Full Text of SJR0107 96th General Assembly
SJ0107 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The General Assembly declares that, in order to | 3 |
| conserve natural resources, control floods, prevent impairment | 4 |
| of dams and reservoirs, assist in maintaining the navigability | 5 |
| of rivers and harbors, conserve wildlife and forests, protect | 6 |
| the tax base and public lands, and promote the health, safety, | 7 |
| and general welfare of the people of this State, it is in the | 8 |
| public interest to provide for the conservation of the State's | 9 |
| soil, soil resources, water, and water resources in order to | 10 |
| control and prevent soil erosion, prevent air and water | 11 |
| pollution, and prevent soil erosion and floodwater and sediment | 12 |
| damages; and
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| WHEREAS, Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts | 14 |
| have been caring for the State's precious natural and | 15 |
| environmental resources since 1938; and
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| WHEREAS, Soil and Water Conservation Districts have no | 17 |
| authority to generate operating revenue through taxation but | 18 |
| must rely on the Illinois General Assembly for their | 19 |
| operational funds; and
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| WHEREAS, Funding levels have steadily fallen over the past | 21 |
| several years to the level that many Soil and Water | 22 |
| Conservation Districts have been forced to reduce employee |
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| hours, delay filling vacant positions, lay off employees, and | 2 |
| significantly reduce natural resource and environmental | 3 |
| protection services to Illinois citizens; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | 5 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | 6 |
| CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois General Assembly shall | 7 |
| convene a Joint Task Force on Soil and Water Conservation | 8 |
| Districts, which shall study the history and purpose of Soil | 9 |
| and Water Conservation Districts, the administration and | 10 |
| organization of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the | 11 |
| current and future funding of Soil and Water Conservation | 12 |
| Districts, and any other topic regarding Soil and Water | 13 |
| Conservation Districts that the Chair of the Task Force sees | 14 |
| fit to study; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That the members of the Joint Task Force shall | 16 |
| include: one member appointed by the President of the Senate; | 17 |
| one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one | 18 |
| member appointed by the Speaker of the House; one member | 19 |
| appointed by the Minority Leader of the House; the Director of | 20 |
| Agriculture or his or her designee, who shall serve as the | 21 |
| Chairperson; the Director of the Environmental Protection | 22 |
| Agency or his or her designee; and the Director of Natural | 23 |
| Resources or his or her designee; additionally, the Director of | 24 |
| Agriculture shall appoint the following Task Force Members: one |
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| Soil and Water Conservation District Association member; two | 2 |
| directors of local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, one | 3 |
| located in an urban area, one located in a rural area; two Soil | 4 |
| and Water Conservation District employees, one located in an | 5 |
| urban area, one located in a rural area; one member | 6 |
| representing a statewide association of land improvement | 7 |
| contractors; two members representing two separate | 8 |
| associations of commodity producers; two members of two | 9 |
| separate statewide organizations representing farmers; and two | 10 |
| members representing two separate statewide environmental | 11 |
| organizations; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be facilitated by the | 13 |
| Department of Agriculture; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall serve | 15 |
| without compensation; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall report its | 17 |
| findings and legislative recommendations to the Governor and | 18 |
| the General Assembly by January 1, 2011; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to | 20 |
| the Director of Agriculture, the Director of Natural Resources, | 21 |
| and the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency.
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