HJ0076 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0076 LRB096 14873 MJR 29739 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois maintains a vital interest in and obligation to promote job creation in Illinois, as well as attraction of businesses providing jobs to the State work force, thereby benefiting Illinois communities, and the well being of the State economy; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois, over many years, has made substantial investments promoting technological research at such notable institutions as Argonne National Labs, Illinois Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Southern Illinois University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois, and development of facilities serving technology startups in Carbondale, Champaign-Urbana, Chicago, Lake County, Peoria, Springfield, and elsewhere; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois over the last decade has invested funds that directly assist small, high technology companies, through programs such as the Illinois Technology Enterprise Centers and the Illinois Entrepreneurship Center programs; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is facing and is expected to continue encountering fiscal challenges on account of global economic conditions that cause unemployment within the State, thereby both reducing tax revenues and limiting the State's ability to promote job creation and business attraction; and

WHEREAS, Certain not-for-profit organizations, including the iBIO Institute and its sole member, the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO), have evidenced through successful programs and private-sector fundraising a willingness to and capability of lessening the State's economic development burdens; and

WHEREAS, More particularly, the iBIO Institute in 2007 raised funds primarily from private sector sources and launched PROPEL as a bundle of programs designed to assist in the creation, retention, and attraction of technology companies that have been determined by the National Academies of Science to be critically important engines of job growth; and

WHEREAS, PROPEL has lessened the burdens of State government by providing assistance to 49 job-creating technology firms, creating and retaining more than 185 jobs and acquiring in the process new capital investment here of $10 million; and

WHEREAS, The iBIO Institute's sole member, iBIO, has successfully executed an Ambassadors Program, which orchestrated the assistance, on a pro bono basis, of executives of biotechnology, nanotechnology, and information technology firms to assist the State's business attraction efforts, a program which has already assisted the attraction of 2 overseas companies that are now establishing US Headquarters in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Separately, the iBIO Institute has raised private sector funds to further lessen the burdens of government through development and promotion of innovative education programs which prepare students for careers in science-based innovation, all the while working closely with State agencies such as the Department of Commerce and Economic Development, the Illinois Math and Science Academy, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and the Illinois State Board of Education, among others; and

WHEREAS, The iBIO Institute and its sole member, iBIO, now wish to consolidate their economic development activities, including PROPEL, within the iBIO Institute, so as to more effectively lessen the burdens of State government and more easily attract private sector dollars, including foundation and philanthropic funding, to this cause; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the General Assembly expressly reaffirms the State's obligation for economic development, including job creation in Illinois and the attraction of job-creating businesses to this State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly proclaims that it views the iBIO Institute and other not-for-profits wishing to lessen the economic development burdens of State government as acting on behalf of Illinois and that it shall be State policy to encourage activities such as PROPEL and the Ambassadors Program conducted by such organizations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That all State agencies, including without limitation the aforementioned State departments and organizations, are directed to cooperate with the iBIO Institute and other not-for-profits seeking to raise funds and execute programs that promote job creation in and attract businesses to Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Joint Resolution shall be provided to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Directors of all affected agencies, the Chairpersons of appropriate General Assembly committees, including to the committees on Agriculture & Conservation, Bio-Technology, Finance, and Rules, and to the iBIO Institute.