Bill Text: IL HB3017 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill. Provides that provisions of the introduced bill apply only to certain covered projects. In provisions concerning an online transparency tool, provides that certain information shall be provided to the Office of Business Permits and Regulatory Assistance by State agencies. Provides that various provisions of the introduced bill are subject to appropriation. Removes provisions concerning consolidation of programs. Makes technical corrections.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 6-3)

Status: (Passed) 2023-08-11 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0538 [HB3017 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB3017-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning State government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Business Assistance and Regulatory Reform
Act is amended by changing Sections 5, 10, and 15 and by adding
Section 7 as follows:
(20 ILCS 608/5)
Sec. 5. Goal. The goal of this Act is to improve the
State's business climate by making it easier for small and
mid-size businesses to deal with State requirements for doing
business. This goal will be achieved through providing quick,
accurate information on existing requirements, and avoiding
unnecessary requirements, and expediting permit issuance.
(Source: P.A. 88-404.)
(20 ILCS 608/7 new)
Sec. 7. Covered project. As used in this Act, "covered
project" means any activity in Illinois that: (1) involves the
construction of infrastructure for renewable or conventional
energy production, electricity transmission, surface
transportation, aviation, ports and waterways, water resource
projects, broadband, pipelines, or manufacturing; (2) requires
authorization or environmental review by a State agency; and

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(3) is likely to require a total investment of more than
$20,000,000.
(20 ILCS 608/10)
Sec. 10. Executive Office. There is created an Office of
Business Permits and Regulatory Assistance (hereinafter
referred to as "office") within the Department of Commerce and
Community Affairs (now Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity) which shall consolidate existing programs
throughout State government, provide assistance to businesses
with fewer than 500 employees in meeting State requirements
for doing business and perform other functions specified in
this Act. The office shall implement reforms to improve
interagency coordination that allow for expeditious permit
issuance for covered projects. The office shall use
information technology tools to track schedules for covered
projects and metrics in order to improve transparency and
accountability in the permitting process, reduce uncertainty
and delays, and reduce costs and risks to taxpayers. The By
March 1, 1994, the office shall complete and file with the
Governor and the General Assembly a plan for the
implementation of this Act. Thereafter, the office shall carry
out the provisions of this Act, subject to funding through
appropriation.
(Source: P.A. 98-463, eff. 8-16-13.)

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(20 ILCS 608/15)
Sec. 15. Providing Information and Expediting Permit
Reviews.
(a) The office shall provide an online information system
using a website toll-free business assistance number. The
number shall be advertised throughout the State. Interested
businesses shall If requested, the caller will be sent a basic
business kit, describing the basic requirements and procedures
for doing business in Illinois. If requested, the caller shall
be directed to one or more of the additional services provided
by the office. All persons providing advice to callers on
behalf of the office and all persons responsible for directly
providing services to persons visiting the office or one of
its branches shall be persons with small business experience
in an administrative or managerial capacity.
(b) (Blank).
(c) Any applicant for permits required for a business
activity may confer with the office to obtain assistance in
the prompt and efficient processing and review of
applications. The office shall may designate an employee of
the office to act as a permit assistance manager to:
(1) facilitate contacts for the applicant with
responsible agencies;
(2) arrange conferences to clarify the requirements of
interested agencies;
(3) consider with State agencies the feasibility of

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consolidating hearings and data required of the applicant;
(4) assist the applicant in resolution of outstanding
issues identified by State agencies; and
(5) coordinate federal, State and local regulatory
procedures and permit review actions to the extent
possible.
(d) The office shall publish an online a directory of
State business permits and State programs to assist small
businesses.
(e) The office shall attempt to establish agreements with
local governments to allow the office to provide assistance to
applicants for permits required by these local governments.
(f) (Blank). Interested State agencies shall, to the
maximum extent feasible, establish procedures to expedite
applications for infrastructure projects. Applications for
permits for infrastructure projects shall be approved or
disapproved within 45 days of submission, unless law or
regulations specify a different period. If the interested
agency is unable to act within that period, the agency shall
provide a written notification to the office specifying
reasons for its inability to act and the date by which approval
or disapproval shall be determined. The office may require any
interested State agency to designate an employee who will
coordinate the handling of permits in that area.
(g) In addition to its responsibilities in connection with
permit assistance, the office shall provide general regulatory

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information by directing businesses to appropriate officers in
State agencies to supply the information requested.
(h) The office shall help businesses to locate and apply
to training programs available to train current employees in
particular skills, techniques or areas of knowledge relevant
to the employees' present or anticipated job duties. In
pursuit of this objective, the office shall provide businesses
with pertinent information about training programs offered by
State agencies, units of local government, public universities
and colleges, community colleges, and school districts in
Illinois.
(i) The office shall help businesses to locate and apply
to State programs offering to businesses grants, loans, loan
or bond guarantees, investment partnerships, technology or
productivity consultation, or other forms of business
assistance.
(j) To the extent authorized by federal law, the office
shall assist businesses in ascertaining and complying with the
requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
(k) The office shall provide confidential on-site
assistance in identifying problems and solutions in compliance
with requirements of State and federal environmental
regulations. The office shall work through and contract with
the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center to provide
confidential on-site consultation audits that (i) assist
regulatory compliance and (ii) identify pollution prevention

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opportunities.
(k-5) Until July 1, 2012, the office shall provide
confidential on-site assistance, including, but not limited
to, consultation audits, to identify problems and solutions
regarding compliance with the requirements of the federal
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. On and after
July 1, 2012, the Department of Labor shall provide
confidential on-site assistance, including, but not limited
to, consultation audits, to identify problems and solutions
regarding compliance with the requirements of the federal
Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
(l) The office shall provide information on existing loan
and business assistance programs provided by the State.
(m) Each State agency having jurisdiction to approve or
deny a permit shall have the continuing power heretofore or
hereafter vested in it to make such determinations. The
provisions of this Act shall not lessen or reduce such powers
and shall modify the procedures followed in carrying out such
powers only to the extent provided in this Act.
(n) (1) Each State agency shall fully cooperate with the
office in providing information, documentation, personnel or
facilities requested by the office.
(2) Each State agency having jurisdiction of any permit to
which the master application procedure is applicable shall
designate an employee to act as permit liaison office with the
office in carrying out the provisions of this Act.

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(o) (1) The office shall identify, develop, and track
metrics for the timeline of permit reviews, permit decisions,
and project outcomes for covered projects has authority, but
is not required, to keep and analyze appropriate statistical
data regarding the number of permits issued by State agencies,
the amount of time necessary for the permits to be issued, the
cost of obtaining such permits, the types of projects for
which specific permits are issued, a geographic distribution
of permits, and other pertinent data the office deems
appropriate.
The office shall administer and expand the use of online
transparency tools providing:
(i) tracking and reporting metrics;
(ii) development and posting of schedules for permit
reviews and permit decisions;
(iii) the sharing of best practices relating to
efficient project permitting and reviews; and
(iv) the visual display of relevant geospatial data to
support the permitting process. make such data and any
analysis of the data available to the public.
(2) The office shall has authority, but is not required,
to conduct or cause to be conducted a thorough review of any
agency's permit requirements and the need by the State to
require such permits. The office shall draw on the review, on
its direct experience, and on its statistical analyses to
prepare recommendations regarding how to:

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(i) eliminate unnecessary or antiquated permit
requirements;
(ii) consolidate duplicative or overlapping permit
requirements;
(iii) simplify overly complex or lengthy application
procedures;
(iv) expedite time-consuming agency review and
approval procedures; or
(v) otherwise improve the permitting processes in the
State.
The office shall submit copies of all recommendations
within 5 days of issuance to the affected agency, the
Governor, the General Assembly, and the Joint Committee on
Administrative Rules.
(p) The office shall has authority to review State forms
on its own initiative or upon the request of another State
agency to ascertain the burden, if any, of complying with
those forms. If the office determines that a form is unduly
burdensome to business, it may recommend to the agency issuing
the form either that the form be eliminated or that specific
changes be made in the form.
(q) Not later than March 1 of each year, beginning March 1,
1995, the office shall submit an annual report of its
activities during the preceding year to the Governor and
General Assembly. The report shall describe the activities of
the office during the preceding year and shall contain

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statistical information on the permit assistance activities of
the office.
(Source: P.A. 97-787, eff. 7-13-12; 98-346, eff. 8-14-13.)