State agencies would coordinate reviews for major construction projects

The Office of Business Permits and Regulatory Assistance would coordinate State agencies and use online tools to track permit schedules and results. The provisions concern business permits generally and tracking for covered projects, including major energy, transportation, water, broadband, pipeline, and manufacturing projects. The office would carry out these duties subject to funding through an appropriation. State agencies would cooperate with the office when funding is available. No start date is stated.

A committee of permitting agency representatives and other State officials would advise on interagency permitting. Members would include representatives designated by each permitting agency and officials from the business-permit office, environmental, transportation, natural resources, commerce, fire safety, and public health agencies. The listed officials could serve through their designees. The committee's creation would not give participating agencies new authority over a project. No start date or meeting schedule is stated.

Project sponsors would submit project notices, and the office would create a public dashboard, coordinating plan, and permitting timetable for covered projects. The process would cover Illinois infrastructure projects likely to require more than $20 million and State authorization or environmental review, including energy, transportation, broadband, pipelines, and manufacturing. Agencies would post project documents, decisions, schedules, and delays to the dashboard. Timetables would aim to complete required authorizations within 2 years but could vary for project size, agency resources, financing, and environmental or historic concerns. Local governments could choose to participate. Existing legal duties, review periods, and agency authority would remain in place. The office would invite agencies within 21 calendar days after adding a project to the dashboard, agencies would have 14 calendar days to respond, and the office would establish a coordinated plan within 60 days of the dashboard entry.