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1 | AN ACT concerning education.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Student Referendum All-American Energy Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Section 5. Definitions. In this Act: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | "Energy conservation measure" means an "energy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | conservation measure" as defined in the Public University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Energy Conservation Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | "Full-time student" means a student enrolled for at least | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | 12 hours per term or as otherwise determined by the public | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | institution of higher education. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | "Part-time student" means a person who is enrolled for at | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | least one-third of the number of hours required per term by a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | public institution of higher education for its full-time | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | students. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | "President" means the President, Chancellor, or other lead | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | official of the public institution of higher education. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | "Public institution of higher education" means an | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | institution that is included in the definition of "public | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | institutions of higher education" under the Board of Higher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | Education Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | "Renewable energy resources" means those resources |
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1 | included in the definition of "renewable energy resources" | ||||||
2 | under Section 6-3 of the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency | ||||||
3 | and Coal Resources Development Law of 1997. In addition, | ||||||
4 | "renewable energy resources" includes renewable energy | ||||||
5 | certificates issued with respect to renewable energy resources | ||||||
6 | located in this State. However, energy produced by methane | ||||||
7 | recovered from landfills in this State may be counted as a | ||||||
8 | renewable energy resource for up to, but no more than, 27.5% of | ||||||
9 | the amount of the total acquired renewable energy resources. | ||||||
10 | "Term" means a semester, quarter, or trimester, as | ||||||
11 | appropriate to the public institution of higher education. | ||||||
12 | Section 10. Student-initiated referendum for an | ||||||
13 | All-American Energy Fee. | ||||||
14 | (a) The governing body of each public institution of higher | ||||||
15 | education shall establish procedures providing for a | ||||||
16 | student-initiated referendum as provided in this Section. | ||||||
17 | (b) Students at a public institution of higher education | ||||||
18 | may, by a majority vote of the students participating in the | ||||||
19 | referendum, authorize the imposition of an All-American Energy | ||||||
20 | Fee on students. | ||||||
21 | (c) The revenues of an All-American Energy Fee must be used | ||||||
22 | for energy conservation measures in student residence halls or | ||||||
23 | purchasing renewable energy resources to provide power for | ||||||
24 | student residence halls or both. | ||||||
25 | (d) A referendum for an All-American Energy Fee must be |
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1 | submitted to a vote of the student body if a petition for such | ||||||
2 | a vote is signed by no fewer than 300 students currently | ||||||
3 | enrolled at the public institution of higher education. | ||||||
4 | (e) The President shall establish reasonable procedures | ||||||
5 | for the submission of a referendum for an All-American Energy | ||||||
6 | Fee, the scheduling of the referendum, and the collection of | ||||||
7 | the fee. | ||||||
8 | (f) An All-American Energy Fee referendum petition shall | ||||||
9 | clearly identify the amount of the fee per student being | ||||||
10 | authorized by the referendum. This amount must not exceed $10 | ||||||
11 | per full-time student per term. | ||||||
12 | (g) The amount authorized in subsection (f) of this Section | ||||||
13 | and approved by referendum must be imposed on each full-time | ||||||
14 | student enrolled in the public institution of higher education | ||||||
15 | at the start of the next following term. Part-time students | ||||||
16 | shall pay a pro-rata share of the fee based on the number of | ||||||
17 | instructional hours they are registered for.
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18 | Section 15. Report. The Board of Higher Education shall | ||||||
19 | report to the Governor and General Assembly no later than 2 | ||||||
20 | years following the effective date of this Act. The report | ||||||
21 | shall include, at a minimum, (i) identification of each public | ||||||
22 | institution of higher education that has approved an | ||||||
23 | All-American Energy Fee, (ii) the amount of money raised by the | ||||||
24 | fee, per institution, and (iii) a description of the projects | ||||||
25 | funded by the fee, per institution.
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