Report on the state and regional development strategy

In August 1999, the State and Regional Development Strategy Act was signed into law, initiating a multi-year, strategic planning process for economic development in Illinois. In the statute, the General Assembly noted that 'an essential step to assist the Illinois economy, both on a statewide and on a local level, to respond to increasingly competitive global conditions and economic trends is to establish a consensus on a long-term economic development strategy that recognizes both the competitive position of the state's regions and needs of commerce and industry.' The statute directs the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) to implement the strategic planning process.