State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Enrolled ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_SB0855eng

      20 ILCS 608/15
      20 ILCS 610/Act rep.
      20 ILCS 1105/8            from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7408
      30 ILCS 750/8-3           from Ch. 127, par. 2708-3
          Amends the Business Assistance and Regulatory Reform Act.
      Deletes the provisions concerning certain  permit  processing
      activities of the Office of Permits and Regulatory Assistance
      within  the  Department  of  Commerce  and Community Affairs.
      Repeals the Corridors of  Opportunity  and  Development  Act.
      Amends  the  Energy  Conservation and Coal Development Act to
      provide that the Illinois Coal Development Board  may  submit
      to  the  Governor and General Assembly the coal market report
      on October 1 of each year (now March 1).   Amends  the  Build
      Illinois  Act  to provide that the Department of Commerce and
      Community Affairs  may  provide  staff,  administration,  and
      other  support  for  the Public Infrastructure Loan and Grant
      Programs  and  pay  for   the   support   from   the   Public
      Infrastructure  Construction  Loan Revolving Fund.  Effective
      immediately.
                                                     LRB9001779PTcw
SB855 Engrossed                                LRB9001779PTcw
 1        AN ACT concerning business programs.
 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:
 4        Section 5.  The Business Assistance and Regulatory Reform
 5    Act is amended by changing Section 15 as follows:
 6        (20 ILCS 608/15)
 7        Sec.  15.  Providing  Information  and  Expediting Permit
 8    Reviews.
 9        (a)  The office shall provide an information system using
10    a toll-free business assistance number.  The number shall  be
11    advertised  throughout  the  State.  If requested, the caller
12    will be sent a  basic  business  kit,  describing  the  basic
13    requirements  and  procedures for doing business in Illinois.
14    If requested, the caller shall be directed to one or more  of
15    the additional services provided by the office.  In addition,
16    the  office  shall have branches located throughout the State
17    to assist persons who prefer not (or who are unable)  to  use
18    the  call system.  All persons providing advice to callers on
19    behalf of the office and all persons responsible for directly
20    providing services to persons visiting the office or  one  of
21    its  branches shall be persons with small business experience
22    in an administrative or managerial capacity.
23        (b)  (Blank).  The office shall develop and  implement  a
24    computerized  master  application  procedure  to expedite the
25    identification  and  processing  of  permits   for   business
26    undertakings, projects and activities.
27             (1)  The   application  shall  be  made  on  a  form
28        prescribed by the  office,  designed  primarily  for  the
29        convenience  of  applicants  confronting  requirements of
30        multiple permits from one or more  State  agencies.   The
31        office  shall  assist any person requesting assistance in
SB855 Engrossed             -2-                LRB9001779PTcw
 1        completing the application.
 2             (2)  Upon receipt of a completed master application,
 3        the office  shall  notify  each  State  agency  having  a
 4        possible  interest  in  the  proposed  business activity.
 5        Each agency so notified shall respond within 15 days  and
 6        advise  the  office whether one or more permits under its
 7        jurisdiction may  be  required  for  the  activity.   The
 8        response  will  also  include the fees to be charged. The
 9        requirements of this subdivision (b)(2) shall  not  apply
10        if the master  application contained false, misleading or
11        deceptive  information,  or  failed  to include pertinent
12        information, the lack of which could  reasonably  lead  a
13        State  agency  to  misjudge  the applicability of permits
14        under its jurisdiction, or if new permit requirements  or
15        related standards subsequently became effective for which
16        a  State  agency  had  no  discretion in establishing the
17        effective date. For purposes of this Act, "State  agency"
18        means  a  department  or agency of State government under
19        the  jurisdiction  and  control  of  the  Office  of  the
20        Governor.
21             (3)  After the 15 day notice  and  response  period,
22        the  office shall promptly provide the applicant with the
23        necessary application forms and related  information  for
24        all  permits  specified by the interested State agencies.
25        Applications may be directly filed with the  agencies  or
26        with  the  office, together with the requisite fees.  The
27        office may at the request  of  the  applicant  conduct  a
28        pre-application  conference  with  representatives of the
29        interested   State   agencies   and    agencies    having
30        responsibilities for business promotion.
31        (c)  Any  applicant  for  permits required for a business
32    activity may confer with the office to obtain  assistance  in
33    the   prompt   and   efficient   processing   and  review  of
34    applications.  The office may designate an  employee  of  the
SB855 Engrossed             -3-                LRB9001779PTcw
 1    office to act as a permit assistance manager to:
 2             (1)  facilitate  contacts  for  the  applicant  with
 3        responsible agencies;
 4             (2)  arrange conferences to clarify the requirements
 5        of interested agencies;
 6             (3)  consider with State agencies the feasibility of
 7        consolidating   hearings   and   data   required  of  the
 8        applicant;
 9             (4)  assist   the   applicant   in   resolution   of
10        outstanding issues identified by State agencies; and
11             (5)  coordinate federal, State and local  regulatory
12        procedures  and  permit  review  actions  to  the  extent
13        possible.
14        (d)  The  office  shall  publish  a  directory  of  State
15    business   permits   and   State  programs  to  assist  small
16    businesses.
17        (e)  The office shall designate "economically  distressed
18    areas",   being   State   enterprise  zones  that  have  been
19    designated enterprise zones  under  the  Illinois  Enterprise
20    Zone  Act  because  of  their  high  unemployment  rate, high
21    poverty rate, or low income. The office shall provide on-site
22    permit  assistance  in  those  areas  and  may  require   any
23    interested  State  agency  to designate an employee who shall
24    coordinate the handling of permits in that area.   Interested
25    State   agencies  shall,  to  the  maximum  extent  feasible,
26    establish procedures to expedite applications in economically
27    distressed areas.  The  office  shall  attempt  to  establish
28    agreements  with the local governments having jurisdiction in
29    these areas, to allow the office  to  provide  assistance  to
30    applicants for permits required by these local governments.
31        (f)    The   office  shall  designate  permit  assistance
32    managers to assist in  obtaining  the  prompt  and  efficient
33    processing and review of applications for permits required by
34    businesses  performing  infrastructure  projects.  Interested
SB855 Engrossed             -4-                LRB9001779PTcw
 1    State  agencies  shall,  to  the  maximum  extent   feasible,
 2    establish    procedures    to   expedite   applications   for
 3    infrastructure  projects.   Applications  for   permits   for
 4    infrastructure  projects  shall  be  approved  or disapproved
 5    within 45 days  of  submission,  unless  law  or  regulations
 6    specify  a  different  period.   If  the interested agency is
 7    unable to act within that period, the agency shall provide  a
 8    written notification to the office specifying reasons for its
 9    inability   to   act  and  the  date  by  which  approval  or
10    disapproval shall be determined.  The office may require  any
11    interested  State  agency  to  designate an employee who will
12    coordinate the handling of permits in that area.
13        (g)  In addition to its  responsibilities  in  connection
14    with  permit  assistance,  the  office  shall provide general
15    regulatory information by directing businesses to appropriate
16    officers  in  State  agencies  to  supply   the   information
17    requested.
18        (h)  The office shall help businesses to locate and apply
19    to  training programs available to train current employees in
20    particular skills, techniques or areas of knowledge  relevant
21    to  the  employees'  present  or  anticipated job duties.  In
22    pursuit  of  this  objective,  the   office   shall   provide
23    businesses with pertinent information about training programs
24    offered  by State agencies, units of local government, public
25    universities and colleges,  community  colleges,  and  school
26    districts in Illinois.
27        (i)  The office shall help businesses to locate and apply
28    to  State programs offering to businesses grants, loans, loan
29    or bond guarantees, investment  partnerships,  technology  or
30    productivity   consultation,   or  other  forms  of  business
31    assistance.
32        (j)  To the extent authorized by federal law, the  office
33    shall  assist  businesses  in ascertaining and complying with
34    the requirements of the federal Americans  with  Disabilities
SB855 Engrossed             -5-                LRB9001779PTcw
 1    Act.
 2        (k)  The   office   shall  provide  confidential  on-site
 3    assistance  in  identifying   problems   and   solutions   in
 4    compliance  with  requirements  of  the  federal Occupational
 5    Safety and Health Administration and other State and  federal
 6    environmental regulations.  The office shall work through and
 7    contract  with  the  Hazardous Waste Research and Information
 8    Center to provide confidential  on-site  consultation  audits
 9    that  (i)  assist  regulatory  compliance  and  (ii) identify
10    pollution prevention opportunities.
11        (l)  The office shall  provide  information  on  existing
12    loan and business assistance programs provided by the State.
13        (m)  Each  State agency having jurisdiction to approve or
14    deny a permit shall have the continuing power  heretofore  or
15    hereafter  vested  in  it  to  make such determinations.  The
16    provisions of this Act shall not lessen or reduce such powers
17    and shall modify the procedures followed in carrying out such
18    powers only to the extent provided in this Act.
19        (n) (1)  Each State agency shall fully cooperate with the
20    office in providing information, documentation, personnel  or
21    facilities requested by the office.
22        (2)  Each  State agency having jurisdiction of any permit
23    to which the master application procedure is applicable shall
24    designate an employee to act as permit  liaison  office  with
25    the office in carrying out the provisions of this Act.
26        (o) (1)  The  office  has authority, but is not required,
27    to keep and analyze appropriate  statistical  data  regarding
28    the number of permits issued by State agencies, the amount of
29    time  necessary  for  the  permits  to be issued, the cost of
30    obtaining such permits,  the  types  of  projects  for  which
31    specific  permits  are  issued,  a geographic distribution of
32    permits,  and  other  pertinent   data   the   office   deems
33    appropriate.
34        The  office  shall make such data and any analysis of the
SB855 Engrossed             -6-                LRB9001779PTcw
 1    data available to the public.
 2        (2)  The office has authority, but is  not  required,  to
 3    conduct  or  cause  to  be conducted a thorough review of any
 4    agency's permit requirements and the need  by  the  State  to
 5    require  such  permits.  The office shall draw on the review,
 6    on its direct experience, and on its statistical analyses  to
 7    prepare recommendations regarding how to:
 8             (i)  eliminate   unnecessary  or  antiquated  permit
 9        requirements;
10             (ii)  consolidate duplicative or overlapping  permit
11        requirements;
12             (iii)  simplify    overly    complex    or   lengthy
13        application procedures;
14             (iv)  expedite  time-consuming  agency  review   and
15        approval procedures; or
16             (v)  otherwise  improve  the permitting processes in
17        the State.
18        The office shall submit  copies  of  all  recommendations
19    within  5  days  of  issuance  to  the  affected  agency, the
20    Governor, the General Assembly, and the  Joint  Committee  on
21    Administrative Rules.
22        (p)  The  office  has  authority to review State forms on
23    its own initiative or  upon  the  request  of  another  State
24    agency  to  ascertain  the  burden, if any, of complying with
25    those forms.  If the office determines that a form is  unduly
26    burdensome  to  business,  it  may  recommend  to  the agency
27    issuing the form either that the form be eliminated  or  that
28    specific changes be made in the form.
29        (q)  Not later than March 1 of each year, beginning March
30    1,  1995,  the  office  shall  submit an annual report of its
31    activities during the preceding  year  to  the  Governor  and
32    General  Assembly.   The report shall describe the activities
33    of the office during the preceding  year  and  shall  contain
34    statistical  information  on the permit assistance activities
SB855 Engrossed             -7-                LRB9001779PTcw
 1    of the office.
 2    (Source: P.A. 88-404.)
 3        (20 ILCS 610/Act rep.)
 4        Section 10.  The Corridors of Opportunity and Development
 5    Act is repealed.
 6        Section 15.  The Energy Conservation and Coal Development
 7    Act is amended by changing Section 8 as follows:
 8        (20 ILCS 1105/8) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 7408)
 9        Sec. 8.  Illinois Coal Development Board.
10        (a)  There shall be established, within  the  Department,
11    the  Illinois  Coal  Development  Board,  hereinafter in this
12    Section called the Board.  The Board shall be composed of  13
13    voting members including: the Director of the Department, who
14    shall  be Chairman thereof; the Director of Natural Resources
15    or that Director's designee; the Director of  the  Office  of
16    Mines   and   Minerals   within  the  Department  of  Natural
17    Resources; the two co-chairpersons of the Citizens Council on
18    Energy Resources, created by Public Act 84-15; and 8  persons
19    appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the
20    Senate, including representatives of Illinois industries that
21    are involved in the extraction, utilization or transportation
22    of  Illinois  coal, persons representing financial or banking
23    interests  in  the  State,   and   persons   experienced   in
24    international   business  and  economic  development.   These
25    members shall be chosen from persons  of  recognized  ability
26    and  experience  in  their designated field.  The 8 appointed
27    members shall serve for terms of 4  years,  unless  otherwise
28    provided  in  this  subsection.   The  initial  terms  of the
29    original appointees shall expire on July 1, 1985, except that
30    the Governor shall designate 3 of the original appointees  to
31    serve  initial  terms that shall expire on July 1, 1983.  The
SB855 Engrossed             -8-                LRB9001779PTcw
 1    initial term of the member appointed by the Governor to  fill
 2    the office created after July 1, 1985 shall expire on July 1,
 3    1989.   The  initial  terms  of  the members appointed by the
 4    Governor to fill the offices created by this  amendatory  Act
 5    of  1993  shall  expire on July 1, 1995, and July 1, 1997, as
 6    determined by the Governor.
 7        The Board shall meet at least annually or at the call  of
 8    the  Chairman.    At  any  time the majority of the Board may
 9    petition the Chairman for a  meeting  of  the  Board.   Seven
10    members  of  the Board shall constitute a quorum.  Members of
11    the Board  shall  be  reimbursed  for  actual  and  necessary
12    expenses incurred while performing their duties as members of
13    the  Board from funds appropriated to the Department for such
14    purpose.
15        (b)  The  Board  shall  have  the  following  powers  and
16    duties:
17             (1)  To develop an annual agenda which  may  include
18        but   is   not  limited  to  research  and  methodologies
19        conducted for the purpose of increasing  the  utilization
20        of  Illinois'  coal and other fossil fuel resources, with
21        emphasis on high sulfur coal,  in  the  following  areas:
22        coal  extraction,  preparation and characterization; coal
23        technologies (combustion, gasification, liquefaction, and
24        related  processes);  marketing;  public  awareness   and
25        education,  as  those terms are used in the Illinois Coal
26        Technology Development  Assistance  Act;  transportation;
27        procurement   of  sites  and  issuance  of  permits;  and
28        environmental impacts.
29             (2)  To  support  and   coordinate   Illinois   coal
30        research,  and  to  approve  projects consistent with the
31        annual agenda  and  budget  for  coal  research  and  the
32        purposes  of  this  Act.   The Board shall review and, if
33        acceptable, approve the annual budget and operating  plan
34        submitted  by  the  Department  for administration of the
SB855 Engrossed             -9-                LRB9001779PTcw
 1        Board's projects and funds.
 2             (3)  To  promote  the  coordination   of   available
 3        research  information  on  the  production,  preparation,
 4        distribution  and uses of Illinois coal.  The Board shall
 5        advise the  existing  research  institutions  within  the
 6        State on areas where research may be necessary.
 7             (4)  To  cooperate  to  the  fullest extent possible
 8        with  State  and  federal   agencies   and   departments,
 9        independent  organizations,  and other interested groups,
10        public  and  private,  for  the  purposes  of   promoting
11        Illinois coal resources.
12             (5)  To  submit an annual report to the Governor and
13        the  General  Assembly   outlining   the   progress   and
14        accomplishments made in the year, providing an accounting
15        of  funds received and disbursed, reviewing the status of
16        research  contracts,  and   furnishing   other   relevant
17        information.
18             (6)  To  focus  on existing coal research efforts in
19        carrying out its mission. The Board shall attempt to make
20        use of existing research facilities in Illinois or  other
21        institutions  carrying out research on Illinois coal.  As
22        far as practicable, the Board shall make maximum  use  of
23        the  research  facilities available at the Illinois State
24        Geological Survey, the Coal  Extraction  and  Utilization
25        Research  Center,  the Illinois Coal Development Park and
26        universities and colleges located  within  the  State  of
27        Illinois.  Subject to the approval of the Department, and
28        in  conjunction  with its statutory responsibilities, the
29        Board may create a consortium or center  which  conducts,
30        coordinates  and supports coal research activities in the
31        State of Illinois.  Programmatic  activities  of  such  a
32        consortium  or center shall be subject to approval by the
33        Board and shall be consistent with the purposes  of  this
34        Act.   The  Board  may  authorize expenditure of funds in
SB855 Engrossed             -10-               LRB9001779PTcw
 1        support of the administrative and programmatic operations
 2        of such  a  center  or  consortium  consistent  with  its
 3        statutory  authority.   Administrative actions undertaken
 4        by or for such a center or consortium shall be subject to
 5        the approval of the Department.
 6             (7)  To make a reasonable attempt, before initiating
 7        any research under this  Act,  to  avoid  duplication  of
 8        effort  and  expense by coordinating the research efforts
 9        among  various  agencies,  departments,  universities  or
10        organizations, as the case may be.
11             (8)  To adopt, amend and repeal  rules,  regulations
12        and  bylaws  governing  its  organization, the conduct of
13        business, and the exercise of its powers and duties.
14             (9)  To authorize the expenditure of monies from the
15        Coal Technology Development Assistance Fund,  the  Public
16        Utility  Fund  and  other  funds  in  the  State Treasury
17        appropriated  to  the  Department,  consistent  with  the
18        purposes of this Act.
19             (10)  To seek, accept, and expend gifts or grants in
20        any form, from  any  public  agency  or  from  any  other
21        source.   Such  gifts  and grants may be held in trust by
22        the Department and expended at the direction of the Board
23        and in the exercise of the Board's powers and performance
24        of the Board's duties.
25             (11)  To publish, from time to time, the results  of
26        Illinois coal research projects funded through the Board.
27             (12)  To  authorize  loans  from appropriations from
28        the Build Illinois Bond Purposes Fund, the Build Illinois
29        Bond Fund and the Illinois  Industrial  Coal  Utilization
30        Fund.
31             (13)  To  authorize  expenditures of monies for coal
32        development projects under the authority of Section 13 of
33        the General Obligation Bond Act.
34        (c)  The Board shall also have and exercise the following
SB855 Engrossed             -11-               LRB9001779PTcw
 1    powers and duties:
 2             (1)  To create and maintain  thorough,  current  and
 3        accurate  records  on  all markets for and actual uses of
 4        coal  mined  in  Illinois,  and  to  make  such   records
 5        available to the public upon request.
 6             (2)  To  identify all current and anticipated future
 7        technical,     economic,      institutional,      market,
 8        environmental,  regulatory  and  other impediments to the
 9        utilization of Illinois coal.
10             (3)  To monitor and evaluate all proposals and plans
11        of  public  utilities  related  to  compliance  with  the
12        requirements of Title IV of the  federal  Clean  Air  Act
13        Amendments  of  1990,  or  with any other law which might
14        affect the use of Illinois coal, for the purposes of  (i)
15        determining the effects of such proposals or plans on the
16        use  of  Illinois  coal, and (ii) identifying alternative
17        plans or actions which would maintain or increase the use
18        of Illinois coal.
19             (4)  To develop strategies and to  propose  policies
20        to  promote  environmentally responsible uses of Illinois
21        coal for meeting electric power supply  requirements  and
22        for other purposes.
23             (5)  To  issue  a  report  to  the  Governor and the
24        General Assembly by October 1, 1991, and by  March  1  of
25        each    year   thereafter,   describing   all   findings,
26        conclusions and recommendations required by and developed
27        pursuant to  this  subsection;  provided,  however,  that
28        interim  reports may be issued whenever in the opinion of
29        the Board there may be a need to do so.
30    (Source: P.A. 88-391; 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)
31        Section  20.  The  Build  Illinois  Act  is  amended   by
32    changing Section 8-3 as follows:
SB855 Engrossed             -12-               LRB9001779PTcw
 1        (30 ILCS 750/8-3) (from Ch. 127, par. 2708-3)
 2        Sec.  8-3.  Powers of the Department.  The Department has
 3    the power to:
 4        (a)  provide business development  public  infrastructure
 5    loans  or  grants from appropriations from the Build Illinois
 6    Bond Fund, the Build Illinois Purposes Fund  and  the  Public
 7    Infrastructure Construction Loan Fund to local governments to
 8    provide  or improve a community's public infrastructure so as
 9    to create or retain  private  sector  jobs  pursuant  to  the
10    provisions of this Article;
11        (b)  provide     affordable     financing    of    public
12    infrastructure loans and grants to, or on  behalf  of,  local
13    governments,  local  public entities, medical facilities, and
14    public health clinics from  appropriations  from  the  Public
15    Infrastructure  Construction  Loan  Fund  for  the purpose of
16    assisting with the financing, or application  and  access  to
17    financing,  of  a community's public infrastructure necessary
18    to health, safety, and economic development;
19        (c)  enter into agreements, accept funds or  grants,  and
20    engage   in   cooperation   with   agencies  of  the  federal
21    government, or state or local governments to  carry  out  the
22    purposes  of  this  Article,  and  to  use funds appropriated
23    pursuant  to  this  Article   to   participate   in   federal
24    infrastructure  loan  and  grant programs upon such terms and
25    conditions as may be established by the federal government;
26        (d)  establish application, notification,  contract,  and
27    other  procedures, rules, or regulations deemed necessary and
28    appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Article;
29        (e)  coordinate  assistance  under  this   program   with
30    activities  of  the Illinois Development Finance Authority in
31    order to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency  of  State
32    development programs;
33        (f)  coordinate assistance under the Affordable Financing
34    of  Public  Infrastructure  Loan  and  Grant Program with the
SB855 Engrossed             -13-               LRB9001779PTcw
 1    activities of the  Illinois  Development  Finance  Authority,
 2    Illinois   Rural   Bond   Bank,   Illinois  Farm  Development
 3    Authority, Illinois Housing Development  Authority,  Illinois
 4    Environmental  Protection Agency, and other federal and State
 5    programs  and  entities  providing  financing  assistance  to
 6    communities  for  public   health,   safety,   and   economic
 7    development infrastructure;.
 8        (f-5)  provide staff, administration, and related support
 9    required to manage the programs authorized under this Article
10    and pay for the staffing, administration, and related support
11    from  the  Public  Infrastructure Construction Loan Revolving
12    Fund;
13        (g)  exercise such  other  powers  as  are  necessary  or
14    incidental to the foregoing.
15    (Source: P.A. 88-453.)
16        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
17    becoming law.

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