Public Act 096-0659
 		





HB0740 Enrolled
LRB096 07627 NHT 17725 b






    AN ACT concerning education.

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

 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended  by adding Section 
2-3.148 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.148  new)
    Sec. 2-3.148. Green career and technical education

programs.
    (a)  As used in this Section, "green industries"
means 
industries that contribute directly to preserving or
enhancing 
environmental quality by reducing waste and pollution
or 
producing sustainable products using sustainable processes
and 
materials and that provide opportunities for advancement
along 
a career track of increasing skills and wages.  Green
industries 
include any of the following:
        (1)  Energy system retrofits to increase energy

    efficiency and conservation.
        (2)  The production and distribution of biofuels
and 
    vehicle retrofits for biofuels.
        (3)  Building design and construction that meet
the 
    equivalent of the best available technology in energy and

    environmental design standards.
        (4)  Organic and community food production.
        (5)  The manufacture of products from non-toxic,

    environmentally certified or recycled materials.
        (6)  The manufacture and production of sustainable

    technologies, including, but not limited to, solar panels, 
    wind
turbines, and fuel cells.
        (7)  Solar technology installation and
maintenance.
        (8)  Recycling, green composting, and
large-scale reuse 
    of construction and demolition materials and
debris.
        (9)  Water system retrofits to increase water

    efficiency and conservation.
        (10) Horticulture. 
    (b)  It is the purpose and intent of this Section to 
establish a State grant program that develops secondary 
programs that introduce students to developing green 
industries.
    (c)  Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education 
shall establish a State grant program that develops, through a 
competitive process, 2-year pilot programs to assist in the 
creation and promotion of green career and technical education 
programs in public secondary
schools in this State.  Preference 
must be given to proposals that include the integration of 
academic and career and technical education content, arranged 
in sequences of courses that lead to post-secondary completion.
    (d)  The State Board of Education may adopt any rules

necessary for the implementation of this Section.
    (e)  The State Board of Education may use up to 5% of the 
funds appropriated for the purposes of this Section for 
administrative costs,
 including the hiring of positions for the 
implementation and administration of the grant program, 
provided that if no appropriation is made to the State Board 
for a given fiscal year for the purposes of the grant program, 
then the State Board is not required to make any expenditures 
in support of the program during that fiscal year.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
2009.