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1 AN ACT concerning transportation.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic
5Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois
6is amended by adding Section 605-1032 as follows:
7 (20 ILCS 605/605-1032 new)
8 Sec. 605-1032. Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment.
9 (a) As used in this Section:
10 "Not-for-profit corporation" has the meaning given to that
11term in Section 101.80 of the General Not For Profit
12Corporation Act of 1986.
13 "Office" means the Office of Economic Equity and
14Empowerment.
15 (b) The Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment is
16hereby created within the Department. The Office shall assist
17minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses,
18veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with
19disabilities, not-for-profit corporations, and other
20underserved communities and constituencies through targeted
21programs, resources, and outreach and promotional activities.
22The Office may engage in or conduct the following activities:
23 (1) promoting and conducting outreach efforts to

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1 ensure access to State and federal funding opportunities,
2 and assisting minority-owned businesses, women-owned
3 businesses, veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by
4 persons with disabilities, not-for-profit corporations,
5 and other underserved communities and constituencies in
6 applying for and receiving loan funds in the State;
7 (2) providing and hosting workshops and public forums
8 and engaging in outreach efforts for minority-owned
9 businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned
10 businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities,
11 and other underserved communities and constituencies to
12 encourage participation in programs under the Business
13 Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with
14 Disabilities Act, and assisting those businesses in
15 becoming designated under that Act and under similar
16 certification programs;
17 (3) providing and hosting workshops and public forums
18 and engaging in outreach efforts that assist and educate
19 minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses,
20 veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with
21 disabilities, not-for-profit corporations, and other
22 underserved communities and constituencies on the process
23 of applying for and becoming certified to apply for State
24 grant funds under the Grant Accountability and
25 Transparency Act;
26 (4) providing and hosting workshops and public forums

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1 and engaging in outreach efforts that assist and educate
2 aspiring and existing minority-owned businesses,
3 women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses,
4 businesses owned by persons with disabilities,
5 not-for-profit corporations, and other underserved
6 communities and constituencies with understanding concepts
7 such as, but not limited to, business formation and
8 not-for-profit incorporation, business planning, capital
9 access, and marketing a business or not-for-profit
10 corporation;
11 (5) administering programs established by the
12 Department or the General Assembly to provide grants to
13 minority-owned businesses, woman-owned businesses,
14 veteran-owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with
15 disabilities, not-for-profit corporations, and other
16 underserved communities and constituencies;
17 (6) coordinating assistance for minority-owned
18 businesses, woman-owned businesses, veteran-owned
19 businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities,
20 not-for-profit corporations, and other underserved
21 communities and constituencies with other State agencies;
22 (7) providing staff, administration, and related
23 support required to administer this Section; and
24 (8) establishing applications, notifications,
25 contracts, and other forms and procedures, and adopting
26 rules deemed necessary and appropriate.

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