Public Act 099-0476

SB0508 Enrolled LRB099 03068 HLH 23076 b

AN ACT concerning revenue.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,

represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Promotion Act is amended by

changing Sections 2 and 3 and by adding Section 8b as follows:

(20 ILCS 665/2) (from Ch. 127, par. 200-22)

Sec. 2. Legislative findings; policy. The General Assembly

hereby finds, determines and declares:

(a) That the health, safety, morals and general welfare of

the people of the State are directly dependent upon the

continual encouragement, development, growth and expansion of

tourism within the State;

(b) That unemployment, the spread of indigency, and the

heavy burden of public assistance and unemployment

compensation can be alleviated by the promotion, attraction,

stimulation, development and expansion of tourism in the State;

(c) That the policy of the State of Illinois, in the

interest of promoting the health, safety, morals and welfare of

all the people of the State, is to increase the economic impact

of tourism throughout the State through promotional activities

and by making available grants and loans to be made to local

promotion groups and others, as provided in Sections 5, and 8a,

and 8b of this Act, for purposes of promoting, developing, and

expanding tourism destinations, tourism attractions, and

tourism events.

(Source: P.A. 92-38, eff. 6-28-01.)

(20 ILCS 665/3) (from Ch. 127, par. 200-23)

Sec. 3. Definitions. The following words and terms,

whenever used or referred to in this Act, shall have the

following meanings, except where the context may otherwise

require:

(a) "Department" means the Department of Commerce and

Economic Opportunity of the State of Illinois.

(b) "Local promotion group" means any non-profit

corporation, organization, association, agency or committee

thereof formed for the primary purpose of publicizing,

promoting, advertising or otherwise encouraging the

development of tourism in any municipality, county, or region

of Illinois.

(c) "Promotional activities" means preparing, planning and

conducting campaigns of information, advertising and publicity

through such media as newspapers, radio, television,

magazines, trade journals, moving and still photography,

posters, outdoor signboards and personal contact within and

without the State of Illinois; dissemination of information,

advertising, publicity, photographs and other literature and

material designed to carry out the purpose of this Act; and

participation in and attendance at meetings and conventions

concerned primarily with tourism, including travel to and from

such meetings.

(d) "Municipality" means "municipality" as defined in

Section 1-1-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as heretofore and

hereafter amended.

(e) "Tourism" means travel 50 miles or more one-way or an

overnight trip outside of a person's normal routine.

(f) "Municipal amateur sports facility" means a sports

facility that: (1) is owned by a unit of local government; (2)

has contiguous indoor sports competition space; (3) is designed

to principally accommodate and host amateur competitions for

youths, adults, or both; and (4) is not used for professional

sporting events where participants are compensated for their

participation.

(g) "Municipal convention center" means a convention

center or civic center owned by a unit of local government or

operated by a convention center authority, or a municipal

convention hall as defined in paragraph (1) of Section 11-65-1

of the Illinois Municipal Code, with contiguous exhibition

space ranging between 30,000 and 125,000 square feet.

(h) "Convention center authority" means an Authority, as

defined by the Civic Center Code, that operates a municipal

convention center with contiguous exhibition space ranging

between 30,000 and 125,000 square feet.

(i) "Incentive" means: (1) an incentive provided by a

municipal convention center or convention center authority for

a convention, meeting, or trade show held at a municipal

convention center that, but for the incentive, would not have

occurred in the State or been retained in the State; or (2) an

incentive provided by a unit of local government for a sporting

event held at a municipal amateur sports facility that, but for

the incentive, would not have occurred in the State or been

retained in the State.

(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

(20 ILCS 665/8b new)

Sec. 8b. Municipal convention center and sports facility

attraction grants.

(a) Until July 1, 2020, the Department is authorized to

make grants, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly,

from the Tourism Promotion Fund to a unit of local government,

municipal convention center, or convention center authority

that provides incentives, as defined in subsection (i) of

Section 3 of this Act, for the purpose of attracting

conventions, meetings, and trade shows to municipal convention

centers and attracting sporting events to municipal amateur

sports facilities. Grants awarded under this Section shall be

based on the net proceeds received under the Hotel Operators'

Occupation Tax Act for the renting, leasing, or letting of

hotel rooms in the municipality for the month in which the

convention, meeting, trade show, or sporting event occurs.

Grants shall not exceed 80% of the incentive amount provided by

the unit of local government, municipal convention center, or

convention center authority. Further, in no event may the

aggregate amount of grants awarded to a single municipal

convention center, convention center authority, or municipal

amateur sports facility exceed $200,000 in any calendar year.

The Department may, by rule, require any other provisions it

deems necessary in order to protect the State's interest in

administering this program.

(b) No later than May 15 of each year, through May 15,

2020, the unit of local government, municipal convention

center, or convention center authority shall certify to the

Department the amounts of funds expended in the previous fiscal

year to provide qualified incentives; however, in no event may

the certified amount pursuant to this paragraph exceed $200,000

for any municipal convention center, convention center

authority, or municipal amateur sports facility in any calendar

year. The unit of local government, convention center, or

convention center authority shall certify (A) the net proceeds

received under the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act for the

renting, leasing, or letting of hotel rooms in the municipality

for the month in which the convention, meeting, or trade show

occurs and (B) the average of the net proceeds received under

the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act for the renting,

leasing, or letting of hotel rooms in the municipality for the

same month in the 3 immediately preceding years. The unit of

local government, municipal convention center, or convention

center authority shall include the incentive amounts as part of

its regular audit.

(c) The Department shall submit a report on the

effectiveness of the program established under this Section to

the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2020.