SJ0083 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0083 LRB096 17159 RLC 32491 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The federal government has expressed an interest in purchasing the State of Illinois Thomson Maximum Security Correctional Center in Thomson, Illinois, for the purpose of operating the facility as a federal maximum security prison for 1600 or more federal inmates with a portion leased to the Department of Defense for holding a number of Guantanamo terrorist detainees; and

WHEREAS, The Governor has indicated his support for the closure and sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government; and

WHEREAS, Toward that end the Illinois Department of Corrections has pursuant to the State Facilities Closure Act filed a Recommendation to close the Thomson Correctional Facility with the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability; and

WHEREAS, Even though the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has carried out its obligation under the State Facilities Closure Act to hold a hearing and render an advisory opinion on the proposed Thomson closure; the highly unusual circumstances surrounding the use of the Thomson facility to house an as yet undetermined number of Guantanamo terrorist detainees raise significant public safety and security concerns for the entire State of Illinois which should be debated and voted upon by the entire General Assembly; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall cause the matter of the closure and sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government to be submitted to their respective houses of the General Assembly for their consideration and vote, and that the results of the votes shall be forwarded to the Governor.