SB2920 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 19775 MGM 44173 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB2920

Introduced 2/18/2016, by Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

415 ILCS 155/10

Amends the Environmental Justice Act. Provides that the Commission on Environmental Justice shall review any state implementation plan to comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency Clean Power Plan and provide comments to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency before submittal to the United States Environmental Protection Agency for approval and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency shall respond to the comments and make modifications to the plan in response. Makes changes to the membership of the Commission. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning safety.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Environmental Justice Act is amended by changing Section 10 as follows:

(415 ILCS 155/10)

Sec. 10. Commission on Environmental Justice.

(a) The Commission on Environmental Justice is established and consists of the following 26 20 voting members:

(1) 2 members of the Senate, one appointed by the President of the Senate and the other by the Minority Leader of the Senate, each to serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer;

(2) 2 members of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the other by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, each to serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer;

(3) the following ex officio members: the Director of Aging or his or her designee, the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or his or her designee, the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency or his or her designee, the Director of Natural Resources or his or her designee, the Director of Public Health or his or her designee, and the Director of Transportation or his or her designee, and the Director of the Illinois Power Agency or his or her designee, the Chair of the Illinois Commerce Commission or his or her designee, the Chair of the Illinois Pollution Control Board and his or her designee, and the director of the Housing office of the Department of Human Services or his or her designee; and

(4) 12 10 members appointed by the Governor who represent the following interests:

(i) affected communities concerned with environmental justice;

(ii) business organizations;

(iii) environmental organizations;

(iv) experts on environmental health and environmental justice;

(v) units of local government; and

(vi) members of the general public who have an interest or expertise in environmental justice.

(b) Of the initial members of the Commission appointed by the Governor, 5 shall serve for a 2-year term and 5 shall serve for a 1-year term, as designated by the Governor at the time of appointment. Thereafter, the members appointed by the Governor shall serve 2-year terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as appointments. Members of the Commission appointed by the Governor may not receive compensation for their service on the Commission and are not entitled to reimbursement for expenses.

(c) The Governor shall designate a Chairperson from among the Commission's members. The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairperson, but no later than 90 days after the effective date of this Act and at least quarterly thereafter.

(d) The Commission shall:

(1) advise State entities on environmental justice and related community issues;

(2) review and analyze the impact of current State laws and policies on the issue of environmental justice and sustainable communities;

(3) assess the adequacy of State and local laws to address the issue of environmental justice and sustainable communities;

(4) develop criteria to assess whether communities in the State may be experiencing environmental justice issues; and

(5) recommend options to the Governor for addressing issues, concerns, or problems related to environmental justice that surface after reviewing State laws and policies, including prioritizing areas of the State that need immediate attention; and .

(6) review any state implementation plan to comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency Clean Power Plan and provide comments to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency before submittal to the United States Environmental Protection Agency for approval and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency shall respond to the comments and make modifications to the plan in response.

(e) On or before October 1, 2011 and each October 1 thereafter, the Commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly.

(f) The Environmental Protection Agency shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission.

(Source: P.A. 97-391, eff. 8-16-11.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.