Sec. 15. The Illinois Habitat Fund and the Illinois Habitat Endowment Trust Fund.

421 words·~2 min read·/il/chapter-520/act-25/15

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(a)There is established in the State treasury a special fund entitled the Illinois Habitat Fund. The moneys in this fund shall be used, subject to appropriation, exclusively by the Department for the preservation and maintenance of high quality habitat lands. The Illinois Habitat Fund shall be financed through deposits of fees from the sale of State Habitat Stamps and artwork as provided for in the Wildlife Code, and revenue derived from the sale of Sportsmen Series license plates. The Department may accept, from all sources, contributions, grants, gifts, bequests, legacies of money, and securities to be deposited into the Illinois Habitat Fund. All interest earned from moneys in the Illinois Habitat Fund shall be deposited into the Illinois Habitat Fund.

(b)The Illinois Habitat Endowment Trust Fund is created as a trust fund in the State treasury. The Trust Fund shall be financed by a combination of private donations and transfers or deposits from the Park and Conservation Fund or any other fund authorized by law. The Department may accept, from all sources, contributions, grants, gifts, bequests, legacies of money, and securities to be deposited into the Trust Fund. All deposits shall become part of the Trust Fund corpus. Moneys in the Trust Fund are not subject to appropriation and shall be used solely to provide financing to the Illinois Habitat Fund. All gifts, grants, assets, funds, or moneys received by the Department under this Act shall be deposited and held by the State Treasurer as ex officio custodian thereof, separate and apart from all public moneys or funds of this State in a trust fund established in accordance with State law, and shall be administered by the Director exclusively for the purposes set forth in this Act. All moneys in the Trust Fund are to be invested and reinvested by the State Treasurer. All interest accruing from these investments shall be deposited into the Trust Fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in addition to any other transfers that may be provided by law, on July 1, 2025, or as soon thereafter as practical, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer the remaining balance from the Illinois Habitat Endowment Trust Fund into the Illinois Habitat Fund. Upon completion of the transfer, the Illinois Habitat Endowment Trust Fund is dissolved, and any future deposits due to that Fund and any outstanding obligations or liabilities of that Fund pass to the Illinois Habitat Fund.