§ 20-115 — Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education

(a) There is created, effective July 1, 1997, within the State at Illinois State University, the Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education, hereinafter referred to as the Institute. (b) The Institute created under this Section shall commence its operations on July 1, 1997 and shall have a board composed of 15 members representative of education, commerce and industry, government, or labor, appointed as follows: 2 members shall be appointees of the Governor, one of whom shall be a minority or woman person as defined in Section 2 of the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act; one member shall be an appointee of the President of the Senate; one member shall be an appointee of the Minority Leader of the Senate; one member shall be an appointee of the Speaker of the House of Representatives; one member shall be an appointee of the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; 2 members shall be appointees of Illinois State University; one member shall be an appointee of the Board of Higher Education; one member shall be an appointee of the State Board of Education; one member shall be an appointee of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; one member shall be an appointee of the Illinois chapter of Economics America; and 3 members shall be appointed by majority vote of the other 12 appointed members to represent business owner-entrepreneurs. Each member shall have expertise and experience in the area of entrepreneurship education, including small business and entrepreneurship. The majority of voting members must be from the private sector. The members initially appointed to the board of the Institute created under this Section shall be appointed to take office on July 1, 1997 and shall by lot determine the length of their respective terms as follows: 5 members shall be selected by lot to serve terms of one year, 5 members shall be selected by lot to serve terms of 2 years, and 5 members shall be selected by lot to serve terms of 3 years. Subsequent appointees shall each serve terms of 3 years. The board shall annually select a chairperson from among its members. Each board member shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of his or her duties. (c) The purpose of the Institute shall be to foster the growth and development of entrepreneurship education in the State of Illinois. The Institute shall help remedy the deficiencies in the preparation of entrepreneurship education teachers, increase the quality and quantity of entrepreneurship education programs, improve instructional materials, and prepare personnel to serve as leaders and consultants in the field of entrepreneurship education and economic development. The Institute shall promote entrepreneurship as a career option, promote and support the development of innovative entrepreneurship education materials and delivery systems, promote business, industry, and education partnerships, promote collaboration and involvement in entrepreneurship education programs, encourage and support in-service and preservice teacher education programs within various educational systems, and develop and distribute relevant materials. The Institute shall provide a framework under which the public and private sectors may work together toward entrepreneurship education goals. These goals shall be achieved by bringing together programs that have an impact on entrepreneurship education to achieve coordination among agencies and greater efficiency in the expenditure of funds. (d) Beginning July 1, 1997, the Institute shall have the following powers subject to State and Illinois State University Board of Trustees regulations and guidelines: (1) To employ and determine the compensation of an executive director and such staff as it deems necessary; (2) To own property and expend and receive funds and generate funds; (3) To enter into agreements with public and private entities in the furtherance of its purpose; and (4) To request and receive the cooperation and assistance of all State departments and agencies in the furtherance of its purpose. (e) The board of the Institute shall be a policy making body with the responsibility for planning and developing Institute programs. The Institute, through the Board of Trustees of Illinois State University, shall annually report to the Governor and General Assembly by January 31 as to its activities and operations, including its findings and recommendations. (f) Beginning on July 1, 1997, the Institute created under this Section shall be deemed designated by law as the successor to the Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education, previously created and existing under Section 2-11.5 of the Public Community College Act until its abolition on July 1, 1997 as provided in that Section. On July 1, 1997, all financial and other records of the Institute so abolished and all of its property, whether real or personal, including but not limited to all inventory and equipment, shall be deemed transferred by operation of law to the Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education created under this Section 20-115. The Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship Education created under this Section 20-115 shall have, with respect to the predecessor Institute so abolished, all authority, powers, and duties of a successor agency under Section 10-15 of the Successor Agency Act.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 100-391, eff. 8-25-17.)