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HB 3103

Encouraging retired persons to move into West Virginia

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jordan Bridges and 10 co-sponsors

HB 3103 bars local tourism bureaus from certification if their service areas overlap another certified bureau after July 1, 2025, risking grant loss and encouraging consolidation.

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Bill Summary · HB 3103

Summary — HB 3103 (2025)

Title: Relating to reliable forest management outcomes; declaring an emergency.
Bill #: HB 3103 (Rep. Fred Crespo) — introduced February 2025
Statute amended: 20 ILCS 605/605-705 (Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law)
Status (as of 2025-06-28): In committee upon adjournment

Note: Although the bill caption references “reliable forest management outcomes,” the text amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity provisions governing grants to local tourism and convention bureaus.

Purpose / Intent

HB 3103 revises the certification rules for local tourism and convention bureaus that are eligible to receive State local tourism funds. Its primary aim is to prevent overlapping certification of multiple bureaus that represent the same geographic area, beginning July 1, 2025. The bill includes an emergency effective date provision so changes take effect upon enactment.

Key provisions

  • Certification prohibition (effective on and after July 1, 2025): A local tourism and convention bureau may not be certified to receive local tourism funds if all or part of its geographic service area is already represented by another tourism and convention bureau that is certified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
  • Maintains existing recipient criteria for bureaus seeking certification (units of local government or nonprofit corporations; minimum legal existence and paid full-time staff; affiliation with municipalities/counties that support the bureau with local hotel‑motel taxes).
  • Director’s limited exception: The Department Director may award grant funds to one or more entities if, in the Director’s judgment, doing so is necessary to prevent the loss of funding critical to promoting tourism in a designated geographic area.
  • Retains existing grant distribution, matching, and administrative provisions already in statute, including:
    • Historical percentage allocations between large cities and the rest of the State (18% to cities >500,000; 82% to remainder, for post‑2011 appropriations).
    • Matching fund requirements that vary by fiscal year (historical values cited in statute: 25% for FY2021–2024, 30% in FY2025, 40% in FY2026, otherwise 50%).
    • Department may reserve a small percentage for administration, audits, incentives, and statewide promotional activities.
  • Emergency rules: Authorizes the Department to adopt emergency rules to implement statutory changes.

Who is affected

  • Local tourism and convention bureaus (existing and prospective) — especially those serving overlapping or adjacent jurisdictions.
  • Municipalities and counties that fund bureaus via hotel‑motel taxes.
  • The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (administration and certification process).
  • Grant applicants and current grant recipients who may be excluded from certification if their service area overlaps with an already certified bureau.

Potential impacts

  • May reduce duplication by preventing multiple certified bureaus claiming the same territory, encouraging consolidation or intergovernmental agreements.
  • Could bar new or splinter bureaus from receiving state tourism grant funds if their area overlaps with a certified bureau.
  • The Director’s exception provides flexibility to avoid abrupt funding interruptions in special circumstances.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • The bill specifies the certification prohibition applies on and after July 1, 2025.
  • Effective date: the Act takes effect upon becoming law (emergency clause), enabling immediate implementation once enacted.
  • Legislative actions: introduced and read in February 2025; committee hearings and work sessions held; recommended do pass with amendments and referred to Ways & Means; status as of 2025-06-28 — in committee upon adjournment.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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