HJ0076 LRB096 14873 MJR 29739 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois maintains a vital interest
3 in and obligation to promote job creation in Illinois, as well
4 as attraction of businesses providing jobs to the State work
5 force, thereby benefiting Illinois communities, and the well
6 being of the State economy; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois, over many years, has made
8 substantial investments promoting technological research at
9 such notable institutions as Argonne National Labs, Illinois
10 Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Southern
11 Illinois University, the University of Chicago, and the
12 University of Illinois, and development of facilities serving
13 technology startups in Carbondale, Champaign-Urbana, Chicago,
14 Lake County, Peoria, Springfield, and elsewhere; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois over the last decade has
16 invested funds that directly assist small, high technology
17 companies, through programs such as the Illinois Technology
18 Enterprise Centers and the Illinois Entrepreneurship Center
19 programs; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is facing and is expected to
21 continue encountering fiscal challenges on account of global
22 economic conditions that cause unemployment within the State,

 

 

HJ0076 - 2 - LRB096 14873 MJR 29739 r

1 thereby both reducing tax revenues and limiting the State's
2 ability to promote job creation and business attraction; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Certain not-for-profit organizations, including
4 the iBIO Institute and its sole member, the Illinois
5 Biotechnology Industry Organization (iBIO), have evidenced
6 through successful programs and private-sector fundraising a
7 willingness to and capability of lessening the State's economic
8 development burdens; and
 
9     WHEREAS, More particularly, the iBIO Institute in 2007
10 raised funds primarily from private sector sources and launched
11 PROPEL as a bundle of programs designed to assist in the
12 creation, retention, and attraction of technology companies
13 that have been determined by the National Academies of Science
14 to be critically important engines of job growth; and
 
15     WHEREAS, PROPEL has lessened the burdens of State
16 government by providing assistance to 49 job-creating
17 technology firms, creating and retaining more than 185 jobs and
18 acquiring in the process new capital investment here of $10
19 million; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The iBIO Institute's sole member, iBIO, has
21 successfully executed an Ambassadors Program, which
22 orchestrated the assistance, on a pro bono basis, of executives

 

 

HJ0076 - 3 - LRB096 14873 MJR 29739 r

1 of biotechnology, nanotechnology, and information technology
2 firms to assist the State's business attraction efforts, a
3 program which has already assisted the attraction of 2 overseas
4 companies that are now establishing US Headquarters in
5 Illinois; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Separately, the iBIO Institute has raised private
7 sector funds to further lessen the burdens of government
8 through development and promotion of innovative education
9 programs which prepare students for careers in science-based
10 innovation, all the while working closely with State agencies
11 such as the Department of Commerce and Economic Development,
12 the Illinois Math and Science Academy, the Illinois Board of
13 Higher Education, and the Illinois State Board of Education,
14 among others; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The iBIO Institute and its sole member, iBIO, now
16 wish to consolidate their economic development activities,
17 including PROPEL, within the iBIO Institute, so as to more
18 effectively lessen the burdens of State government and more
19 easily attract private sector dollars, including foundation
20 and philanthropic funding, to this cause; therefore, be it
 
21     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
23 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the General Assembly expressly

 

 

HJ0076 - 4 - LRB096 14873 MJR 29739 r

1 reaffirms the State's obligation for economic development,
2 including job creation in Illinois and the attraction of
3 job-creating businesses to this State; and be it further
 
4     RESOLVED, That the General Assembly proclaims that it views
5 the iBIO Institute and other not-for-profits wishing to lessen
6 the economic development burdens of State government as acting
7 on behalf of Illinois and that it shall be State policy to
8 encourage activities such as PROPEL and the Ambassadors Program
9 conducted by such organizations; and be it further
 
10     RESOLVED, That all State agencies, including without
11 limitation the aforementioned State departments and
12 organizations, are directed to cooperate with the iBIO
13 Institute and other not-for-profits seeking to raise funds and
14 execute programs that promote job creation in and attract
15 businesses to Illinois; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, That copies of this Joint Resolution shall be
17 provided to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, President of the
18 Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House of
19 Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of
20 Representatives, Directors of all affected agencies, the
21 Chairpersons of appropriate General Assembly committees,
22 including to the committees on Agriculture & Conservation,
23 Bio-Technology, Finance, and Rules, and to the iBIO Institute.