Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SR0071

SR0071 LRB104 09148 ECR 19204 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the State of Illinois; driving and encouraging the use of electric vehicles, which generate no tailpipe emissions, is an important step towards reducing air pollution and mitigating the effects of climate change; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has made significant strides in promoting clean energy and reducing the State's carbon footprint by advancing electric vehicle programs, developing and expanding infrastructure conducive to electric vehicles, and passing several key pieces of legislation that support the use and development of electric vehicles; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has become a leader in the United States in electric vehicle adoption with the Secretary of State's Office reporting 126,231 registered electric vehicles in January 2025, marking a 34.5% increase from January 2024, and 4,051 public charging ports; and

WHEREAS, Illinois remains committed to promoting and expanding programs, such as electric vehicle programs, that aim to protect public health and the climate and has been able to honor that commitment partly in thanks to support from the federal government; and

WHEREAS, On November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into law by President Biden and allocated $7.5 Billion to various programs to promote the adoption of electric vehicles across the nation; the federal government's support for electric vehicle programs has been instrumental in the growth of the electric vehicle market in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, In January 2025, it was announced by Governor JB Pritzker that Illinois received the federal government's largest grant in the nation, totally $114 million, for the expansion of the State's electric vehicle charging infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, The current federal administration has an opportunity to expand on the progress that has been made by maintaining and promoting policies that support research, development, and the implementation of electric vehicles to aid Illinois and the rest of the nation in meeting their environmental and economic goals; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge President Trump, the members of the United States Congress, and the current federal administration to continue to support electric vehicle programs at the federal level and to continue to prioritize policies that foster innovation and address climate change in order to continue helping the move towards a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future.