20 ILCS 605/605-705
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 20 - EXECUTIVE BRANCH|20 ILCS 605/ - Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. (Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law)|Article 605 - Department Of Commerce And Economic Opportunity

 (was 20 ILCS 605/46.6a)Sec. 605-705. Grants to local tourism and convention bureaus.(a) To establish a grant program for local tourism and  convention bureaus.  The Department will develop and implement a program  for the use of funds, as authorized under this Act, by local tourism and  convention bureaus.  For the purposes of this Act,  bureaus eligible to receive funds are those local tourism and  convention bureaus that are (i) either units of local government or  incorporated as not-for-profit organizations; (ii) in legal existence  for a minimum of 2 years before July 1, 2001; (iii) operating with a  paid, full-time staff whose sole purpose is to promote tourism in the  designated service area; and (iv) affiliated with one or more  municipalities or counties that support the bureau with local hotel-motel  taxes.  After July 1, 2001, bureaus requesting certification in  order to receive funds for the first time must be local tourism and  convention bureaus that are (i) either units of local government or  incorporated as not-for-profit organizations; (ii) in legal existence  for a minimum of 2 years before the request for certification; (iii)  operating with a paid, full-time staff whose sole purpose is to promote  tourism in the designated service area; and (iv) affiliated with  multiple municipalities or counties that support the bureau with local  hotel-motel taxes. Each bureau receiving funds under this Act will be  certified by the Department as the designated recipient to serve an area of  the State.  Notwithstanding the criteria set forth in this subsection (a), or any rule  adopted under this subsection (a), the Director of the Department may  provide for the award of grant funds to one or more entities if in the  Department's judgment that action is necessary in order to prevent a loss of  funding critical to promoting tourism in a designated geographic area of the  State.(b) To distribute grants to local tourism and convention bureaus from  appropriations made from the Local Tourism Fund for that purpose.  Of the  amounts appropriated annually to the Department for expenditure under this  Section prior to July 1, 2011, one-third of those monies shall be used for grants to convention and  tourism bureaus in cities with a population greater than 500,000.  The  remaining two-thirds of the annual appropriation prior to July 1, 2011 shall be used for grants to  convention and tourism bureaus in the  remainder of the State, in accordance with a formula based upon the  population served. Of the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 18% of such moneys shall be used for grants to convention and tourism bureaus in cities with a population greater than 500,000. Of the amounts appropriated annually to the Department for expenditure under this Section beginning July 1, 2011, 82% of such moneys shall be used for grants to convention bureaus in the remainder of the State, in accordance with a formula based upon the population served.  The Department may reserve up to 3% of total  local tourism funds available for costs of administering the program to conduct audits of grants, to provide incentive funds to  those  bureaus that will conduct promotional activities designed to further the  Department's statewide advertising campaign, to fund special statewide  promotional activities, and to fund promotional activities that support an  increased use of the State's parks or historic sites. The Department shall require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a grant under this Section that requires matching funds shall provide matching funds equal to no less than 50% of the grant amount except that in Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022 only, the Department shall require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a grant under this Section that requires matching funds shall provide matching funds equal to no less than 25% of the grant amount. During fiscal year 2013, the Department shall reserve $2,000,000 of the available local tourism funds for appropriation to the Historic Preservation Agency for the operation of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and State historic sites.To provide for the expeditious and timely implementation of the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, emergency rules to implement the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly may be adopted by the Department subject to the provisions of Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.   (Source: P.A. 101-636, eff. 6-10-20; 102-16, eff. 6-17-21.)