HB3017 Summary

• Amends the Business Assistance and Regulatory Reform Act to expand the goal of improving Illinois's business climate to include increasing transparency and accessibility of permitting processes by consolidating status updates from State agencies on permit issuance for covered projects.

• Creates a new definition of "covered project" meaning any project in Illinois requiring over $20,000,000 in future investment that involves infrastructure for energy, transportation, aviation, ports, water resources, broadband, pipelines, or manufacturing and requires State agency authorization or environmental review.

• Establishes the Office of Business Permits and Regulatory Assistance within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to use information technology tools and online systems to track schedules and metrics for covered projects to improve transparency, reduce delays, and lower costs and risks.

• Requires the office to provide an online information system and website for businesses seeking permits, designate permit assistance managers, establish agreements with local governments, and annually collect processes and timelines from State agencies for all permits.

• Directs the office to identify and track metrics for permit review timelines and decisions, administer online transparency tools for tracking and reporting, post regulatory timelines, share best practices, and display geospatial data to support the permitting process, all subject to appropriation.