State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_SB0855ham001

                                             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1                    AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 855
 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend Senate Bill  855  on  page  1,
 3    immediately below line 3, by inserting the following:
 4        "Section 3.  The Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
 5    amended by changing Section 46.19a as follows:
 6        (20 ILCS 605/46.19a) (from Ch. 127, par. 46.19a)
 7        (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
 8        Sec. 46.19a.  Employment and technology grants.
 9        (1)  Grants  to  provide  training  in fields affected by
10    critical demands for certain skills may be made  as  provided
11    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
                            -2-              LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        manufacturers for supplier network companies, federal Job
 2        Training Partnership Act administrative entities or grant
 3        recipients, and labor organizations when  those  projects
 4        will   address   common   training  needs  identified  by
 5        participating companies; and  (ii)  individual  employers
 6        that  are undertaking eligible employee training projects
 7        as defined in paragraph (c), including intermediaries and
 8        training agents.
 9             (c)  The  Director  may  make  grants  to   eligible
10        applicants  as  defined  in  paragraph  (b)  for employee
11        training projects that include, but need not  be  limited
12        to, one or more of the following:
13                  (i)  training  programs  in  response to new or
14             changing  technology   being   introduced   in   the
15             workplace;
16                  (ii)  job-linked  training  that offers special
17             skills for career advancement or that is preparatory
18             for, and  leads  directly  to,  jobs  with  definite
19             career potential and long-term job security;
20                  (iii)  training  necessary  to  implement total
21             quality management or improvement or both management
22             and improvement systems within the workplace;
23                  (iv)  training  related  to  new  machinery  or
24             equipment;
25                  (v)  training of employees  of  companies  that
26             are  expanding into new markets or expanding exports
27             from Illinois;
28                  (vi)  basic,  remedial,  or  both   basic   and
29             remedial training of employees as a prerequisite for
30             other  vocational or technical skills training or as
31             a condition for sustained employment;
32                  (vii)  self-employment    training    of    the
33             unemployed  and  underemployed  with  comprehensive,
34             competency-based    instructional    programs    and
                            -3-              LRB9001779PTcwam
 1             services; and
 2                  (viii)  other training activities, projects, or
 3             both training activities and projects related to the
 4             support, development, or evaluation of job  training
 5             programs,    activities,   and   delivery   systems,
 6             including training needs assessment and design.
 7             (d)  Grants  shall  be  made  on   the   terms   and
 8        conditions that the Department shall determine, provided,
 9        however,  that  no  grant  made  under  the provisions of
10        paragraph (c) of this subsection shall exceed 50% of  the
11        direct  costs  of all approved training programs provided
12        by the employer or the employer's training agent or other
13        entity as defined in paragraph (b).  Under this  Section,
14        allowable costs include, but are not limited to:
15                  (i)  administrative    costs    of    tracking,
16             documenting,   reporting,  and  processing  training
17             funds or project costs;
18                  (ii)  curriculum development;
19                  (iii)  wages and fringe benefits of employees;
20                  (iv)  training   materials,   including   scrap
21             product costs;
22                  (v)  trainee travel expenses;
23                  (vi)  instructor costs, including wages, fringe
24             benefits, tuition, and travel expenses;
25                  (vii)  rent, purchase,  or  lease  of  training
26             equipment; and
27                  (viii)  other   usual  and  customary  training
28             costs.
29             (e)  The Director will shall ensure that  a  minimum
30        of  one periodic on-site grant monitoring visit is visits
31        are conducted by the Department either during the  course
32        of  the grant period or within 6 months following the end
33        of the grant period.  The Department  shall  verify  that
34        the  grantee's  financial management system is structured
                            -4-              LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        to provide for accurate, current, and complete disclosure
 2        of  the  financial  results  of  the  grant  program   in
 3        accordance  with  all  provisions,  terms, and conditions
 4        contained in the grant contract.
 5             (f)  The  Director  may  establish  and  collect   a
 6        schedule  of  charges  from subgrantee entities and other
 7        system users  under  federal  job-training  programs  for
 8        participating in and utilizing the department's automated
 9        job-training   program  information  systems  where  such
10        systems and the necessary participation  and  utilization
11        is  a  requirement  of the federal job-training programs.
12        All monies collected pursuant to this paragraph shall  be
13        deposited   into  the  Federal  Job-Training  Information
14        Systems Revolving Fund created in subsection (5).
15        (2)  The Department is authorized to establish a  program
16    of  grants  to  universities,  community  colleges,  research
17    institutions,   research  consortiums,  other  not-for-profit
18    entities,  and  Illinois  businesses  for  the   purpose   of
19    fostering research and development in the high technology and
20    the service sector leading to the development of new products
21    and services that can be marketed by Illinois businesses. All
22    grant  awards  shall include a contract which may provide for
23    payment of negotiated royalties  to  the  Department  if  the
24    product  or  service  to  be  developed  by  the  grantee  is
25    subsequently licensed for production.
26             (a)  Grants  may  be  awarded  to  universities  and
27        research  institutions  to  assist  them  in making their
28        faculties   and   facilities   available   to    Illinois
29        businesses.  Such  grants  may be used by a university or
30        research institution for, including but  not  limited  to
31        the  following  purposes:  (i)  to  establish  or enhance
32        computerized  cataloging  of  all   research   labs   and
33        university  staff  and  make such catalogues available to
34        Illinois businesses; (ii) to market products developed by
                            -5-              LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        the university to Illinois businesses;  (iii)  to  review
 2        publications  in  order  to identify, catalog, and inform
 3        Illinois businesses of new practices  in  areas  such  as
 4        robotics,   biotechnology;  (iv)  to  build  an  on-line,
 5        information and technology system that  relies  on  other
 6        computerized networks in the United States; (v) to assist
 7        in  securing  temporary  replacement  for faculty who are
 8        granted a leave of absence from their teaching duties for
 9        the purpose of working full-time for an Illinois business
10        to assist that business with technology transfer.
11             (b)  Grants  may  be  awarded  to  universities  and
12        research institutions,  research  consortiums  and  other
13        not-for-profit  entities  for  the purpose of identifying
14        and  supporting  Illinois  businesses  engaged  in   high
15        technology  and service sector enterprises. Such Illinois
16        businesses identified and funded shall include recipients
17        of Small Business Innovation Research Program funds under
18        subsections (e) through (k) of Section  9  of  the  Small
19        Business  Act. (Title 15 United States Codes, subsections
20        638(e)-638(k)).  Entities  receiving  grants  under  this
21        paragraph (b) shall be known as commercialization centers
22        and  shall  engage  in  one  or  more  of  the  following
23        activities:
24                  (i)  directing  research  assistance  for   new
25             venture creations;
26                  (ii)  general   feasibility   studies   of  new
27             venture ideas;
28                  (iii)  furthering     the     technical     and
29             intellectual skills of the managers  and  owners  of
30             Illinois small businesses;
31                  (iv)  commercialization   of   technology   and
32             research;
33                  (v)  development  of prototypes and testing new
34             products;
                            -6-              LRB9001779PTcwam
 1                  (vi)  identify   and   assist    in    securing
 2             financing;
 3                  (vii)  marketing assistance; and
 4                  (viii)  assisting Illinois inventors in finding
 5             Illinois  manufacturers  to produce and market their
 6             inventions.
 7             A commercialization center may charge a nominal  fee
 8        or  accept  royalty agreements for conducting feasibility
 9        studies and other services.
10             (c)  Grants may be  awarded  by  the  Department  to
11        Illinois  businesses  to  fund  research and consultation
12        arrangements   between   businesses   and   universities,
13        community  colleges,  research   institutions,   research
14        consortiums and other not-for-profit entities within this
15        State.
16             The Department shall give priority to Illinois small
17        businesses  in  awarding grants. Each grant awarded under
18        this paragraph (c) shall provide funding for up to 50% of
19        the cost of the research  or  consultation  arrangements,
20        not to exceed $100,000; provided that the grant recipient
21        utilizes  Illinois  not  for profit research and academic
22        institutions to  perform  the  research  and  development
23        function for which grant funds were requested.
24             (d)  Grants  may  be  awarded to research consortium
25        and  other  qualified  applicants,  in  conjunction  with
26        private sector or federal  funding,  for  other  creative
27        systems  that  bridge  university resources and business,
28        technological, production and development concerns.
29             (e)  For  the  purposes  of  subsection   (2),   (i)
30        "Illinois  business"  means a "small business concern" as
31        defined in Title 15  United  States  Code,  Section  632,
32        which  primarily  conducts its business in Illinois; (ii)
33        "high  technology"  means  any  area   of   research   or
34        development  designed  to  foster  greater  knowledge  or
                            -7-              LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        understanding   in   fields  such  as  computer  science,
 2        electronics,  physics,  chemistry  or  biology  for   the
 3        purpose  of  producing designing, developing or improving
 4        prototypes and  new  processes;  (iii)  "private  sector"
 5        shall  have the meaning ascribed to it in Title 29 United
 6        States Code, Section 1503; (iv) "University" means either
 7        a degree granting  institution  located  in  Illinois  as
 8        defined  in  Section  2  of the Academic Degree Act, or a
 9        State-supported   institution    of    higher    learning
10        administered  by  the Board of Trustees of the University
11        of Illinois, the Board of Trustees of  Southern  Illinois
12        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Chicago  State
13        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees of Eastern Illinois
14        University, the Board  of  Trustees  of  Governors  State
15        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Illinois State
16        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees   of   Northeastern
17        Illinois  University,  the  Board of Trustees of Northern
18        Illinois University, the Board  of  Trustees  of  Western
19        Illinois  University,  or  the Illinois Community College
20        Board; (v) "venture" means any Illinois business  engaged
21        in  research  and  development  to create new products or
22        services  with  high  growth  potential;  (vi)   Illinois
23        research  institutions refers to not-for-profit entities,
24        which  include  federally-funded  research  laboratories,
25        that conduct research and development activities for  the
26        purpose of producing, designing, developing, or improving
27        prototypes   and   new   processes;   and   (vii)   other
28        not-for-profit  entities  means  non-profit organizations
29        based in Illinois  that  are  primarily  devoted  to  new
30        enterprise or product development.
31             (f)  The Department may establish a program of grant
32        assistance on a matching basis to universities, community
33        colleges,  small  business development centers, community
34        action  agencies  and   other   not-for-profit   economic
                            -8-              LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        development   agencies   to   encourage   new  enterprise
 2        development and new business formation and  to  encourage
 3        enterprises  in  this  State.  The Department may provide
 4        grants, which shall be  exempt  from  the  provisions  of
 5        subsection   (3)   of   this  Section,  to  universities,
 6        community colleges, small business  development  centers,
 7        community   action   agencies  and  other  not-for-profit
 8        economic development entities for the purpose  of  making
 9        loans  to small businesses.  All grant applications shall
10        contain  information  as  required  by  the   Department,
11        including  the  following:   a  program operation plan; a
12        certification  and  assurance  that  the  small  business
13        applicants have received business development training or
14        education, have a business  and  finance  plan  and  have
15        experience   in   the   proposed  business  area;  and  a
16        description of  the  support  services  which  the  grant
17        recipient  will  provide  to the small business.  No more
18        than 10% of the grant may be used by the grant  recipient
19        for  administrative  costs  associated  with  the  grant.
20        Grant  recipients  may use grant funds under this program
21        to make loans on terms and conditions  favorable  to  the
22        small   business   and   shall  give  priority  to  those
23        businesses located  in  high  poverty  areas,  enterprise
24        zones, or both.
25        (3)  There is created within the Department, a Technology
26    Innovation  and Commercialization Grants-in-Aid Council which
27    shall consist of  2  representatives  of  the  Department  of
28    Commerce  and  Community Affairs appointed by the Department;
29    one representative of the Illinois Board of Higher Education,
30    appointed by the Board;  one  representative  of  science  or
31    engineering appointed by the Governor; two representatives of
32    business,  appointed  by  the Governor; one representative of
33    small business, appointed by the Governor; one representative
34    of the Department of Agriculture, appointed by  the  Director
                            -9-              LRB9001779PTcwam
 1    of  Agriculture;  and  one  representative  of  agribusiness,
 2    appointed  by  the  Director  of Agriculture. The Director of
 3    Commerce and Community  Affairs  shall  appoint  one  of  the
 4    Department's  representatives  to  serve  as  chairman of the
 5    Council. The Council members shall  receive  no  compensation
 6    for their services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses
 7    actually  incurred by them in the performance of their duties
 8    under this subsection. The  Department  shall  provide  staff
 9    services to the Council. The Council shall provide for review
10    and evaluation of all applications received by the Department
11    under subsection (2) of this Section and make recommendations
12    on those projects to be funded. The Council shall also assist
13    the  Department  in monitoring the projects and in evaluating
14    the impact of the program  on  technological  innovation  and
15    business development within the State.
16        (4)  There  is hereby created a special fund in the State
17    Treasury  to  be  known  as  the  Technology  Innovation  and
18    Commercialization Fund. The moneys in such Fund may be  used,
19    subject  to appropriation, only for making grants pursuant to
20    subsection (2) of this Section and for the  purposes  of  the
21    Technology  Advancement  and  Development  Act. All royalties
22    received by the Department shall be deposited in such Fund.
23        (5)  There is hereby created a special fund in the  State
24    treasury  to be known as the Federal Job-Training Information
25    Systems Revolving Fund.  The deposit of monies into this fund
26    shall be limited to the collection  of  charges  pursuant  to
27    paragraph  (f) of subsection (1) of this Section.  The monies
28    in the fund may only be used, subject to appropriation by the
29    General Assembly for the purpose of financing the maintenance
30    and  operation  of   the   automated   Federal   Job-Training
31    Information  Systems  pursuant to paragraph (f) of subsection
32    (1) of this Section.
33        (6)  When the Department  is  involved  in  developing  a
34    federal  or  State  funded training or retraining program for
                            -10-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1    any employer, the Department will assist and  encourage  that
 2    employer  in  making  every  effort  to  reemploy individuals
 3    previously employed at the facility.  Further, the Department
 4    will provide a list of said employees to  said  employer  for
 5    consideration for reemployment and will report the results of
 6    this   effort  to  the  Illinois  Job  Training  Coordinating
 7    Council.  This  requirement  shall  be  in  effect  when  the
 8    following conditions are met:
 9             (a)  the  employer  is reopening, or is proposing to
10        reopen, a facility  which  was  last  closed  during  the
11        preceding 2 years,
12             (b)  a  substantial  number  of the persons who were
13        employed at the facility before its most  recent  closure
14        remain unemployed, and
15             (c)  the product or service produced by, or proposed
16        to  be  produced  by,  the  employer  at  the facility is
17        substantially similar to the product or service  produced
18        at the facility before its most recent closure.
19        (7)  The  Department, in cooperation with the Departments
20    of Public  Aid  and  Employment  Security,  may  establish  a
21    program  to  encourage community action agencies to establish
22    programs that will help unemployed and  underemployed  single
23    parents  to identify, access, and develop, through such means
24    as counseling or mentoring, internal and  external  resources
25    that  will  enable those single parents to become emotionally
26    and  financially  self-sufficient.   The   intended   primary
27    beneficiaries  of the local programs shall be female heads of
28    households who are at least 22 but less than 46 years of  age
29    and  who  are  physically  able to work but are unemployed or
30    underemployed.  The Department may make  grants,  subject  to
31    the   availability  of  funding,  to  communities  and  local
32    agencies for the purpose of establishing  local  programs  as
33    described  in  this  subsection  (7).   A  grant  under  this
34    subsection (7) shall be made for a period of one year and may
                            -11-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1    be  renewed  if the Department determines that the program is
 2    successful in meeting  its  objectives.   If  the  Department
 3    determines that implementation of a program has resulted in a
 4    savings  of  State moneys that otherwise would have been paid
 5    to beneficiaries of the program, the Department, on  renewing
 6    a  grant,  may adjust the grant amount for those demonstrated
 7    savings.  For  purposes  of  this  subsection,  a  person  is
 8    underemployed if his or her income from  employment  is  less
 9    than 185% of the federal official poverty income guideline.
10    (Source:  P.A.  88-373;  88-456;  88-670, eff. 12-2-94; 89-4,
11    eff. 1-1-96.)
12        (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
13        Sec. 46.19a.  Employment and technology grants.
14        (1) Grants to provide  training  in  fields  affected  by
15    critical  demands  for certain skills may be made as provided
16    in this subsection.
17             (a)  The Director of the Department may make  grants
18        to  eligible  employers  or to other eligible entities on
19        behalf of employers as authorized  in  paragraph  (b)  to
20        provide  training for employees in fields for which there
21        are critical demands for certain skills.
22             (b)  The  Director  may  accept   applications   for
23        training  grant  funds  and  grant  requests  from:   (i)
24        entities   sponsoring   multi-company  eligible  employee
25        training projects as defined in paragraph (c),  including
26        business  associations,  strategic business partnerships,
27        institutions of  secondary  or  higher  education,  large
28        manufacturers for supplier network companies, federal Job
29        Training Partnership Act administrative entities or grant
30        recipients,  and  labor organizations when those projects
31        will  address  common  training   needs   identified   by
32        participating  companies;  and  (ii) individual employers
33        that are undertaking eligible employee training  projects
34        as defined in paragraph (c), including intermediaries and
                            -12-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        training agents.
 2             (c)  The   Director  may  make  grants  to  eligible
 3        applicants as  defined  in  paragraph  (b)  for  employee
 4        training  projects  that include, but need not be limited
 5        to, one or more of the following:
 6                  (i)  training programs in response  to  new  or
 7             changing   technology   being   introduced   in  the
 8             workplace;
 9                  (ii)  job-linked training that  offers  special
10             skills for career advancement or that is preparatory
11             for,  and  leads  directly  to,  jobs  with definite
12             career potential and long-term job security;
13                  (iii)  training necessary  to  implement  total
14             quality management or improvement or both management
15             and improvement systems within the workplace;
16                  (iv)  training  related  to  new  machinery  or
17             equipment;
18                  (v)  training  of  employees  of companies that
19             are expanding into new markets or expanding  exports
20             from Illinois;
21                  (vi)  basic,   remedial,   or  both  basic  and
22             remedial training of employees as a prerequisite for
23             other vocational or technical skills training or  as
24             a condition for sustained employment;
25                  (vii)  self-employment    training    of    the
26             unemployed  and  underemployed  with  comprehensive,
27             competency-based    instructional    programs    and
28             services; and
29                  (viii)  other training activities, projects, or
30             both training activities and projects related to the
31             support,  development, or evaluation of job training
32             programs,   activities,   and   delivery    systems,
33             including training needs assessment and design.
34             (d)  Grants   shall   be   made  on  the  terms  and
                            -13-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        conditions that the Department shall determine, provided,
 2        however, that no  grant  made  under  the  provisions  of
 3        paragraph  (c) of this subsection shall exceed 50% of the
 4        direct costs of all approved training  programs  provided
 5        by the employer or the employer's training agent or other
 6        entity  as defined in paragraph (b).  Under this Section,
 7        allowable costs include, but are not limited to:
 8                  (i)  administrative    costs    of    tracking,
 9             documenting,  reporting,  and  processing   training
10             funds or project costs;
11                  (ii)  curriculum development;
12                  (iii)  wages and fringe benefits of employees;
13                  (iv)  training   materials,   including   scrap
14             product costs;
15                  (v)  trainee travel expenses;
16                  (vi)  instructor costs, including wages, fringe
17             benefits, tuition, and travel expenses;
18                  (vii)  rent,  purchase,  or  lease  of training
19             equipment; and
20                  (viii)  other  usual  and  customary   training
21             costs.
22             (e)  The  Director  will shall ensure that a minimum
23        of one periodic on-site grant monitoring visit is  visits
24        are  conducted by the Department either during the course
25        of the grant period or within 6 months following the  end
26        of  the  grant  period.  The Department shall verify that
27        the grantee's financial management system  is  structured
28        to provide for accurate, current, and complete disclosure
29        of   the  financial  results  of  the  grant  program  in
30        accordance with all  provisions,  terms,  and  conditions
31        contained in the grant contract.
32             (f)  The   Director  may  establish  and  collect  a
33        schedule of charges from subgrantee  entities  and  other
34        system  users  under  federal  job-training  programs for
                            -14-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        participating in and utilizing the department's automated
 2        job-training  program  information  systems  where   such
 3        systems  and  the necessary participation and utilization
 4        is a requirement of the  federal  job-training  programs.
 5        All  monies collected pursuant to this paragraph shall be
 6        deposited  into  the  Federal  Job-Training   Information
 7        Systems Revolving Fund created in subsection (5).
 8        (2)  The  Department is authorized to establish a program
 9    of  grants  to  universities,  community  colleges,  research
10    institutions,  research  consortiums,  other   not-for-profit
11    entities,   and   Illinois  businesses  for  the  purpose  of
12    fostering research and development in the high technology and
13    the service sector leading to the development of new products
14    and services that can be marketed by Illinois businesses. All
15    grant awards shall include a contract which may  provide  for
16    payment  of  negotiated  royalties  to  the Department if the
17    product  or  service  to  be  developed  by  the  grantee  is
18    subsequently licensed for production.
19             (a)  Grants  may  be  awarded  to  universities  and
20        research institutions to  assist  them  in  making  their
21        faculties    and   facilities   available   to   Illinois
22        businesses. Such grants may be used by  a  university  or
23        research  institution  for,  including but not limited to
24        the following  purposes:  (i)  to  establish  or  enhance
25        computerized   cataloging   of   all  research  labs  and
26        university staff and make such  catalogues  available  to
27        Illinois businesses; (ii) to market products developed by
28        the  university  to  Illinois businesses; (iii) to review
29        publications in order to identify,  catalog,  and  inform
30        Illinois  businesses  of  new  practices in areas such as
31        robotics,  biotechnology;  (iv)  to  build  an   on-line,
32        information  and  technology  system that relies on other
33        computerized networks in the United States; (v) to assist
34        in securing temporary replacement  for  faculty  who  are
                            -15-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        granted a leave of absence from their teaching duties for
 2        the purpose of working full-time for an Illinois business
 3        to assist that business with technology transfer.
 4             (b)  Grants  may  be  awarded  to  universities  and
 5        research  institutions,  research  consortiums  and other
 6        not-for-profit entities for the  purpose  of  identifying
 7        and   supporting  Illinois  businesses  engaged  in  high
 8        technology and service sector enterprises. Such  Illinois
 9        businesses identified and funded shall include recipients
10        of Small Business Innovation Research Program funds under
11        subsections  (e)  through  (k)  of Section 9 of the Small
12        Business Act. (Title 15 United States Codes,  subsections
13        638(e)-638(k)).  Entities  receiving  grants  under  this
14        paragraph (b) shall be known as commercialization centers
15        and  shall  engage  in  one  or  more  of  the  following
16        activities:
17                  (i)  directing   research  assistance  for  new
18             venture creations;
19                  (ii)  general  feasibility   studies   of   new
20             venture ideas;
21                  (iii)  furthering     the     technical     and
22             intellectual  skills  of  the managers and owners of
23             Illinois small businesses;
24                  (iv)  commercialization   of   technology   and
25             research;
26                  (v)  development of prototypes and testing  new
27             products;
28                  (vi)  identify    and    assist   in   securing
29             financing;
30                  (vii)  marketing assistance; and
31                  (viii)  assisting Illinois inventors in finding
32             Illinois manufacturers to produce and  market  their
33             inventions.
34             A  commercialization center may charge a nominal fee
                            -16-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        or accept royalty agreements for  conducting  feasibility
 2        studies and other services.
 3             (c)  Grants  may  be  awarded  by  the Department to
 4        Illinois businesses to  fund  research  and  consultation
 5        arrangements   between   businesses   and   universities,
 6        community   colleges,   research  institutions,  research
 7        consortiums and other not-for-profit entities within this
 8        State.
 9             The Department shall give priority to Illinois small
10        businesses in awarding grants. Each grant  awarded  under
11        this paragraph (c) shall provide funding for up to 50% of
12        the  cost  of  the research or consultation arrangements,
13        not to exceed $100,000; provided that the grant recipient
14        utilizes Illinois not for profit  research  and  academic
15        institutions  to  perform  the  research  and development
16        function for which grant funds were requested.
17             (d)  Grants may be awarded  to  research  consortium
18        and  other  qualified  applicants,  in  conjunction  with
19        private  sector  or  federal  funding, for other creative
20        systems that bridge university  resources  and  business,
21        technological, production and development concerns.
22             (e)  For   the   purposes  of  subsection  (2),  (i)
23        "Illinois business" means a "small business  concern"  as
24        defined  in  Title  15  United  States Code, Section 632,
25        which primarily conducts its business in  Illinois;  (ii)
26        "high   technology"   means   any  area  of  research  or
27        development  designed  to  foster  greater  knowledge  or
28        understanding  in  fields  such  as   computer   science,
29        electronics,   physics,  chemistry  or  biology  for  the
30        purpose of producing designing, developing  or  improving
31        prototypes  and  new  processes;  (iii)  "private sector"
32        shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Title 29  United
33        States Code, Section 1503; (iv) "University" means either
34        a  degree  granting  institution  located  in Illinois as
                            -17-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        defined in Section 2 of the Academic  Degree  Act,  or  a
 2        State-supported    institution    of    higher   learning
 3        administered by the Board of Trustees of  the  University
 4        of  Illinois,  the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois
 5        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Chicago  State
 6        University, the Board of  Trustees  of  Eastern  Illinois
 7        University,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of Governors State
 8        University, the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Illinois  State
 9        University,   the   Board  of  Trustees  of  Northeastern
10        Illinois University, the Board of  Trustees  of  Northern
11        Illinois  University,  the  Board  of Trustees of Western
12        Illinois University, or the  Illinois  Community  College
13        Board;  (v) "venture" means any Illinois business engaged
14        in research and development to  create  new  products  or
15        services   with  high  growth  potential;  (vi)  Illinois
16        research institutions refers to not-for-profit  entities,
17        which  include  federally-funded  research  laboratories,
18        that  conduct research and development activities for the
19        purpose of producing, designing, developing, or improving
20        prototypes   and   new   processes;   and   (vii)   other
21        not-for-profit entities  means  non-profit  organizations
22        based  in  Illinois  that  are  primarily  devoted to new
23        enterprise or product development.
24             (f)  The Department may establish a program of grant
25        assistance on a matching basis to universities, community
26        colleges, small business development  centers,  community
27        action   agencies   and   other  not-for-profit  economic
28        development  agencies   to   encourage   new   enterprise
29        development  and  new business formation and to encourage
30        enterprises in this State.  The  Department  may  provide
31        grants,  which  shall  be  exempt  from the provisions of
32        subsection  (3)  of  this   Section,   to   universities,
33        community  colleges,  small business development centers,
34        community  action  agencies  and   other   not-for-profit
                            -18-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1        economic  development  entities for the purpose of making
 2        loans to small businesses.  All grant applications  shall
 3        contain   information  as  required  by  the  Department,
 4        including the following:  a  program  operation  plan;  a
 5        certification  and  assurance  that  the  small  business
 6        applicants have received business development training or
 7        education,  have  a  business  and  finance plan and have
 8        experience  in  the  proposed  business   area;   and   a
 9        description  of  the  support  services  which  the grant
10        recipient will provide to the small  business.   No  more
11        than  10% of the grant may be used by the grant recipient
12        for  administrative  costs  associated  with  the  grant.
13        Grant recipients may use grant funds under  this  program
14        to  make  loans  on terms and conditions favorable to the
15        small  business  and  shall  give   priority   to   those
16        businesses  located  in  high  poverty  areas, enterprise
17        zones, or both.
18        (3)  There is created within the Department, a Technology
19    Innovation and Commercialization Grants-in-Aid Council  which
20    shall  consist  of  2  representatives  of  the Department of
21    Commerce and Community Affairs appointed by  the  Department;
22    one representative of the Illinois Board of Higher Education,
23    appointed  by  the  Board;  one  representative of science or
24    engineering appointed by the Governor; two representatives of
25    business, appointed by the Governor;  one  representative  of
26    small business, appointed by the Governor; one representative
27    of  the  Department of Agriculture, appointed by the Director
28    of  Agriculture;  and  one  representative  of  agribusiness,
29    appointed by the Director of  Agriculture.  The  Director  of
30    Commerce  and  Community  Affairs  shall  appoint  one of the
31    Department's representatives to  serve  as  chairman  of  the
32    Council.  The  Council  members shall receive no compensation
33    for their services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses
34    actually incurred by them in the performance of their  duties
                            -19-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1    under  this  subsection.  The  Department shall provide staff
 2    services to the Council. The Council shall provide for review
 3    and evaluation of all applications received by the Department
 4    under subsection (2) of this Section and make recommendations
 5    on those projects to be funded. The Council shall also assist
 6    the Department in monitoring the projects and  in  evaluating
 7    the  impact  of  the  program on technological innovation and
 8    business development within the State.
 9        (4)  There is hereby created a special fund in the  State
10    Treasury  to  be  known  as  the  Technology  Innovation  and
11    Commercialization  Fund. The moneys in such Fund may be used,
12    subject to appropriation, only for making grants pursuant  to
13    subsection  (2)  of  this Section and for the purposes of the
14    Technology Advancement and  Development  Act.  All  royalties
15    received by the Department shall be deposited in such Fund.
16        (5)  There  is hereby created a special fund in the State
17    treasury to be known as the Federal Job-Training  Information
18    Systems Revolving Fund.  The deposit of monies into this fund
19    shall  be  limited  to  the collection of charges pursuant to
20    paragraph (f) of subsection (1) of this Section.  The  monies
21    in the fund may only be used, subject to appropriation by the
22    General Assembly for the purpose of financing the maintenance
23    and   operation   of   the   automated  Federal  Job-Training
24    Information Systems pursuant to paragraph (f)  of  subsection
25    (1) of this Section.
26        (6)  When  the  Department  is  involved  in developing a
27    federal or State funded training or  retraining  program  for
28    any  employer,  the Department will assist and encourage that
29    employer in  making  every  effort  to  reemploy  individuals
30    previously employed at the facility.  Further, the Department
31    will  provide  a  list of said employees to said employer for
32    consideration for reemployment and will report the results of
33    this  effort  to  the  Illinois  Job  Training   Coordinating
34    Council.   This  requirement  shall  be  in  effect  when the
                            -20-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1    following conditions are met:
 2             (a)  the employer is reopening, or is  proposing  to
 3        reopen,  a  facility  which  was  last  closed during the
 4        preceding 2 years,
 5             (b)  a substantial number of the  persons  who  were
 6        employed  at  the facility before its most recent closure
 7        remain unemployed, and
 8             (c)  the product or service produced by, or proposed
 9        to be produced  by,  the  employer  at  the  facility  is
10        substantially  similar to the product or service produced
11        at the facility before its most recent closure.
12        (7)  The Department, in cooperation with the  Departments
13    of  Human  Services  and Employment Security, may establish a
14    program to encourage community action agencies  to  establish
15    programs  that  will help unemployed and underemployed single
16    parents to identify, access, and develop, through such  means
17    as  counseling  or mentoring, internal and external resources
18    that will enable those single parents to  become  emotionally
19    and   financially   self-sufficient.   The  intended  primary
20    beneficiaries of the local programs shall be female heads  of
21    households  who are at least 22 but less than 46 years of age
22    and who are physically able to work  but  are  unemployed  or
23    underemployed.   The  Department  may make grants, subject to
24    the  availability  of  funding,  to  communities  and   local
25    agencies  for  the  purpose of establishing local programs as
26    described  in  this  subsection  (7).   A  grant  under  this
27    subsection (7) shall be made for a period of one year and may
28    be renewed if the Department determines that the  program  is
29    successful  in  meeting  its  objectives.   If the Department
30    determines that implementation of a program has resulted in a
31    savings of State moneys that otherwise would have  been  paid
32    to  beneficiaries of the program, the Department, on renewing
33    a grant, may adjust the grant amount for  those  demonstrated
34    savings.  For  purposes  of  this  subsection,  a  person  is
                            -21-             LRB9001779PTcwam
 1    underemployed  if  his  or her income from employment is less
 2    than 185% of the federal official poverty income guideline.
 3    (Source: P.A. 88-373; 88-456;  88-670,  eff.  12-2-94;  89-4,
 4    eff. 1-1-96; 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)"; and
 5    on  page  13,  immediately  below  line  15, by inserting the
 6    following:
 7        "Section 95.  No acceleration or delay.  Where  this  Act
 8    makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by
 9    text  that  is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a
10    Section represented by multiple versions), the  use  of  that
11    text  does  not  accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i)
12    the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived  from
13    any other Public Act.".

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