illinois small businesses;
20                  (iv)  commercialization   of   technology   and
21             research;
22                  (v)  development of prototypes and testing  new
23             products;
24                  (vi)  identify    and    assist   in   securing
25             financing;
26                  (vii)  marketing assistance; and
27                  (viii)  assisting Illinois inventors in finding
28             Illinois manufacturers to produce and  market  their
29             inventions.
30             A  commercialization center may charge a nominal fee
31        or accept royalty agreements for  conducting  feasibility
32        studies and other services.
33             (c)  Grants  may  be  awarded  by  the Department to
34        Illinois businesses to  fund  research  and  consultation
                            -6-                LRB9004619MWpc
 1        arrangements   between   businesses   and   universities,
 2        community   colleges,   research  institutions,  research
 3        consortiums and other not-for-profit entities within this
 4        State.
 5             The Department shall give priority to Illinois small
 6        businesses in awarding grants. Each grant  awarded  under
 7        this paragraph (c) shall provide funding for up to 50% of
 8        the  cost  of  the research or consultation arrangements,
 9        not to exceed $100,000; provided that the grant recipient
10        utilizes Illinois not for profit  research  and  academic
11        institutions  to  perform  the  research  and development
12        function for which grant funds were requested.
13             (d)  Grants may be awarded  to  research  consortium
14        and  other  qualified  applicants,  in  conjunction  with
15        private  sector  or  federal  funding, for other creative
16        systems that bridge university  resources  and  business,
17        technological, production and development concerns.
18             (e)  For   the   purposes  of  subsection  (2),  (i)
19        "Illinois business" means a "small business  concern"  as
20        defined  in  Title  15  United  States Code, Section 632,
21        which primarily conducts its business in  Illinois;  (ii)
22        "high   technology"   means   any  area  of  research  or
23        development  designed  to  foster  greater  knowledge  or
24        understanding  in  fields  such  as   computer   science,
25        electronics,   physics,  chemistry  or  biology  for  the
26        purpose of producing designing, developing  or  improving
27        prototypes  and  new  processes;  (iii)  "private sector"
28        shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Title 29  United
29        States Code, Section 1503; (iv) "University" means either
30        a  degree  granting  institution  located  in Illinois as
31        defined in Section 2 of the Academic  Degree  Act,  or  a
32        State-supported    institution    of    higher   learning
33        administered by the Board of Trustees of  the  University
34        of  Illinois,  the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois
                            -7-                LRB9004619MWpc
 1        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Chicago  State
 2        University, the Board of  Trustees  of  Eastern  Illinois
 3        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of Governors State
 4        University, the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Illinois  State
 5        University,   the   Board  of  Trustees  of  Northeastern
 6        Illinois University, the Board of  Trustees  of  Northern
 7        Illinois  University,  the  Board  of Trustees of Western
 8        Illinois University, or the  Illinois  Community  College
 9        Board;  (v) "venture" means any Illinois business engaged
10        in research and development to  create  new  products  or
11        services   with  high  growth  potential;  (vi)  Illinois
12        research institutions refers to not-for-profit  entities,
13        which  include  federally-funded  research  laboratories,
14        that  conduct research and development activities for the
15        purpose of producing, designing, developing, or improving
16        prototypes   and   new   processes;   and   (vii)   other
17        not-for-profit entities  means  non-profit  organizations
18        based  in  Illinois  that  are  primarily  devoted to new
19        enterprise or product development.
20             (f)  The Department may establish a program of grant
21        assistance on a matching basis to universities, community
22        colleges, small business development  centers,  community
23        action   agencies   and   other  not-for-profit  economic
24        development  agencies   to   encourage   new   enterprise
25        development  and  new business formation and to encourage
26        enterprises in this State.  The  Department  may  provide
27        grants,  which  shall  be  exempt  from the provisions of
28        subsection  (3)  of  this   Section,   to   universities,
29        community  colleges,  small business development centers,
30        community  action  agencies  and   other   not-for-profit
31        economic  development  entities for the purpose of making
32        loans to small businesses.  All grant applications  shall
33        contain   information  as  required  by  the  Department,
34        including the following:  a  program  operation  plan;  a
                            -8-                LRB9004619MWpc
 1        certification  and  assurance  that  the  small  business
 2        applicants have received business development training or
 3        education,  have  a  business  and  finance plan and have
 4        experience  in  the  proposed  business   area;   and   a
 5        description  of  the  support  services  which  the grant
 6        recipient will provide to the small  business.   No  more
 7        than  10% of the grant may be used by the grant recipient
 8        for  administrative  costs  associated  with  the  grant.
 9        Grant recipients may use grant funds under  this  program
10        to  make  loans  on terms and conditions favorable to the
11        small  business  and  shall  give   priority   to   those
12        businesses  located  in  high  poverty  areas, enterprise
13        zones, or both.
14        (3)  There is created within the Department, a Technology
15    Innovation and Commercialization Grants-in-Aid Council  which
16    shall  consist  of  2  representatives  of  the Department of
17    Commerce and Community Affairs appointed by  the  Department;
18    one representative of the Illinois Board of Higher Education,
19    appointed  by  the  Board;  one  representative of science or
20    engineering appointed by the Governor; two representatives of
21    business, appointed by the Governor;  one  representative  of
22    small business, appointed by the Governor; one representative
23    of  the  Department of Agriculture, appointed by the Director
24    of  Agriculture;  and  one  representative  of  agribusiness,
25    appointed by the Director of  Agriculture.  The  Director  of
26    Commerce  and  Community  Affairs  shall  appoint  one of the
27    Department's representatives to  serve  as  chairman  of  the
28    Council.  The  Council  members shall receive no compensation
29    for their services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses
30    actually incurred by them in the performance of their  duties
31    under  this  subsection.  The  Department shall provide staff
32    services to the Council. The Council shall provide for review
33    and evaluation of all applications received by the Department
34    under subsection (2) of this Section and make recommendations
                            -9-                LRB9004619MWpc
 1    on those projects to be funded. The Council shall also assist
 2    the Department in monitoring the projects and  in  evaluating
 3    the  impact  of  the  program on technological innovation and
 4    business development within the State.
 5        (4)  There is hereby created a special fund in the  State
 6    Treasury  to  be  known  as  the  Technology  Innovation  and
 7    Commercialization  Fund. The moneys in such Fund may be used,
 8    subject to appropriation, only for making grants pursuant  to
 9    subsection  (2)  of  this Section and for the purposes of the
10    Technology Advancement and  Development  Act.  All  royalties
11    received by the Department shall be deposited in such Fund.
12        (5)  There  is hereby created a special fund in the State
13    treasury to be known as the Federal Job-Training  Information
14    Systems Revolving Fund.  The deposit of monies into this fund
15    shall  be  limited  to  the collection of charges pursuant to
16    paragraph (f) of subsection (1) of this Section.  The  monies
17    in the fund may only be used, subject to appropriation by the
18    General Assembly for the purpose of financing the maintenance
19    and   operation   of   the   automated  Federal  Job-Training
20    Information Systems pursuant to paragraph (f)  of  subsection
21    (1) of this Section.
22        (6)  When  the  Department  is  involved  in developing a
23    federal or State funded training or  retraining  program  for
24    any  employer,  the Department will assist and encourage that
25    employer in  making  every  effort  to  reemploy  individuals
26    previously employed at the facility.  Further, the Department
27    will  provide  a  list of said employees to said employer for
28    consideration for reemployment and will report the results of
29    this  effort  to  the  Illinois  Job  Training   Coordinating
30    Council.   This  requirement  shall  be  in  effect  when the
31    following conditions are met:
32             (a)  the employer is reopening, or is  proposing  to
33        reopen,  a  facility  which  was  last  closed during the
34        preceding 2 years,
                            -10-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1             (b)  a substantial number of the  persons  who  were
 2        employed  at  the facility before its most recent closure
 3        remain unemployed, and
 4             (c)  the product or service produced by, or proposed
 5        to be produced  by,  the  employer  at  the  facility  is
 6        substantially  similar to the product or service produced
 7        at the facility before its most recent closure.
 8        (7)  The Department, in cooperation with the  Departments
 9    of  Public  Aid  and  Employment  Security,  may  establish a
10    program to encourage community action agencies  to  establish
11    programs  that  will help unemployed and underemployed single
12    parents to identify, access, and develop, through such  means
13    as  counseling  or mentoring, internal and external resources
14    that will enable those single parents to  become  emotionally
15    and   financially   self-sufficient.   The  intended  primary
16    beneficiaries of the local programs shall be female heads  of
17    households  who are at least 22 but less than 46 years of age
18    and who are physically able to work  but  are  unemployed  or
19    underemployed.   The  Department  may make grants, subject to
20    the  availability  of  funding,  to  communities  and   local
21    agencies  for  the  purpose of establishing local programs as
22    described  in  this  subsection  (7).   A  grant  under  this
23    subsection (7) shall be made for a period of one year and may
24    be renewed if the Department determines that the  program  is
25    successful  in  meeting  its  objectives.   If the Department
26    determines that implementation of a program has resulted in a
27    savings of State moneys that otherwise would have  been  paid
28    to  beneficiaries of the program, the Department, on renewing
29    a grant, may adjust the grant amount for  those  demonstrated
30    savings.  For  purposes  of  this  subsection,  a  person  is
31    underemployed  if  his  or her income from employment is less
32    than 185% of the federal official poverty income guideline.
33    (Source: P.A. 88-373; 88-456;  88-670,  eff.  12-2-94;  89-4,
34    eff. 1-1-96.)
                            -11-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1        (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
 2        Sec.  46.19a.   Training grants; research and development
 3    grants;   Technology   Innovation    and    Commercialization
 4    Grants-In-Aid  Council.   (1)  Grants  to provide training in
 5    fields affected by critical demands for certain skills may be
 6    made as provided in this subsection.
 7             (a)  The Director of the Department may make  grants
 8        to  eligible  employers  or to other eligible entities on
 9        behalf of employers as authorized  in  paragraph  (b)  to
10        provide  training for employees in fields for which there
11        are critical demands for certain skills.
12             (b)  The  Director  may  accept   applications   for
13        training  grant  funds  and  grant  requests  from:   (i)
14        entities   sponsoring   multi-company  eligible  employee
15        training projects as defined in paragraph (c),  including
16        business  associations,  strategic business partnerships,
17        institutions of  secondary  or  higher  education,  large
18        manufacturers for supplier network companies, federal Job
19        Training Partnership Act administrative entities or grant
20        recipients,  and  labor organizations when those projects
21        will  address  common  training   needs   identified   by
22        participating  companies;  and  (ii) individual employers
23        that are undertaking eligible employee training  projects
24        as defined in paragraph (c), including intermediaries and
25        training agents.
26             (c)  The   Director  may  make  grants  to  eligible
27        applicants as  defined  in  paragraph  (b)  for  employee
28        training  projects  that include, but need not be limited
29        to, one or more of the following:
30                  (i)  training programs in response  to  new  or
31             changing   technology   being   introduced   in  the
32             workplace;
33                  (ii)  job-linked training that  offers  special
34             skills for career advancement or that is preparatory
                            -12-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1             for,  and  leads  directly  to,  jobs  with definite
 2             career potential and long-term job security;
 3                  (iii)  training necessary  to  implement  total
 4             quality management or improvement or both management
 5             and improvement systems within the workplace;
 6                  (iv)  training  related  to  new  machinery  or
 7             equipment;
 8                  (v)  training  of  employees  of companies that
 9             are expanding into new markets or expanding  exports
10             from Illinois;
11                  (vi)  basic,   remedial,   or  both  basic  and
12             remedial training of employees as a prerequisite for
13             other vocational or technical skills training or  as
14             a condition for sustained employment;
15                  (vii)  self-employment    training    of    the
16             unemployed  and  underemployed  with  comprehensive,
17             competency-based    instructional    programs    and
18             services; and
19                  (viii)  other training activities, projects, or
20             both training activities and projects related to the
21             support,  development, or evaluation of job training
22             programs,   activities,   and   delivery    systems,
23             including training needs assessment and design.
24             (d)  Grants   shall   be   made  on  the  terms  and
25        conditions that the Department shall determine, provided,
26        however, that no  grant  made  under  the  provisions  of
27        paragraph  (c) of this subsection shall exceed 50% of the
28        direct costs of all approved training  programs  provided
29        by the employer or the employer's training agent or other
30        entity  as defined in paragraph (b).  Under this Section,
31        allowable costs include, but are not limited to:
32                  (i)  administrative    costs    of    tracking,
33             documenting,  reporting,  and  processing   training
34             funds or project costs;
                            -13-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1                  (ii)  curriculum development;
 2                  (iii)  wages and fringe benefits of employees;
 3                  (iv)  training   materials,   including   scrap
 4             product costs;
 5                  (v)  trainee travel expenses;
 6                  (vi)  instructor costs, including wages, fringe
 7             benefits, tuition, and travel expenses;
 8                  (vii)  rent,  purchase,  or  lease  of training
 9             equipment; and
10                  (viii)  other  usual  and  customary   training
11             costs.
12             (e)  The Director shall ensure that periodic on-site
13        grant  monitoring  visits are conducted by the Department
14        during the course of the grant period.    The  Department
15        shall  verify  that  the  grantee's  financial management
16        system is structured to provide  for  accurate,  current,
17        and  complete  disclosure of the financial results of the
18        grant program in accordance with all  provisions,  terms,
19        and conditions contained in the grant contract.
20             (f)  The   Director  may  establish  and  collect  a
21        schedule of charges from subgrantee  entities  and  other
22        system  users  under  federal  job-training  programs for
23        participating in and utilizing the department's automated
24        job-training  program  information  systems  where   such
25        systems  and  the necessary participation and utilization
26        is a requirement of the  federal  job-training  programs.
27        All  monies collected pursuant to this paragraph shall be
28        deposited  into  the  Federal  Job-Training   Information
29        Systems Revolving Fund created in subsection (5).
30        (2)  The  Department is authorized to establish a program
31    of  grants  to  universities,  community  colleges,  research
32    institutions,  research  consortiums,  other   not-for-profit
33    entities,   and   Illinois  businesses  for  the  purpose  of
34    fostering research and development in the high technology and
                            -14-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1    the service sector leading to the development of new products
 2    and services that can be marketed by Illinois businesses. All
 3    grant awards shall include a contract which may  provide  for
 4    payment  of  negotiated  royalties  to  the Department if the
 5    product  or  service  to  be  developed  by  the  grantee  is
 6    subsequently licensed for production.
 7             (a)  Grants  may  be  awarded  to  universities  and
 8        research institutions to  assist  them  in  making  their
 9        faculties    and   facilities   available   to   Illinois
10        businesses. Such grants may be used by  a  university  or
11        research  institution  for,  including but not limited to
12        the following  purposes:  (i)  to  establish  or  enhance
13        computerized   cataloging   of   all  research  labs  and
14        university staff and make such  catalogues  available  to
15        Illinois businesses; (ii) to market products developed by
16        the  university  to  Illinois businesses; (iii) to review
17        publications in order to identify,  catalog,  and  inform
18        Illinois  businesses  of  new  practices in areas such as
19        robotics,  biotechnology;  (iv)  to  build  an   on-line,
20        information  and  technology  system that relies on other
21        computerized networks in the United States; (v) to assist
22        in securing temporary replacement  for  faculty  who  are
23        granted a leave of absence from their teaching duties for
24        the purpose of working full-time for an Illinois business
25        to assist that business with technology transfer.
26             (b)  Grants  may  be  awarded  to  universities  and
27        research  institutions,  research  consortiums  and other
28        not-for-profit entities for the  purpose  of  identifying
29        and   supporting  Illinois  businesses  engaged  in  high
30        technology and service sector enterprises. Such  Illinois
31        businesses identified and funded shall include recipients
32        of Small Business Innovation Research Program funds under
33        subsections  (e)  through  (k)  of Section 9 of the Small
34        Business Act. (Title 15 United States Codes,  subsections
                            -15-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1        638(e)-638(k)).  Entities  receiving  grants  under  this
 2        paragraph (b) shall be known as commercialization centers
 3        and  shall  engage  in  one  or  more  of  the  following
 4        activities:
 5                  (i)  directing   research  assistance  for  new
 6             venture creations;
 7                  (ii)  general  feasibility   studies   of   new
 8             venture ideas;
 9                  (iii)  furthering     the     technical     and
10             intellectual  skills  of  the managers and owners of
11             Illinois small businesses;
12                  (iv)  commercialization   of   technology   and
13             research;
14                  (v)  development of prototypes and testing  new
15             products;
16                  (vi)  identify    and    assist   in   securing
17             financing;
18                  (vii)  marketing assistance; and
19                  (viii)  assisting Illinois inventors in finding
20             Illinois manufacturers to produce and  market  their
21             inventions.
22             A  commercialization center may charge a nominal fee
23        or accept royalty agreements for  conducting  feasibility
24        studies and other services.
25             (c)  Grants  may  be  awarded  by  the Department to
26        Illinois businesses to  fund  research  and  consultation
27        arrangements   between   businesses   and   universities,
28        community   colleges,   research  institutions,  research
29        consortiums and other not-for-profit entities within this
30        State.
31             The Department shall give priority to Illinois small
32        businesses in awarding grants. Each grant  awarded  under
33        this paragraph (c) shall provide funding for up to 50% of
34        the  cost  of  the research or consultation arrangements,
                            -16-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1        not to exceed $100,000; provided that the grant recipient
 2        utilizes Illinois not for profit  research  and  academic
 3        institutions  to  perform  the  research  and development
 4        function for which grant funds were requested.
 5             (d)  Grants may be awarded  to  research  consortium
 6        and  other  qualified  applicants,  in  conjunction  with
 7        private  sector  or  federal  funding, for other creative
 8        systems that bridge university  resources  and  business,
 9        technological, production and development concerns.
10             (e)  For   the   purposes  of  subsection  (2),  (i)
11        "Illinois business" means a "small business  concern"  as
12        defined  in  Title  15  United  States Code, Section 632,
13        which primarily conducts its business in  Illinois;  (ii)
14        "high   technology"   means   any  area  of  research  or
15        development  designed  to  foster  greater  knowledge  or
16        understanding  in  fields  such  as   computer   science,
17        electronics,   physics,  chemistry  or  biology  for  the
18        purpose of producing designing, developing  or  improving
19        prototypes  and  new  processes;  (iii)  "private sector"
20        shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Title 29  United
21        States Code, Section 1503; (iv) "University" means either
22        a  degree  granting  institution  located  in Illinois as
23        defined in Section 2 of the Academic  Degree  Act,  or  a
24        State-supported    institution    of    higher   learning
25        administered by the Board of Trustees of  the  University
26        of  Illinois,  the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois
27        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Chicago  State
28        University, the Board of  Trustees  of  Eastern  Illinois
29        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of Governors State
30        University, the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Illinois  State
31        University,   the   Board  of  Trustees  of  Northeastern
32        Illinois University, the Board of  Trustees  of  Northern
33        Illinois  University,  the  Board  of Trustees of Western
34        Illinois University, or the  Illinois  Community  College
                            -17-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1        Board;  (v) "venture" means any Illinois business engaged
 2        in research and development to  create  new  products  or
 3        services   with  high  growth  potential;  (vi)  Illinois
 4        research institutions refers to not-for-profit  entities,
 5        which  include  federally-funded  research  laboratories,
 6        that  conduct research and development activities for the
 7        purpose of producing, designing, developing, or improving
 8        prototypes   and   new   processes;   and   (vii)   other
 9        not-for-profit entities  means  non-profit  organizations
10        based  in  Illinois  that  are  primarily  devoted to new
11        enterprise or product development.
12             (f)  The Department may establish a program of grant
13        assistance on a matching basis to universities, community
14        colleges, small business development  centers,  community
15        action   agencies   and   other  not-for-profit  economic
16        development  agencies   to   encourage   new   enterprise
17        development  and  new business formation and to encourage
18        enterprises in this State.  The  Department  may  provide
19        grants,  which  shall  be  exempt  from the provisions of
20        subsection  (3)  of  this   Section,   to   universities,
21        community  colleges,  small business development centers,
22        community  action  agencies  and   other   not-for-profit
23        economic  development  entities for the purpose of making
24        loans to small businesses.  All grant applications  shall
25        contain   information  as  required  by  the  Department,
26        including the following:  a  program  operation  plan;  a
27        certification  and  assurance  that  the  small  business
28        applicants have received business development training or
29        education,  have  a  business  and  finance plan and have
30        experience  in  the  proposed  business   area;   and   a
31        description  of  the  support  services  which  the grant
32        recipient will provide to the small  business.   No  more
33        than  10% of the grant may be used by the grant recipient
34        for  administrative  costs  associated  with  the  grant.
                            -18-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1        Grant recipients may use grant funds under  this  program
 2        to  make  loans  on terms and conditions favorable to the
 3        small  business  and  shall  give   priority   to   those
 4        businesses  located  in  high  poverty  areas, enterprise
 5        zones, or both.
 6        (3)  There is created within the Department, a Technology
 7    Innovation and Commercialization Grants-in-Aid Council  which
 8    shall  consist  of  2  representatives  of  the Department of
 9    Commerce and Community Affairs appointed by  the  Department;
10    one representative of the Illinois Board of Higher Education,
11    appointed  by  the  Board;  one  representative of science or
12    engineering appointed by the Governor; two representatives of
13    business, appointed by the Governor;  one  representative  of
14    small business, appointed by the Governor; one representative
15    of  the  Department of Agriculture, appointed by the Director
16    of  Agriculture;  and  one  representative  of  agribusiness,
17    appointed by the Director of  Agriculture.  The  Director  of
18    Commerce  and  Community  Affairs  shall  appoint  one of the
19    Department's representatives to  serve  as  chairman  of  the
20    Council.  The  Council  members shall receive no compensation
21    for their services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses
22    actually incurred by them in the performance of their  duties
23    under  this  subsection.  The  Department shall provide staff
24    services to the Council. The Council shall provide for review
25    and evaluation of all applications received by the Department
26    under subsection (2) of this Section and make recommendations
27    on those projects to be funded. The Council shall also assist
28    the Department in monitoring the projects and  in  evaluating
29    the  impact  of  the  program on technological innovation and
30    business development within the State.
31        (4)  There is hereby created a special fund in the  State
32    Treasury  to  be  known  as  the  Technology  Innovation  and
33    Commercialization  Fund. The moneys in such Fund may be used,
34    subject to appropriation, only for making grants pursuant  to
                            -19-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1    subsection  (2)  of  this Section and for the purposes of the
 2    Technology Advancement and  Development  Act.  All  royalties
 3    received by the Department shall be deposited in such Fund.
 4        (5)  There  is hereby created a special fund in the State
 5    treasury to be known as the Federal Job-Training  Information
 6    Systems Revolving Fund.  The deposit of monies into this fund
 7    shall  be  limited  to  the collection of charges pursuant to
 8    paragraph (f) of subsection (1) of this Section.  The  monies
 9    in the fund may only be used, subject to appropriation by the
10    General Assembly for the purpose of financing the maintenance
11    and   operation   of   the   automated  Federal  Job-Training
12    Information Systems pursuant to paragraph (f)  of  subsection
13    (1) of this Section.
14        (6)  When  the  Department  is  involved  in developing a
15    federal or State funded training or  retraining  program  for
16    any  employer,  the Department will assist and encourage that
17    employer in  making  every  effort  to  reemploy  individuals
18    previously employed at the facility.  Further, the Department
19    will  provide  a  list of said employees to said employer for
20    consideration for reemployment and will report the results of
21    this  effort  to  the  Illinois  Job  Training   Coordinating
22    Council.   This  requirement  shall  be  in  effect  when the
23    following conditions are met:
24             (a)  the employer is reopening, or is  proposing  to
25        reopen,  a  facility  which  was  last  closed during the
26        preceding 2 years,
27             (b)  a substantial number of the  persons  who  were
28        employed  at  the facility before its most recent closure
29        remain unemployed, and
30             (c)  the product or service produced by, or proposed
31        to be produced  by,  the  employer  at  the  facility  is
32        substantially  similar to the product or service produced
33        at the facility before its most recent closure.
34        (7)  The Department, in cooperation with the  Departments
                            -20-               LRB9004619MWpc
 1    of  Human  Services  and Employment Security, may establish a
 2    program to encourage community action agencies  to  establish
 3    programs  that  will help unemployed and underemployed single
 4    parents to identify, access, and develop, through such  means
 5    as  counseling  or mentoring, internal and external resources
 6    that will enable those single parents to  become  emotionally
 7    and   financially   self-sufficient.   The  intended  primary
 8    beneficiaries of the local programs shall be female heads  of
 9    households  who are at least 22 but less than 46 years of age
10    and who are physically able to work  but  are  unemployed  or
11    underemployed.   The  Department  may make grants, subject to
12    the  availability  of  funding,  to  communities  and   local
13    agencies  for  the  purpose of establishing local programs as
14    described  in  this  subsection  (7).   A  grant  under  this
15    subsection (7) shall be made for a period of one year and may
16    be renewed if the Department determines that the  program  is
17    successful  in  meeting  its  objectives.   If the Department
18    determines that implementation of a program has resulted in a
19    savings of State moneys that otherwise would have  been  paid
20    to  beneficiaries of the program, the Department, on renewing
21    a grant, may adjust the grant amount for  those  demonstrated
22    savings.  For  purposes  of  this  subsection,  a  person  is
23    underemployed  if  his  or her income from employment is less
24    than 185% of the federal official poverty income guideline.
25    (Source: P.A. 88-373; 88-456;  88-670,  eff.  12-2-94;  89-4,
26    eff. 1-1-96; 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)
27        Section  95.   No  acceleration or delay.  Where this Act
28    makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by
29    text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for  example,  a
30    Section  represented  by  multiple versions), the use of that
31    text does not accelerate or delay the taking  effect  of  (i)
32    the  changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from
33    any other Public Act.

[ Top ]