Public Act 096-0725
 		





SB1570 Enrolled
LRB096 10957 NHT 21214 b






    AN ACT concerning schools.

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






 
    Section 5. The Illinois Finance Authority Act is amended  by 
adding Section 825-100 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 3501/825-100  new)
    Sec. 825-100. School Wind and Solar Generation Program.
    (a) There is created the School Wind and Solar Generation 
Program to fund wind generation projects and solar generation 
projects for school districts and community college districts.  
The Authority may implement and administer this program.  Under 
the program, the Authority may provide to school districts and 
community college districts that apply, full or partial 
low-interest loans for, without limitation, engineering 
studies, feasibility studies, research studies, and 
construction costs for wind generation projects and solar 
generation projects. The loan funds, subject to appropriation, 
shall be paid out of the School Wind and Solar Generation 
Revolving Loan Fund. All repayments of loans shall be deposited 
into the School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund.
    (b) The Authority may make available information regarding 
the School Wind and Solar Generation Program to all school 
districts and community college districts in this State.
    (c) The School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan 
Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The 
School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund shall 
consist of any moneys appropriated into the School Wind and 
Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund, as well as all repayments 
of loans made under the School Wind and Solar Generation 
Program.  All interest earned on moneys in the School Wind and 
Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund shall be deposited into 
the Fund.  All money in the School Wind and Solar Generation 
Revolving Loan Fund must be used, subject to appropriation, by 
the Authority for the purposes of this Section.
    (d) The Authority may accept additional funding for the 
School Wind and Solar Generation Program from the federal 
government and private donations. 
    (e)  The Authority may adopt any rules necessary to 
implement this Section. 
 
    Section 7. The Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and 
Coal Resources
Development Law of 1997 is amended  by changing 
Section 6-5.5 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 687/6-5.5)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 12, 2015)
    Sec. 6-5.5. Renewable energy grants.
    (a)  Subject to appropriation, the Department may establish 
and operate a renewable energy grant program to assist public 
schools and community colleges with engineering studies and 
feasibility studies and school districts in the installation, 
acquisition, construction, and improvement of renewable energy 
resources in the public schools, including without limitation 
solar energy (such as solar panels), geothermal energy, and 
wind energy.
    (b)  Application for a grant under this Section must be in 
the form and manner established by the Department.  The grant 
shall cover 50% of the cost for which the grant is sought, up 
to a maximum grant of $1,000,000, if the applicant school 
district is able to demonstrate that it has funds to pay the 
other 50% of the cost.  The schools and community colleges 
school district may accept private funds for their its portion 
of the cost.

    (c)  The Department may adopt any rules that are necessary 
to carry out its responsibilities under this Section.


(Source: P.A. 95-46, eff. 8-10-07.)
 
    Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding 
Section 5.719 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 105/5.719 new)
    Sec. 5.719. The School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving 
Loan Fund.
 
    Section 15. The School Code is amended  by changing Sections 
10-20.42 and 34-18.36 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.42)
    Sec. 10-20.42. Wind and solar farms farm.   A school 
district may own and operate a wind or solar generation turbine 
farm, either individually or jointly with a unit of local 
government, school district, or community college district 
that is authorized to own and operate a wind or solar 
generation turbine farm, that directly or indirectly reduces 
the energy or other operating costs of the school district. The 
school district may ask for the assistance of any State agency, 
including without limitation the State Board of Education, the 
Illinois Power Agency, or the Environmental Protection Agency, 
in obtaining financing options for a wind or solar generation 
turbine farm.

(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08; 
95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.36)
    Sec. 34-18.36. Wind and solar farms farm. The school 
district may own and operate a wind or solar generation turbine 
farm, either individually or jointly with a unit of local 
government, school district, or community college district 
that is authorized to own and operate a wind or solar 
generation turbine farm, that directly or indirectly reduces 
the energy or other operating costs of the school district. The 
school district may ask for the assistance of any State agency, 
including without limitation the State Board of Education, the 
Illinois Power Agency, or the Environmental Protection Agency, 
in obtaining financing options for a wind or solar generation 
turbine farm.

(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08; 
95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
 
    Section 20. The Public Community College Act is amended  by 
changing Section 3-42.3 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 805/3-42.3)

    Sec. 3-42.3. Wind and solar farms farm. To own and operate 
a wind or solar generation turbine farm, either individually or 
jointly with a unit of local government, school district, or 
community college district that is authorized to own and 
operate a wind or solar generation turbine farm, that directly 
or indirectly reduces the energy or other operating costs of 
the community college district. The board  may ask for the 
assistance of any State agency, including without limitation 
the State Board, the Illinois Power Agency, or the 
Environmental Protection Agency, in obtaining financing 
options for a wind or solar generation turbine farm.

(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08.)
 

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