Full Text of HR0106 95th General Assembly
HR0106 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois economy is transforming; despite | 3 |
| having the nation's fifth largest state economy, the State | 4 |
| ranked only 35th in economic growth over the last 15 years; and
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| WHEREAS, Illinois' economic growth is lagging because we | 6 |
| are losing good jobs; between 1990 and 2005, the number of | 7 |
| manufacturing jobs in Illinois declined by 24.3%, or 222,500; | 8 |
| during this same period, 34% of job growth occurred in | 9 |
| education, health services, and hospitality, sectors that | 10 |
| currently pay, on average, 29% less than manufacturing jobs; | 11 |
| adjusted for inflation, median wages have declined leaving | 12 |
| families with the same income they had in 1989; nearly 685,000 | 13 |
| working Illinoisans earn less than the living wage for a single | 14 |
| adult - $17,950 annually; and
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| WHEREAS, 40% of new job growth will be in mid- to high-wage | 16 |
| sectors; manufacturers will continue to be a major employer, | 17 |
| but most of these jobs will require increasingly sophisticated | 18 |
| levels of skill; in fact, over 35% of Illinois' new jobs will | 19 |
| require an associate degree or higher and 71% of the highest | 20 |
| wage jobs will require a post-secondary degree; and
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| WHEREAS, To attract high wage jobs, Illinois will need | 22 |
| high-skilled workers; but, at the same time that our economy |
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| demands skilled workers in order to remain competitive and | 2 |
| thrive, federal funds for workforce development continue to | 3 |
| shrink, after adjusting for inflation; and
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| WHEREAS, It is time for Illinois to make a new commitment; | 5 |
| about 594,000 twenty-five to fifty-four year olds have no high | 6 |
| school diploma or equivalent; 60% of these working age | 7 |
| individuals are without an associate degree or higher; just 35% | 8 |
| of Illinois' young adults are enrolled in postsecondary | 9 |
| education; over the next 15 years, 33% of the State's labor | 10 |
| force will retire and the fastest growing segments of our | 11 |
| population who must replace them have generally lower education | 12 |
| levels; and
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| WHEREAS, Strong workforce development is a key driver of | 14 |
| long-term business retention and growth; additionally, | 15 |
| Illinois must use its economic development policies | 16 |
| strategically targeting disadvantage areas to foster high-wage | 17 |
| job creation and to leverage infrastructure investments; these | 18 |
| are the tools that can ensure Illinois' families, businesses, | 19 |
| and communities enjoy a prosperous future; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 21 |
| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that, | 22 |
| to compete successfully in a global economy and end poverty, | 23 |
| Illinois needs an integrated economic and workforce |
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| development policy that works for everyone and that includes | 2 |
| producing skilled workers in strong businesses with good jobs | 3 |
| that foster thriving communities; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That this new policy must provide lasting value | 5 |
| to Illinois' 10 economic regions and offer sustainable | 6 |
| programming that allows for the flexibility necessary to | 7 |
| address regional differences in the economy, business climate | 8 |
| and the workforce; and be it further | 9 |
| RESOLVED, That the General Assembly create, upon passage of | 10 |
| this resolution, a bipartisan task force that shall hold public | 11 |
| hearings, gather evidence, develop, and propose legislation | 12 |
| and ultimately furnish a report that will: | 13 |
| (1) Ensure Illinoisans develop the skills businesses | 14 |
| demand in a modern economy. | 15 |
| (2) Create career paths and job opportunities for all | 16 |
| working-age Illinoisans, from the least skilled and most | 17 |
| disadvantaged to middle income workers whose skills have | 18 |
| become obsolete. | 19 |
| (3) Invest resources in the capital and human | 20 |
| infrastructure needed to attract and retain "high road" | 21 |
| employers that provide quality jobs, wages, and benefits. | 22 |
| (4) Encourage entrepreneurship, small business growth, | 23 |
| technology transfers from Illinois' higher education | 24 |
| system, and other economic/workforce development |
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| innovation in all communities across Illinois to grow | 2 |
| competitive State businesses. | 3 |
| (5) Support economic and workforce development that is | 4 |
| environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.
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