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Public Act 103-0889 Public Act 0889 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | Public Act 103-0889 | SB0859 Enrolled | LRB103 03318 KTG 48324 b |
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| AN ACT concerning State government. | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | represented in the General Assembly: | Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic | Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois | is amended by adding Section 605-1032 as follows: | (20 ILCS 605/605-1032 new) | Sec. 605-1032. Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment. | (a) As used in this Section: | "Eligible not-for-profit corporation" means a | not-for-profit corporation, as defined in Section 101.80 of | the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986, that | primarily serves minorities, women, veterans, or persons with | a disability. | "Office" means the Office of Economic Equity and | Empowerment. | (b) The Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment is | hereby created within the Department. The Office shall assist | minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, | veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with | disabilities, eligible not-for-profit corporations, and other | underserved communities and constituencies through targeted | programs, resources, and outreach and promotional activities. |
| The Office may engage in or conduct the following activities: | (1) promoting and conducting outreach efforts to | ensure access to State and federal funding opportunities, | and assisting minority-owned businesses, women-owned | businesses, veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by | persons with disabilities, eligible not-for-profit | corporations, and other underserved communities and | constituencies in applying for and receiving loan funds in | the State; | (2) providing and hosting workshops and public forums | and engaging in outreach efforts for minority-owned | businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned | businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities, | and other underserved communities and constituencies to | encourage participation in programs under the Business | Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with | Disabilities Act, and assisting those businesses in | becoming designated under that Act and under similar | certification programs; | (3) providing and hosting workshops and public forums | and engaging in outreach efforts that assist and educate | minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, | veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with | disabilities, eligible not-for-profit corporations, and | other underserved communities and constituencies on the | process of applying for and becoming certified to apply |
| for State grant funds under the Grant Accountability and | Transparency Act; | (4) providing and hosting workshops and public forums | and engaging in outreach efforts that assist and educate | aspiring and existing minority-owned businesses, | women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, | businesses owned by persons with disabilities, eligible | not-for-profit corporations, and other underserved | communities and constituencies with understanding concepts | including, but not limited to, business formation and | not-for-profit incorporation, business planning, capital | access, and marketing a business or not-for-profit | corporation; | (5) administering programs established by the | Department or the General Assembly to provide grants to | minority-owned businesses, woman-owned businesses, | veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with | disabilities, eligible not-for-profit corporations, and | other underserved communities and constituencies; | (6) coordinating assistance for minority-owned | businesses, woman-owned businesses, veteran-owned | businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities, | eligible not-for-profit corporations, and other | underserved communities and constituencies with other | State agencies; | (7) providing staff, administration, and related |
| support required to administer this Section; and | (8) establishing applications, notifications, | contracts, and other forms and procedures, and adopting | rules deemed necessary and appropriate. | (c) The Office may use vendors or enter into contracts to | carry out the purposes of this Section. |
Effective Date: 1/1/2025
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