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HB 2991

Internet Reliability Act

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Corby Dillon

DCEO may advance 50% of prior year tourism grant awards to certified bureaus starting FY2026, subject to appropriation, with emergency rulemaking and July voucher deadlines.

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Bill Summary · HB 2991

HB 2991 — Summary (Introduced 2025)

Short title / noted discrepancy: The bill file is titled “Relating to services for assisting low‑income individuals with tax navigation; declaring an emergency.” However, the text of HB 2991 amends statutes governing the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Local Tourism Fund. The substance of the bill concerns advance payments of tourism grant funds and emergency rulemaking authority.

Main purpose and intent

To allow the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to make advance payments of tourism grant awards to certified local tourism and convention bureaus (beginning in Fiscal Year 2026), and to permit DCEO to adopt short‑term emergency rules to implement the change.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new emergency rulemaking provision to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act (5 ILCS 100/5‑45.65):

    • Authorizes DCEO to adopt emergency rules under Section 5‑45 to implement this amendatory Act.
    • Finds adoption of those emergency rules necessary for public interest, safety, and welfare.
    • The emergency rulemaking authority provided by this section is repealed one year after the amendatory Act’s effective date.

  • Amends the DCEO Law (20 ILCS 605/605‑705 — “Grants to local tourism and convention bureaus”):

    • In Fiscal Year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, subject to sufficient appropriation, DCEO shall advance grant funds to certified tourism and convention bureaus that received grant funding in the prior fiscal year.
    • The advance must equal 50% of the total grant awarded to each bureau in the prior fiscal year.
    • DCEO must submit vouchers for payment of these advance amounts to the Comptroller on or before July 31 of each fiscal year.
    • DCEO may adopt emergency rules under the Administrative Procedure Act to implement these changes.

  • Existing statutory provisions (unchanged except as amended) remain in place, including:

    • Eligibility and certification criteria for local tourism and convention bureaus.
    • Distribution formulas of Local Tourism Fund appropriations (allocation percentages by city size and population).
    • Department authority to reserve a portion of funds for administration, audits, incentive funds, and promotional activities.
    • Matching fund requirements for grant recipients (previously phased percentages are retained in the statute as shown).

Who is affected

  • Primary: certified local tourism and convention bureaus that received grant funds in the prior fiscal year (they would be eligible for a 50% advance of their prior award).
  • Government: Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (administration, rulemaking, voucher submission) and the Comptroller (processing advance payments).
  • Fiscal impact: Requires sufficient appropriations from the General Assembly and will affect State cash flow and budgeting for the Local Tourism Fund.

Fiscal/timeline and procedural aspects

  • The advance payment mechanism takes effect starting in Fiscal Year 2026 and applies each year thereafter, contingent on appropriation.
  • Vouchers for advances must be submitted to the Comptroller by July 31 each fiscal year.
  • Emergency rule authority is available to DCEO to enable timely implementation; that authority expires one year after the bill’s effective date.
  • The bill indicates an immediate effective date.

Legislative status (as of June 28, 2025)

  • Introduced by Rep. Terra Costa Howard (filed Feb 6 / Feb 18, 2025).
  • Referred to multiple committees; recommendation “Do pass with amendments” recorded April 7, 2025, and then referred to Ways and Means.
  • Final recorded status: In committee upon adjournment (6/28/2025).

Notes

  • The bill text and the bill title appear inconsistent; the enacted changes relate to tourism grant administration, not tax navigation services. Users reviewing or tracking the measure should verify the intended subject matter and any clerical title discrepancies in committee reports or subsequent amendments.

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

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