(30 ILCS 155/1) (from Ch. 61, par. 401)
Sec. 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the “Illinois Non-Game
Wildlife Protection Act”.
(Source: P.A. 83-406.)
(30 ILCS 155/2) (from Ch. 61, par. 402)
Sec. 2.
Legislative declaration.
The General Assembly hereby declares
that wildlife species which are not commonly pursued, killed, or consumed
either for sport or profit, referred to in this Act as “non-game wildlife”
have need of special protection and that it is in the public interest to
preserve, protect, perpetuate, and enhance non-game wildlife and native
plant resources of
this State through preservation of a satisfactory environment and an ecological
balance. The General Assembly specifically recognizes that such non-game
wildlife includes protected wildlife and wildlife of specialized habitats,
both terrestrial and aquatic types, and mollusks, crustaceans, and other
invertebrates under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources.
This Act is enacted to provide a means by which such protection may be financed
through a voluntary check-off designation on State income tax return forms.
The intent of the General Assembly is that this program of the income tax
check-off is supplemental to any funding and in no way is intended to take
the place of the funding that would otherwise be appropriated for this purpose.
(Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)
(30 ILCS 155/3) (from Ch. 61, par. 403)
Sec. 3.
Each individual taxpayer required to file a return pursuant to the
Illinois Income Tax Act desiring to contribute to The Illinois
Wildlife Preservation Fund may do so by stating the amount
of such
contribution (not less than $1) on such return. This Section shall not
apply to an amended return.
(Source: P.A. 88-130.)
(30 ILCS 155/4) (from Ch. 61, par. 404)
Sec. 4. (a) There is created the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund, a
special fund in the State Treasury. The Department of Revenue shall determine
annually the total amount contributed to such fund pursuant to this Act and
shall notify the State Comptroller and the State Treasurer of such amount to be
transferred to the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund, and upon receipt of
such notification the State Comptroller shall transfer such amount.
(b) The Department of Natural Resources shall deposit
any donations including federal reimbursements received for the purposes in the
Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund.
(c) The General Assembly may appropriate annually from the Illinois Wildlife
Preservation Fund such monies credited to such fund from the check-off
contribution system provided in this Act and from other funds received for the
purposes of this Act, to the Department of Natural Resources to be used for the
purposes of preserving, protecting,
perpetuating and enhancing non-game wildlife in this State. Beginning with fiscal year 2006, 5% of the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund must be committed to or expended on grants by the Department of Natural Resources for the maintenance of wildlife rehabilitation facilities that take care of threatened or endangered species. For purposes of calculating the 5%, the amount in the Fund is exclusive of any federal funds deposited in or credited to the Fund or any amount deposited in the Fund under subsection (b) of Section 805-555 of the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law. The Department shall establish criteria for the grants by rules adopted in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act before January 1, 2006. However, no amount
appropriated from the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund may be used by the
Department of Natural Resources to exercise its power of
eminent domain.
(Source: P.A. 97-1136, eff. 1-1-13.)