HJ0080 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0080 LRB099 12559 GRL 36040 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has recently become a negative growth state, losing more residents than it takes in; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, around 94,000 Illinois residents moved out to other U.S. states and other parts of the world; and

WHEREAS, There are a variety of reasons for which Illinoisans might want to move elsewhere, including extended family persuasion, economic opportunity, political environment, and preferred climates; and

WHEREAS, There are many reasons as to why many Illinois residents remain in the State, notwithstanding family history, economic opportunities, world-class cities, historic sites, and natural sites; and

WHEREAS, It is still not certain as to why many Illinois residents are leaving our State; a survey could help Illinois legislators address the issues that are most determinant in influencing Illinois residents to move elsewhere; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create and distribute a survey for the purposes of identifying the main reasons for which Illinois residents choose to leave our State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the Department to make a reasonable attempt to have former Illinois residents fill out this survey so as to understand their decision to move out and to utilize cost-free online survey websites to create an inexpensive survey of this kind; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the Department to provide survey results to the General Assembly by December 1, 2016; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to Governor Bruce Rauner, Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan, Senate President John J. Cullerton, and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Jim Schultz.