Public Act 0241 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0166 Enrolled LRB097 02894 NHT 42918 b

Public Act 097-0241

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Higher Education Green Jobs and Technology Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Community college" means a public community college in this State.

"Green jobs" means jobs in which green technology is employed and may include the occupation codes identified as green jobs by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics and any codes identified as green jobs by the Illinois Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"Green technology" means technology that (i) promotes clean energy, renewable energy, or energy efficiency, (ii) reduces greenhouse gases or carbon emissions, or (iii) involves the invention, design, and application of chemical products and processes to eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.

"State university" means a public university in this State.

Section 10. Collaboration; promotion of industry.

(a) Representatives from each State university and community college, in conjunction with research centers affiliated with these institutions that focus on clean or sustainable energy and that are located within the same geographic regions, may meet annually to develop collaborative efforts with regard to the green technology industry.

(b) The Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall annually publicize on their Internet websites information concerning efforts made by State universities and community colleges to promote the green technology industry, including the development of new academic degree and certificate programs, courses of instruction, and initiatives made by these State universities and community colleges to align green jobs programs with employer needs.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.