HB2700 amends the Illinois Municipal Code to change how certain hotel-related tax revenues may be used by municipalities in DuPage County. Under current law, municipalities covered by these provisions must spend not less than 75% of revenue from the municipal hotel operators' occupation tax and municipal hotel use tax on tourism promotion and conventions. The bill lowers that required share to not less than 50%, allowing municipalities greater flexibility in using the remaining revenue.
The bill applies only to municipalities in DuPage County that belong to a qualifying not-for-profit tourism and convention bureau recognized by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. It preserves the ability to use the non-tourism portion of the revenue for economic development or capital infrastructure. The bill is effective immediately and amends two sections of the Municipal Code that are currently scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027.
Impact
HB2700 would reduce the statutory set-aside for tourism promotion from 75% to 50% for specified DuPage County municipalities, thereby expanding local discretion over hotel tax proceeds. In practical terms, municipalities could redirect a larger share of these revenues to economic development or capital infrastructure projects rather than tourism and convention marketing. The bill affects Sections 8-3-14b and 8-3-14c of the Illinois Municipal Code and would alter the distribution rules for municipal hotel operators' occupation tax and municipal hotel use tax in the county.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears administrative and locally targeted rather than broadly ideological, with an emphasis on giving municipalities more flexibility in spending hotel-tax revenue. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided materials suggests no documented controversy in the available context.
Contention
The main policy tension is between tourism promotion and broader municipal spending priorities. Supporters would likely favor the bill because it allows more hotel-tax revenue to be used for economic development and capital infrastructure, while opponents could argue that reducing the tourism set-aside may weaken funding for marketing, conventions, and visitor attraction efforts that generate overnight stays and related local spending. Because the bill is limited to DuPage County municipalities tied to a certified tourism bureau, any contention is likely to center on local fiscal priorities rather than statewide policy.
Relating to the use of municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue and certain tax revenue derived from a hotel and convention center project by certain municipalities.
Relating to the use of municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue and certain tax revenue derived from a hotel and convention center project by certain municipalities.