Public Act 103-0739
 
HB4954 EnrolledLRB103 37388 RTM 67510 b

    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Coal Mining Act is amended by changing 
Sections 11.01, 11.02, 11.03, 11.04, 11.05, and 11.07 and by 
adding Sections 1.26, 1.27, 1.28, 1.29, 1.30, and 1.31 as 
follows:
 
    (225 ILCS 705/1.26 new)
    Sec. 1.26. "State mine rescue station" means a facility 
maintained by the Department for the sole purpose of 
responding to and preparing for emergencies in the coal mines 
of Illinois.
 
    (225 ILCS 705/1.27 new)
    Sec. 1.27. "Mine rescue team" means a group of miners 
trained to serve as emergency responders during a mine 
emergency.
 
    (225 ILCS 705/1.28 new)
    Sec. 1.28. "Mine complex rescue team" means a mine rescue 
team comprised of individuals from 2 or more operating mines, 
owned by the same operator, that are within a 5-mile radius of 
each other when measured portal to portal.
 
    (225 ILCS 705/1.29 new)
    Sec. 1.29. "State mine rescue team" means a mine rescue 
team or mine complex rescue team assigned to a State mine 
rescue station.
 
    (225 ILCS 705/1.30 new)
    Sec. 1.30. "Mine rescue services" means services or work 
to search for, rescue, or transport a person or persons 
endangered, trapped, injured, or killed in a mine disaster or 
emergency situation. "Mine rescue services" includes any 
firefighting or rehabilitation work in the mine needed to 
accomplish the goals of the mine rescue services. Any 
additional services requiring mine rescue team members shall 
be through an agreement between operators.
 
    (225 ILCS 705/1.31 new)
    Sec. 1.31. "Mine rescue station superintendent" means the 
person or persons charged with the responsibility of 
supervising State mine rescue station operations.
 
    (225 ILCS 705/11.01)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1101)
    Sec. 11.01. State mine Mine rescue stations. For the 
purpose of providing prompt and efficient means of fighting 
fires and of saving lives and property jeopardized by fires, 
explosions or other accidents in coal mines in Illinois, there 
shall be constructed, equipped, and maintained at public 
expense 4 State mine rescue stations, certified by the Mine 
Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of 
Labor, to serve the coal fields of the State. Notwithstanding 
any other law of this State, the primary responsibility for 
the control and maintenance of the State mine rescue stations 
shall be vested with the Department. Each station shall be 
equipped with a mobile mine rescue unit. The Department may 
establish, equip and maintain 3 three additional substations 
for preservation of health and safety if the conditions 
warrant. Temporary certification may be issued by the Mining 
Board for a maximum of 6 months after the effective date of 
this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly. 
(Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06.)
 
    (225 ILCS 705/11.02)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1102)
    Sec. 11.02. The Department shall provide or purchase or 
accept as a gift, suitably located sites for the State mine 
rescue stations, temporary and permanent quarters and suitable 
equipment and materials for the work. The Department shall 
further arrange for cooperation in the work with mine owners, 
miners and State and federal organizations so as to render the 
service of the utmost efficiency.
(Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)
 
    (225 ILCS 705/11.03)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1103)
    Sec. 11.03. State mine Mine rescue station operation. The 
Department shall employ a State mine rescue station 
superintendent for each station. The Department is authorized 
to employ pay for such assistants as may be needed in giving 
instruction in first aid to the injured and such other 
assistants as may be needed from time to time to properly carry 
on the operations work of the State mine rescue stations. Not 
more than 2 assistants shall be employed for each mobile mine 
rescue unit.
(Source: P.A. 88-472.)
 
    (225 ILCS 705/11.04)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1104)
    Sec. 11.04. The Department shall supervise the operations 
of work at each of the State mine rescue stations, shall 
purchase necessary supplies, and shall keep a complete record 
of all operations and expenditures and an invoice of all 
supplies on hand. The Department shall provide that at each 
State mine rescue station some representative shall be on duty 
or within call at all hours of day and night for each day of 
the year.
(Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)
 
    (225 ILCS 705/11.05)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 1105)
    Sec. 11.05. Whenever the mine rescue station 
superintendent of any State mine rescue station shall be 
notified by any responsible person that an explosion or 
accident requiring mine rescue his services has occurred at 
any mine in the State, he shall proceed immediately with 
suitable equipment and on arrival at the said mine shall 
superintend the work of the State mine rescue teams corps in 
saving lives. The mine rescue station superintendent life and 
property; and he shall cooperate co-operate with the State 
Mine Inspector, and the management of the mine, and State and 
federal organizations in rescue work to such extent as is 
necessary, for the protection of human life in the mine, 
during such time as members of the State mine rescue teams 
corps are underground and while there is a reasonable 
expectation that persons men in the mine may be alive. 
Recovery operations that are intended solely for the purpose 
of securing property are not covered by this Section. 
Additional mine rescue services for the purpose of securing 
property are the responsibility of the operator of the 
property. 
(Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)
 
    (225 ILCS 705/11.07)
    Sec. 11.07. Mine rescue Rescue teams.  
    (a) Each coal producing mine must maintain a fully 
equipped mine rescue team or mine complex rescue team with a 
responsible person in charge of training and recordkeeping and 
at least one member trained in the maintenance of the 
breathing apparatuses. New coal operations are exempt from the 
requirements of this subsection for a period of one year 
commencing from the date that coal is first extracted from the 
mine.
    (b) Mine rescue teams shall be based out of each State mine 
rescue station to serve the Illinois coal industry as either a 
primary or secondary responder. Every coal producing mine in 
the State must assign its mine rescue team or mine complex 
rescue team to a State mine rescue station and must compensate 
these employees at their regular rate of pay. The Mining Board 
shall establish training requirements for mine rescue teams 
and mine complex rescue teams.
    (c) Coal producing mines that maintain a mine rescue 
station are exempt from providing a mine rescue team or mine 
complex rescue team to serve the State mine rescue station if:
        (1) the State mine rescue station maintains a minimum 
    of 2 mine rescue teams assigned to serve the State mine 
    rescue station; and
        (2) the operator of the coal producing mine agrees to 
    assist the State with mine rescue services if an emergency 
    occurs.
    (d) All costs incurred in a rescue operation shall be the 
responsibility of the operator having the emergency event. 
Rescue teams shall be based out of each mine rescue station to 
serve the Illinois coal industry as either a primary or 
secondary responder. Every operator in the State must provide 
employees to serve on a rescue team and must compensate these 
employees who are serving as rescue team members at their 
regular rate of pay.
(Source: P.A. 94-1041, eff. 7-24-06.)

Effective Date:  1/1/2025