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90_HJ0051enr HJ0051 Enrolled LRB9010777KDks 1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 51 2 WHEREAS, The current State sales tax on coal burned in 3 Illinois raises approximately $60 million each year in 4 revenue for the State; and 5 WHEREAS, Ninety percent of Illinois coal is purchased by 6 the electric utility industry, and about one-half of the 7 electricity used in the State comes from coal-burning plants; 8 and 9 WHEREAS, The 1990 federal Clean Air Act amendments have 10 resulted in fuel switching from Illinois high-sulfur coal to 11 western, low-sulfur coal to generate electricity; and 12 WHEREAS, The sale of Illinois coal has continued to 13 decrease, due primarily to increased competition from 14 western, low-sulfur coal, resulting in the loss of thousands 15 of jobs directly related to coal mining; and 16 WHEREAS, Illinois coal is mined in 18 counties and 17 accounts for as much as 16% of employment and 23% of personal 18 income in individual counties; and 19 WHEREAS, The coal mining industry provides approximately 20 5,000 jobs and more than 17,000 spin-off jobs in the State; 21 and 22 WHEREAS, Almost $800 million has been spent on clean coal 23 technology projects to expand the use of high-sulfur Illinois 24 coal; and 25 WHEREAS, It is important to keep the Illinois coal 26 industry competitive because coal is the State's most 27 abundant and economically important natural resource; 28 therefore, be it 29 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 30 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HJ0051 Enrolled -2- LRB9010777KDks 1 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that a 12-member Task Force be 2 formed to study the feasibility of eliminating the sales tax 3 on Illinois coal; the Task Force shall consist of the 4 Directors, or their designees, of the Department of Revenue 5 and the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs; a 6 member of the Illinois Coal Development Board (within the 7 Department of Natural Resources) appointed by the Director of 8 the Department of Natural Resources, whom shall serve as 9 chairperson; the President of the United Mine Workers; the 10 Vice President of the Illinois Coal Association; one member 11 appointed by the Governor; 2 members appointed by the 12 President of the Senate; 2 members appointed by the Speaker 13 of the House of Representatives; one member appointed by the 14 Minority Leader of the Senate; and one member appointed by 15 the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, all of 16 whom shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed 17 for their reasonable and necessary expenses; appointments 18 made by the General Assembly shall be made within 30 days 19 after this Resolution is adopted; and be it further 20 RESOLVED, That the Task Force report its findings and 21 recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor no 22 later than January 1, 1999; and be it further 23 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 24 delivered to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of 25 Representatives, the President of the Senate, the Minority 26 Leader of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader 27 of the Senate, and each member of the Illinois congressional 28 delegation.