HR1190 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1190 LRB095 20796 GRL 49485 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In 2006, Governor Rod Blagojevich promised to provide State money to Pilgrim Baptist Church (the "Church") in Chicago to rebuild following a fire; and

WHEREAS, In March of 2007, a $1 million grant allegedly intended for the Church was misdirected to the private Loop Lab School, which had previously occupied space in a Church building, but is otherwise unaffiliated with it; and

WHEREAS, The grant was provided by funds appropriated to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; and

WHEREAS, Loop Lab School reportedly used the $1 million grant from the State of Illinois to purchase space in a downtown high-rise, but has not yet reopened as a school facility; and

WHEREAS, Reportedly, the Governor's Office and Church officials are negotiating a new grant agreement to provide the Church with the promised assistance; and

WHEREAS, In the meantime, no attempts at recovering the funds misdirected to Loop Lab School have been made; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Auditor General is directed to conduct a management audit of the process involved in the $1 million grant to Loop Lab School; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this management audit include, but not be limited to, the following determinations:

(1) how and when the funds were promised to the Church, and what process was followed, if any;

(2) how and when the funds were provided to the Loop Lab School, and what process was followed, if any;

(3) what person or persons were involved in these transactions;

(4) what internal controls are present in the grant award process at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and whether those internal controls were followed and are adequate to ensure that grants are awarded to proper parties for intended purposes;

(5) what actions, if any, are being followed to either recover the misdirected funds and/or determine the purpose for which the funds have been used, and whether they have been used for a legitimate purpose; and

(6) whether a grant to the Church is currently being developed and, if so, what controls will be put in place to ensure the funds, if provided, are used for their intended purpose; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge that the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Office of the Governor, and any other entity having information relevant to this audit cooperate fully and promptly with the Auditor General's Office in the conduct of this audit; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Auditor General commence this audit as soon as possible and report his findings and recommendations upon completion in accordance with the provisions of Section 3-14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act.