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| Public Act 096-0725 |
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AN ACT concerning schools.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Illinois Finance Authority Act is amended by | ||||
adding Section 825-100 as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 3501/825-100 new) | ||||
Sec. 825-100. School Wind and Solar Generation Program. | ||||
(a) There is created the School Wind and Solar Generation | ||||
Program to fund wind generation projects and solar generation | ||||
projects for school districts and community college districts. | ||||
The Authority may implement and administer this program. Under | ||||
the program, the Authority may provide to school districts and | ||||
community college districts that apply, full or partial | ||||
low-interest loans for, without limitation, engineering | ||||
studies, feasibility studies, research studies, and | ||||
construction costs for wind generation projects and solar | ||||
generation projects. The loan funds, subject to appropriation, | ||||
shall be paid out of the School Wind and Solar Generation | ||||
Revolving Loan Fund. All repayments of loans shall be deposited | ||||
into the School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund. | ||||
(b) The Authority may make available information regarding | ||||
the School Wind and Solar Generation Program to all school | ||||
districts and community college districts in this State. | ||||
(c) The School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan | ||
Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The | ||
School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund shall | ||
consist of any moneys appropriated into the School Wind and | ||
Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund, as well as all repayments | ||
of loans made under the School Wind and Solar Generation | ||
Program. All interest earned on moneys in the School Wind and | ||
Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund shall be deposited into | ||
the Fund. All money in the School Wind and Solar Generation | ||
Revolving Loan Fund must be used, subject to appropriation, by | ||
the Authority for the purposes of this Section. | ||
(d) The Authority may accept additional funding for the | ||
School Wind and Solar Generation Program from the federal | ||
government and private donations. | ||
(e) The Authority may adopt any rules necessary to | ||
implement this Section. | ||
Section 7. The Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and | ||
Coal Resources
Development Law of 1997 is amended by changing | ||
Section 6-5.5 as follows: | ||
(20 ILCS 687/6-5.5) | ||
(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 12, 2015) | ||
Sec. 6-5.5. Renewable energy grants. | ||
(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department may establish | ||
and operate a renewable energy grant program to assist public | ||
schools and community colleges with engineering studies and | ||
feasibility studies and school districts in the installation, | ||
acquisition, construction, and improvement of renewable energy | ||
resources in the public schools, including without limitation | ||
solar energy (such as solar panels), geothermal energy, and | ||
wind energy. | ||
(b) Application for a grant under this Section must be in | ||
the form and manner established by the Department. The grant | ||
shall cover 50% of the cost for which the grant is sought, up | ||
to a maximum grant of $1,000,000, if the applicant school | ||
district is able to demonstrate that it has funds to pay the | ||
other 50% of the cost. The schools and community colleges | ||
school district may accept private funds for their its portion | ||
of the cost.
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(c) The Department may adopt any rules that are necessary | ||
to carry out its responsibilities under this Section.
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(Source: P.A. 95-46, eff. 8-10-07.) | ||
Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||
Section 5.719 as follows: | ||
(30 ILCS 105/5.719 new) | ||
Sec. 5.719. The School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving | ||
Loan Fund. | ||
Section 15. The School Code is amended by changing Sections | ||
10-20.42 and 34-18.36 as follows: | ||
(105 ILCS 5/10-20.42) | ||
Sec. 10-20.42. Wind and solar farms farm. A school | ||
district may own and operate a wind or solar generation turbine | ||
farm, either individually or jointly with a unit of local | ||
government, school district, or community college district | ||
that is authorized to own and operate a wind or solar | ||
generation turbine farm, that directly or indirectly reduces | ||
the energy or other operating costs of the school district. The | ||
school district may ask for the assistance of any State agency, | ||
including without limitation the State Board of Education, the | ||
Illinois Power Agency, or the Environmental Protection Agency, | ||
in obtaining financing options for a wind or solar generation | ||
turbine farm.
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(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08; | ||
95-876, eff. 8-21-08.) | ||
(105 ILCS 5/34-18.36) | ||
Sec. 34-18.36. Wind and solar farms farm. The school | ||
district may own and operate a wind or solar generation turbine | ||
farm, either individually or jointly with a unit of local | ||
government, school district, or community college district | ||
that is authorized to own and operate a wind or solar | ||
generation turbine farm, that directly or indirectly reduces | ||
the energy or other operating costs of the school district. The | ||
school district may ask for the assistance of any State agency, | ||
including without limitation the State Board of Education, the | ||
Illinois Power Agency, or the Environmental Protection Agency, | ||
in obtaining financing options for a wind or solar generation | ||
turbine farm.
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(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08; | ||
95-876, eff. 8-21-08.) | ||
Section 20. The Public Community College Act is amended by | ||
changing Section 3-42.3 as follows: | ||
(110 ILCS 805/3-42.3)
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Sec. 3-42.3. Wind and solar farms farm. To own and operate | ||
a wind or solar generation turbine farm, either individually or | ||
jointly with a unit of local government, school district, or | ||
community college district that is authorized to own and | ||
operate a wind or solar generation turbine farm, that directly | ||
or indirectly reduces the energy or other operating costs of | ||
the community college district. The board may ask for the | ||
assistance of any State agency, including without limitation | ||
the State Board, the Illinois Power Agency, or the | ||
Environmental Protection Agency, in obtaining financing | ||
options for a wind or solar generation turbine farm.
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(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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