SB2281eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2281 Engrossed LRB100 15924 HLH 31039 b

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 changing Section 605-1020 as follows:

(20 ILCS 605/605-1020)

Sec. 605-1020. Entrepreneur Learner's Permit pilot program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, there is hereby established an Entrepreneur Learner's Permit pilot program that shall be administered by the Department beginning on July 1 of the first fiscal year for which an appropriation of State moneys is made for that purpose and continuing for the next 2 immediately succeeding fiscal years; however, the Department is not required to administer the program in any fiscal year for which such an appropriation has not been made. The purpose of the program shall be to encourage and assist beginning entrepreneurs in starting new information services, biotechnology, and green technology businesses by providing reimbursements to those entrepreneurs for any State filing, permitting, or licensing fees associated with the formation of such a business in the State.

(b) Applicants for participation in the Entrepreneur Learner's Permit pilot program shall apply to the Department, in a form and manner prescribed by the Department, within one year after prior to the formation of the business for which the entrepreneur seeks reimbursement of those fees. The Department shall adopt rules for the review and approval of applications, provided that it (1) shall give priority to applicants who are female or minority persons, or both, and (2) shall not approve any application by a person who will not be a beginning entrepreneur. Reimbursements under this Section shall be provided in the manner determined by the Department. In no event shall an applicant apply for participation in the program more than 3 times.

(c) The aggregate amount of all reimbursements provided by the Department pursuant to this Section shall not exceed $500,000 in any State fiscal year.

(d) On or before February 1 of the last calendar year during which the pilot program is in effect, the Department shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the cumulative effectiveness of the Entrepreneur Learner's Permit pilot program. The review shall include, but not be limited to, the number and type of businesses that were formed in connection with the pilot program, the current status of each business formed in connection with the pilot program, the number of employees employed by each such business, the economic impact to the State from the pilot program, the satisfaction of participants in the pilot program, and a recommendation as to whether the program should be continued.

(e) As used in this Section:

"Beginning entrepreneur" means an individual who, at the time he or she applies for participation in the program, has less than 5 years of experience as a business owner and is not a current business owner.

"Female" and "minority person" have the meanings given to those terms in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities Act.

(Source: P.A. 100-541, eff. 11-7-17.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.