(20 ILCS 3990/1) (from Ch. 48, par. 2601) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Illinois Manufacturing Technology Alliance Act". (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/2) (from Ch. 48, par. 2602) Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires: "Alliance" means the Illinois Manufacturing Technology Alliance established pursuant to this Act; "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Alliance; "Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the Alliance; "Director" means a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance; "Alliance Partner" means any manufacturing trade association designated as an Alliance Partner pursuant to agreement between the Alliance and such trade association; "Funds" means the Illinois Manufacturing Technology Alliance Fund and the Alliance Fund established pursuant to this Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/3) (from Ch. 48, par. 2603) Sec. 3. Establishment of the Alliance. A political subdivision, body politic and corporate to be known as the Illinois Manufacturing Technology Alliance is hereby established. The exercise by the Alliance of the powers conferred by law shall be an essential public function and shall be for the purpose of advancing the adoption and use of modern commercially available technologies by small and medium size Illinois manufacturers. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/4) (from Ch. 48, par. 2604) Sec. 4. Board of Directors. (a) The Illinois Manufacturing Technology Alliance shall be governed and operated by a Board of Directors consisting of 11 members: 5 public members who shall be representative of industries to be served by the Alliance; 2 public members who shall be researchers in manufacturing technologies; and 4 ex officio members who shall be the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Chief Executive Officer of the Prairie State 2000 Authority, the Executive Director of the Board of Higher Education and the Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board. An ex officio member may designate a representative to serve as a substitute when such member is unable to attend a meeting of the Board. (b) The Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint the 5 public members who are representative of industries to be served by the Alliance and the 2 public members who are researchers in manufacturing technologies. To the extent possible, 4 members of the 5 public members who are representatives of industries to be served by the Alliance shall be members of trade associations that are Alliance Partners. A vacancy in the position of Board member shall occur upon resignation, death, conviction of a felony, or removal from office of a Director. The Governor may remove any public member from office on a formal finding of incompetence, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Within 30 days after the office of any appointed member becomes vacant for any reason, the Governor shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired term in the same manner as that in which appointments are made. If the Senate is not in session when the first appointments are made or when the Governor fills a vacancy, the Governor shall make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Senate, when he shall nominate persons to be confirmed by the Senate. (c) No more than 4 public members shall be of the same political party. (d) Of those public members initially appointed to the Board, 4 Directors, no more than 2 of the same political party, shall be appointed to serve until July 1, 1993, and 3 Directors, not more than 2 of the same political party, shall be appointed to serve until July 1, 1991. Thereafter, each public member shall be appointed for a 4 year term, or until his successor is appointed and qualified. The terms of the public members initially appointed shall commence upon the appointment of all 7 public members. (e) No public member may serve as a Director for an aggregate of more than 10 years. (Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

(20 ILCS 3990/5) (from Ch. 48, par. 2605) Sec. 5. Meetings. (a) The Board of Directors shall meet no less than quarterly and may meet at other times in accordance with a schedule adopted by the Board. Special meetings of the Board may be held upon the call of the Chairman, issued in writing no less than 48 hours prior to the proposed day and hour of the Board meeting, or upon a request for a meeting presented in writing to the Chairman no less than 72 hours prior to the proposed day and hour of the Board meeting and signed by at least a majority of the Directors, whereupon the Chairman shall convene a meeting of the Board at the time and place stated in the request. (b) A majority of all members of the Board shall constitute a quorum to transact business, but no vacancy shall impair the right of the remaining Directors to exercise all of the powers of the Board. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the affirmative vote of a majority of all Directors is necessary for approving any contract or agreement, adopting any rule, regulation or resolution, or taking any action required by this Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/6) (from Ch. 48, par. 2606) Sec. 6. Compensation of Board of Directors. Members of the Board of Directors shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary and actual expenses incurred in the discharge of their official duties. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/7) (from Ch. 48, par. 2607) Sec. 7. Officers of the Alliance. (a) The Board of Directors shall elect a public member of the Board to serve as Chairman. (b) The Board shall select a Treasurer and Secretary who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and may but need not be Directors. (c) The Board shall select an Executive Director who shall not be a Director of the Alliance and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Executive Director shall serve as the chief administrative and operating officer and shall manage the properties and activities of the Alliance and its employees, direct enforcement of all policies, rules, regulations and resolutions of the Board, and perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board. The Executive Director shall attend all meetings of the Board; however, no action of the Board shall be invalid because of the absence of the Executive Director from a meeting. The Board shall set the compensation of the Executive Director; however, such compensation shall be consistent with the compensation paid to similar appointed officers of the State of Illinois. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/8) (from Ch. 48, par. 2608) Sec. 8. Oath of Office; Bond. Before entering upon the duties of their respective offices, the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Executive Director shall take and subscribe to the constitutional oath of office, and the Alliance shall execute a bond on behalf of the Treasurer with corporate sureties to be approved by the Alliance. The bond shall be payable to the Alliance in whatever penal sum may be directed by the Alliance conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of the office and the payment of all money received by him according to law and the orders of the Alliance. The Alliance may, at any time, require a new bond to be executed with respect to the Treasurer in such penal sum as may then be determined by the Alliance. The obligation of the sureties shall not extend to any loss sustained by the insolvency, failure or closing of any State or federally chartered financial institution wherein the Treasurer has deposited funds if the financial institution has been approved by the Alliance as a depository for these funds. The oaths of office and the Treasurer's bond shall be filed in the principal office of the Alliance. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/9) (from Ch. 48, par. 2609) Sec. 9. Personnel. (a) The Board shall appoint, retain and employ such persons as it deems necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act. The Board shall establish regulations to insure that discharge shall not be arbitrary and that hiring and promotion are based on merit. No unlawful discrimination, as defined by the Illinois Human Rights Act, shall be made in any term or aspect of employment nor shall any discrimination be made on a basis of political affiliation. The Alliance shall be subject to the Illinois Human Rights Act and the remedies and procedures established thereunder. The Alliance shall develop an affirmative action program and file it with the Department of Human Rights to assure that the employment of applicants and treatment of employees are without unlawful discrimination. Such affirmative action program shall include provisions relating to hiring, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment, recruitment advertising, selection for training and rates of pay or other forms of compensation. (b) The Board shall organize the staff, assign their functions and duties, fix their compensation, benefits and conditions of employment, and regulate their travel. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/10) (from Ch. 48, par. 2610) Sec. 10. General Powers and Duties of the Board. Except as otherwise limited by this Act, the Board shall have all powers necessary to meet its responsibilities and to carry out its purposes, including but not limited to the following powers: (a) to sue and be sued; (b) to enter into loans, contracts, agreements and leases in any matter connected with any of its corporate purposes and to invest its funds; (c) to employ agents and employees and independent contractors necessary to carry out its purposes and to fix their compensation, benefits and terms and conditions of their employment; (d) to have and use a common seal and to alter the same at pleasure; (e) to adopt all necessary ordinances, resolutions, by-laws, rules and regulations for the conduct of its business and affairs; (f) to exclusively control and manage the Alliance and all monies denoted, paid or appropriated for the relief or benefit of small and medium size Illinois manufacturers; (g) to establish and operate programs consistent with or permitted by this Act for the benefit of small and medium size Illinois manufacturers; (h) to undertake studies with respect to technological modernization of small and medium size manufacturers; (i) to provide financial assistance to individual small or medium size manufacturers pursuant to the provisions of this Act; (j) to produce and disseminate reports on appropriate applications in small or medium size manufacturing settings of specific kinds of commercially available machinery and equipment; (k) to organize and operate educational seminars and trade shows pertaining to commercially available manufacturing technologies that are suitable for small or medium size firms; (l) to support and promote from time to time the transfer of new and innovative technologies developed by Illinois-based institutions and companies to small and medium size Illinois manufacturers where such technologies have immediate commercial applications; (m) to organize, develop and maintain a data base on all businesses within each industry that is served or is designated to be served by the Alliance; (n) to monitor, review and evaluate annually the programs of the Alliance and to make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding changes to this Act or other Acts to make improvements in the programs operated by the Alliance; (o) to cause an annual audit of the accounts of the Alliance to be conducted pursuant to Section 14 of this Act. A copy of such audit shall be provided to the Auditor General if performed by persons other than the Auditor General. The Auditor General shall review all audits submitted and make such other investigations and audits when he deems necessary; (p) to prepare and submit a budget and request for appropriations for the necessary and contingent operating expenses of the Alliance; (q) to encourage participation in the programs sponsored by the Alliance by means of advertising, incentives and other marketing devices with special attention to geographic areas with high concentrations of businesses within designated industries; (r) to accept appropriations, grants and funds from the federal and State governments and any agency thereof and expend these monies in accordance with, and in furtherance of, the purposes of this Act; (s) to enter into intergovernmental agreements with other governmental entities; (t) to issue an annual report and financial statement to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the House Minority Leader, Alliance Partners and to the public on its activities for the previous year. Such annual report shall include measurement results testing the efficacy of programs operated by the Alliance; and (u) to have and exercise all powers and be subject to all duties usually incident to boards of directors of corporations. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/11) (from Ch. 48, par. 2611) Sec. 11. Alliance Partners. The Board may establish the Alliance Partners program. Any manufacturing trade association may join as an Alliance Partner pursuant to the terms of an agreement between such association and the Alliance. Such agreement shall include but shall not be limited to the following: (1) the amount of money that such association shall contribute to the Funds; (2) the timing of such contributions; (3) the amounts of money that the Alliance shall allocate from funds received from the State of Illinois and from sources other than manufacturing trade associations; (4) the services that shall be supported by the Funds in behalf of businesses operating within the industry served by such association; and (5) the functions and services that shall be performed respectively by such association and by the Alliance. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/12) (from Ch. 48, par. 2612) Sec. 12. Services Performed by the Alliance. (a) The Alliance may make grants or loans to eligible businesses for the purpose of advancing the adoption and use of modern available technologies by small and medium size Illinois manufacturers. Such financial assistance shall be used to pay for: (1) individual and industry wide technology assessments; (2) industrial and process engineering consultation; (3) studies to determine the appropriate application of specific types of machinery and equipment; (4) evaluations of vendor support programs; (5) evaluations of specific vendor performances; (6) post-installation evaluation of machinery and equipment; (7) consultation with respect to the terms and conditions setting forth the expected performance of machinery and equipment to be purchased or leased by a business, the services to be provided by the vendor of such machinery or equipment, including maintenance, product improvements and training, and guarantees or warranties made by such vendor or by the manufacturer of such machinery and equipment; and (8) such other services that will accomplish the purposes of this Act. (b) Pursuant to procedures that it shall establish by rule, the Board shall review applications for funding and shall, in its sole judgment, make such grants or loans as it determines to the business, or to the consultant under contract to the business: (1) upon the business demonstrating that it is unable to, or anticipates that it will be unable to, perform at a level that is no less than average for the industry; or (2) upon the business demonstrating that it is at a competitive disadvantage to establishments within its industry located outside the State of Illinois or to establishments newly locating in Illinois; or (3) upon the business demonstrating that it otherwise has a need to adopt new technologies. All businesses receiving financial assistance from the Alliance must first demonstrate that receipt of such assistance is necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act and that other sources, including federal, State or locally administered programs, are not immediately available to the business. (c) Not less than 1/2 of the monies paid from the Funds for grants or loans to businesses shall come from contributions made by trade associations; except that during the 18 months immediately following the effective date of this Act, the Alliance may make grants or loans to businesses from funds received from the State of Illinois notwithstanding the requirement that not less than 1/2 of the monies paid from the funds for grants or loans to businesses shall come from contributions made by trade associations. (d) Any grant shall be made on such terms and conditions as the Board shall determine; provided, however, that no grant shall exceed 1/2 of the cost of eligible services received by the business or its agent. In determining the amount of a grant, the Board may consider whether the business requesting financial assistance is then paying dues to a manufacturing trade association that is an Alliance Partner; provided that a grant may not be for less than 1/3 of the cost of eligible services. Each grant shall require that not less than 25% of the amount shall be withheld until 30 days after the satisfactory completion of services for which the grant was made. (e) Any loan shall be made on such terms and conditions as the Board shall determine, including terms and conditions with respect to interest rate and maturity of loan. In determining such interest rate and maturity, the Board may consider whether the business requesting financial assistance is then paying dues to a manufacturing trade association that is an Alliance Partner. (f) The Alliance may not provide financial assistance for services that will be performed for a period greater than 18 months. (g) No grant or loan made by the Board shall be used to pay for the purchase or lease of machinery or equipment. (h) It is the intention of this Act that any grant or loan made by the Alliance shall not result in the termination or layoff of workers employed by any business receiving financial assistance, provided that such termination or layoff is not the fault of the worker. The Alliance shall establish agreements with and cooperate with other agencies of the State of Illinois, federal government or local government or private organizations that may assist in retraining workers affected by the introduction of new technologies into the business. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/13) (from Ch. 48, par. 2613) Sec. 13. Finance. The Illinois Manufacturing Technology Alliance Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury and the Alliance Fund is hereby created outside the State Treasury. Monies appropriated by the General Assembly shall be held in the Illinois Manufacturing Technology Alliance Fund unless the Act making the appropriation specifically states that the monies are appropriated to the Alliance Fund. Monies received by the Alliance from an Alliance Partner shall be held in the Alliance Fund unless the terms of the contribution made by the Alliance Partner specifically states that the monies are to be deposited in the Illinois Manufacturing Technology Alliance Fund. Monies held in the Alliance Fund may be disbursed from the Alliance Fund without appropriation by the General Assembly; however, use of the monies in the Alliance Fund may be limited by the terms and conditions set forth by the State or the Alliance Partner at the time such monies are conveyed to the Alliance, including any terms and conditions requiring that monies remaining in the Alliance Fund after a specified date be returned to the source of such monies. All monies held in the Funds shall be available generally for expenditure by the Alliance for any purposes authorized by this Act. Monies held in the Alliance Fund may be invested pursuant to the provisions of "An Act relating to certain investments of public funds by public agencies", approved July 23, 1943, as amended. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/14) (from Ch. 48, par. 2614) Sec. 14. Audits and Reports. The accounts and books of the Alliance, including its receipts, disbursements, contracts and other matters relating to its finance, operation and affairs shall be examined and audited annually by a firm of certified public accountants who shall certify their audit to the State Comptroller and Auditor General. The Auditor General may from time to time perform an audit of the accounts and books of the Alliance, whereupon at such times the Alliance shall not be required to have an audit performed for the period examined by the Auditor General. The accounts and books of the Alliance shall be kept in accordance with the procedures and accepted accounting practices established by the State Comptroller. (Source: P.A. 86-1015.)

(20 ILCS 3990/15) (from Ch. 48, par. 2615) Sec. 15. Relationship with other Agencies. The Alliance shall cooperate with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the Prairie State 2000 Authority and any other agency or authority of the State on any project or program that improves the competitiveness of small and medium size Illinois manufacturers. The policies and programs of the Alliance shall be consistent with economic development policies of this State. (Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)