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90_HJ0051enr
HJ0051 Enrolled LRB9010777KDks
1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 51
2 WHEREAS, The current State sales tax on coal burned in
3 Illinois raises approximately $60 million each year in
4 revenue for the State; and
5 WHEREAS, Ninety percent of Illinois coal is purchased by
6 the electric utility industry, and about one-half of the
7 electricity used in the State comes from coal-burning plants;
8 and
9 WHEREAS, The 1990 federal Clean Air Act amendments have
10 resulted in fuel switching from Illinois high-sulfur coal to
11 western, low-sulfur coal to generate electricity; and
12 WHEREAS, The sale of Illinois coal has continued to
13 decrease, due primarily to increased competition from
14 western, low-sulfur coal, resulting in the loss of thousands
15 of jobs directly related to coal mining; and
16 WHEREAS, Illinois coal is mined in 18 counties and
17 accounts for as much as 16% of employment and 23% of personal
18 income in individual counties; and
19 WHEREAS, The coal mining industry provides approximately
20 5,000 jobs and more than 17,000 spin-off jobs in the State;
21 and
22 WHEREAS, Almost $800 million has been spent on clean coal
23 technology projects to expand the use of high-sulfur Illinois
24 coal; and
25 WHEREAS, It is important to keep the Illinois coal
26 industry competitive because coal is the State's most
27 abundant and economically important natural resource;
28 therefore, be it
29 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
30 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
HJ0051 Enrolled -2- LRB9010777KDks
1 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that a 12-member Task Force be
2 formed to study the feasibility of eliminating the sales tax
3 on Illinois coal; the Task Force shall consist of the
4 Directors, or their designees, of the Department of Revenue
5 and the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs; a
6 member of the Illinois Coal Development Board (within the
7 Department of Natural Resources) appointed by the Director of
8 the Department of Natural Resources, whom shall serve as
9 chairperson; the President of the United Mine Workers; the
10 Vice President of the Illinois Coal Association; one member
11 appointed by the Governor; 2 members appointed by the
12 President of the Senate; 2 members appointed by the Speaker
13 of the House of Representatives; one member appointed by the
14 Minority Leader of the Senate; and one member appointed by
15 the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, all of
16 whom shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed
17 for their reasonable and necessary expenses; appointments
18 made by the General Assembly shall be made within 30 days
19 after this Resolution is adopted; and be it further
20 RESOLVED, That the Task Force report its findings and
21 recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor no
22 later than January 1, 1999; and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
24 delivered to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of
25 Representatives, the President of the Senate, the Minority
26 Leader of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader
27 of the Senate, and each member of the Illinois congressional
28 delegation.
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