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| Public Act 096-0659 |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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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
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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
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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
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environmental design standards. | ||||
(4) Organic and community food production. | ||||
(5) The manufacture of products from non-toxic,
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environmentally certified or recycled materials. | ||
(6) The manufacture and production of sustainable
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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
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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
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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.
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