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| Public Act 100-1149 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning revenue.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 3. The Illinois Enterprise Zone Act is amended by | ||||
changing Section 4 as follows:
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(20 ILCS 655/4) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 604)
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Sec. 4. Qualifications for Enterprise Zones. | ||||
(1) An area is qualified to become an enterprise zone | ||||
which:
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(a) is a contiguous area, provided that a zone area may | ||||
exclude wholly
surrounded territory within its boundaries;
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(b) comprises a minimum of one-half square mile and not | ||||
more than 12
square miles, or 15 square miles if the zone | ||||
is located within the
jurisdiction of 4 or more counties or | ||||
municipalities, in total area,
exclusive of lakes and | ||||
waterways;
however, in such cases where the enterprise zone | ||||
is a joint effort of
three or more units of government, or | ||||
two or more units of government if
situated in a township | ||||
which is divided by a municipality of 1,000,000 or
more | ||||
inhabitants, and where the certification has been in
effect | ||||
at least one year, the total area shall comprise a minimum | ||||
of
one-half square mile and not more than thirteen square | ||||
miles in total area
exclusive of lakes and waterways;
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(c) (blank);
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(d) (blank);
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(e) is (1) entirely within a municipality or (2) | ||
entirely within
the unincorporated
areas of a county, | ||
except where reasonable need is established for such
zone | ||
to cover portions of more than one municipality or county | ||
or (3)
both comprises (i) all or part of a municipality and | ||
(ii) an unincorporated
area of a county; and
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(f) meets 3 or more of the following criteria: | ||
(1) all or part of the local labor market area has | ||
had an annual average unemployment rate of at least | ||
120% of the State's annual average unemployment rate | ||
for the most recent calendar year or the most recent | ||
fiscal year as reported by the Department of Employment | ||
Security; | ||
(2) designation will result in the development of | ||
substantial employment opportunities by creating or | ||
retaining a minimum aggregate of 1,000 full-time | ||
equivalent jobs due to an aggregate investment of | ||
$100,000,000 or more, and will help alleviate the | ||
effects of poverty and unemployment within the local | ||
labor market area; | ||
(3) all or part of the local labor market area has | ||
a poverty rate of at least 20% according to the latest | ||
federal decennial census, 50% or more of children in | ||
the local labor market area participate in the federal | ||
free lunch program according to reported statistics | ||
from the State Board of Education, or 20% or more | ||
households in the local labor market area receive food | ||
stamps according to the latest federal decennial | ||
census; | ||
(4) an abandoned coal mine, or a brownfield (as | ||
defined in Section 58.2 of the Environmental | ||
Protection Act), or an inactive nuclear powered | ||
electrical generation facility where spent nuclear | ||
fuel is stored on-site is located in the proposed zone | ||
area, or all or a portion of the proposed zone was | ||
declared a federal disaster area in the 3 years | ||
preceding the date of application; | ||
(5) the local labor market area contains a presence | ||
of large employers that have downsized over the years, | ||
the labor market area has experienced plant closures in | ||
the 5 years prior to the date of application affecting | ||
more than 50 workers, or the local labor market area | ||
has experienced State or federal facility closures in | ||
the 5 years prior to the date of application affecting | ||
more than 50 workers; | ||
(6) based on data from Multiple Listing Service | ||
information or other suitable sources, the local labor | ||
market area contains a high floor vacancy rate of | ||
industrial or commercial properties, vacant or | ||
demolished commercial and industrial structures are | ||
prevalent in the local labor market area, or industrial | ||
structures in the local labor market area are not used | ||
because of age, deterioration, relocation of the | ||
former occupants, or cessation of operation; | ||
(7) the applicant demonstrates a substantial plan | ||
for using the designation to improve the State and | ||
local government tax base, including income, sales, | ||
and property taxes; | ||
(8) significant public infrastructure is present | ||
in the local labor market area in addition to a plan | ||
for infrastructure development and improvement; | ||
(9) high schools or community colleges located | ||
within the local labor market area are engaged in ACT | ||
Work Keys, Manufacturing Skills Standard | ||
Certification, or other industry-based credentials | ||
that prepare students for careers; or | ||
(10) the change in equalized assessed valuation of | ||
industrial and/or commercial properties in the 5 years | ||
prior to the date of application is equal to or less | ||
than 50% of the State average change in equalized | ||
assessed valuation for industrial and/or commercial | ||
properties, as applicable, for the same period of time. | ||
As provided in Section 10-5.3 of the River Edge | ||
Redevelopment Zone Act, upon the expiration of the term of each | ||
River Edge Redevelopment Zone in existence on the effective | ||
date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, that | ||
River Edge Redevelopment Zone will become available for its | ||
previous designee or a new applicant to compete for designation | ||
as an enterprise zone. No preference for designation will be | ||
given to the previous designee of the zone. | ||
(2) Any criteria established by the Department or by law | ||
which utilize the rate
of unemployment for a particular area | ||
shall provide that all persons who
are not presently employed | ||
and have exhausted all unemployment benefits
shall be | ||
considered unemployed, whether or not such persons are actively
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seeking employment.
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(Source: P.A. 97-905, eff. 8-7-12.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. | ||