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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 259
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| 2 | WHEREAS, Disadvantaged Business Entities (DBEs), Minority | ||||||
| 3 | Business Enterprises (MBEs), and
Women Business Enterprises | ||||||
| 4 | (WBEs), are an important and growing part of the Illinois
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| 5 | economy; and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly and the Governor | ||||||
| 7 | recognize the importance of providing
opportunity for all in | ||||||
| 8 | Illinois to contribute to the commerce of our State, regardless | ||||||
| 9 | of
race, religion, culture, or sexual identity; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, DBEs, MBEs, and WBEs are often unable to compete | ||||||
| 11 | with larger established
firms because of capacity issues, lack | ||||||
| 12 | of access, and available capital resources; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, Mentor-protege programs, such as those with the | ||||||
| 14 | Illinois Department of Transportation, the
Illinois Capital | ||||||
| 15 | Development Board, and the Illinois Tollway Authority, have | ||||||
| 16 | helped some DBEs, MBEs, and WBEs to
become pre-qualified to bid | ||||||
| 17 | on contracts with the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
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| 18 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | ||||||
| 19 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Diversity Task | ||||||
| 20 | Force on
Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), Minority | ||||||
| 21 | Business Enterprises (MBEs), and
Women Business Enterprises | ||||||
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| 1 | (WBEs) is created to identify
major issues, remove impediments, | ||||||
| 2 | and create a fair opportunity for DBEs, MBEs, and
WBEs to do | ||||||
| 3 | business with the State of Illinois, specifically the Illinois | ||||||
| 4 | Department of
Transportation (IDOT), the Illinois Capital | ||||||
| 5 | Development Board (CDB), and the Illinois
Tollway Authority; | ||||||
| 6 | and be it further | ||||||
| 7 | RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be comprised of 15 | ||||||
| 8 | members, 8 appointed by the Senate President, of which one | ||||||
| 9 | shall be selected by the President to serve as chair, and 7 | ||||||
| 10 | appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, of which one shall be | ||||||
| 11 | selected by the Minority Leader to serve as vice chair; members | ||||||
| 12 | of the Task Force shall include individuals from firms | ||||||
| 13 | representing DBEs, MBEs, WBEs, and prime contractors; the | ||||||
| 14 | members shall serve without compensation; and be it further | ||||||
| 15 | RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet over the course of | ||||||
| 16 | 2019-2020 and submit a
final report to the Senate by July 1, | ||||||
| 17 | 2020, which shall include short-term and
long-term solutions, | ||||||
| 18 | recommendations, and suggestions for future legislation to
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| 19 | increase capacity and participation of minority firms pursuing | ||||||
| 20 | business opportunities
in Illinois; the report should also | ||||||
| 21 | include recommendations to address challenges
facing prime | ||||||
| 22 | contractors and State agencies dealing with minority firms; | ||||||
| 23 | upon the filing of its final report, the Task Force is | ||||||
| 24 | dissolved; and be it further | ||||||
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| 1 | RESOLVED, That the Department of Labor Shall provide | ||||||
| 2 | administrative support; and be it further
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| 3 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
| 4 | delivered to the Senate President and the Director of Labor.
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