HB3827 EngrossedLRB098 15405 MGM 50434 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Urban Weatherization Initiative Act is
5amended by changing Sections 40-10, 40-20, and 40-40 as
6follows:
 
7    (30 ILCS 738/40-10)
8    Sec. 40-10. Urban Weatherization Initiative established;
9purpose.
10    (a) The Urban Weatherization Initiative is created. The
11Initiative shall be administered by the Department of Commerce
12and Economic Opportunity in consultation with other
13appropriate State agencies and overseen by the Weatherization
14Initiative Board.
15    (b) The purpose of the Urban Weatherization Initiative is
16to promote the State's interest in reducing the impact of high
17energy costs on low-income households. The Initiative seeks to
18increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities through
19the installation and manufacturing of low-cost weatherization
20materials. In particular, the Initiative is intended to
21weatherize owner-occupied, single family homes and
22multi-family (6 units or fewer) housing in census tracts with
23high rates of unemployment, underemployment, and poverty and to

 

 

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1ensure that residents of those communities are able to access
2the work as a local employment engine. The Initiative also
3seeks to implement outreach strategies to increase awareness of
4cost savings and job training services associated with the
5program.
6    (c) The efforts of the Urban Weatherization Initiative
7shall be coordinated with those of federal weatherization
8programs, including, but not limited to, the weatherization
9programs of the United States Department of Energy. The
10Department shall administer the Initiative so as to qualify for
11any federal grant or matching programs that may from time to
12time be offered to the State of Illinois or any political
13subdivision thereof.
14(Source: P.A. 96-37, eff. 7-13-09.)
 
15    (30 ILCS 738/40-20)
16    Sec. 40-20. Award of grants.
17    (a) The Department shall award grants under this Article
18using a competitive request-for-proposal process administered
19by the Department and overseen by the Board. No more than 2% of
20funds used for grants may be retained by the Department for
21administrative costs, program evaluation, and technical
22assistance activities.
23    (b) The Department must award grants competitively in
24accordance with the priorities described in this Article.
25Grants must be awarded in support of the implementation,

 

 

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1expansion, or implementation and expansion of weatherization
2and job training programs consistent with the priorities
3described in this Article. Strategies for grant use include,
4but are not limited to, the following:
5        (1) Repair or replacement of inefficient heating and
6    cooling units.
7        (2) Addressing of air infiltration with weather
8    stripping, caulking, thresholds, minor repairs to walls,
9    roofs, ceilings, and floors, and window and door
10    replacement.
11        (3) Repair or replacement of water heaters.
12        (4) Pipe, duct, or pipe and duct insulation.
13    (c) Portions of grant funds may be used for:
14        (1) Work-aligned training in weatherization skill
15    sets, including skills necessary for career advancement in
16    the energy efficiency field.
17        (2) Basic skills training, including soft-skill
18    training, and other workforce development services,
19    including mentoring, job development, support services,
20    transportation assistance, and wage subsidies tied to
21    training and employment in weatherization.
22    (d) All grant applicants must include a comprehensive plan
23for local community engagement. Grant recipients may devote a
24portion of awarded funds to conduct outreach activities
25designed to assure that eligible households and relevant
26workforce populations are made aware of the opportunities

 

 

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1available under this Article. A portion of outreach activities
2must occur in convenient, local intake centers, including but
3not limited to churches, local schools, and community centers.
4    (e) Any private, public, and non-profit entities that
5provide, or demonstrate desire and ability to provide,
6weatherization services that act to decrease the impact of
7energy costs on low-income areas and incorporate an effective
8local employment strategy are eligible grant applicants.
9    (f) For grant recipients, maximum per unit expenditure
10shall not exceed $10,000 $6,500.
11    (g) A grant recipient may not be awarded grants totaling
12more than $2,000,000 $500,000 per fiscal year.
13    (h) A grant recipient may not use more than 15% of its
14total grant amount for administrative expenses.
15(Source: P.A. 96-37, eff. 7-13-09.)
 
16    (30 ILCS 738/40-40)
17    Sec. 40-40. Weatherization Initiative Board.
18    (a) The Weatherization Initiative Board is created within
19the Department. The Board must approve or deny all grants from
20the Fund.
21    (a-5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article,
22the Board has the authority to direct the Department to
23authorize the awarding of grants to applicants serving areas or
24populations not included in the target areas and populations
25set forth in Section 40-25 if the Board determines that there

 

 

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1are special circumstances involving the areas or populations
2served by the applicant.
3    (b) The Board shall consist of 5 voting members appointed
4by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The
5initial members shall have terms as follows as designated by
6the Governor: one for one year, one for 2 years, one for 3
7years, one for 4 years, and one for 5 years, or until a
8successor is appointed and qualified. Thereafter, members
9shall serve 5-year terms or until a successor is appointed and
10qualified. Two voting members shall have experience in
11residential weatherization or energy efficiency; one voting
12member shall have experience in workforce development. The
13voting members shall elect a voting member to serve as chair
14for a one-year term. Vacancies shall be filled in the same
15manner for the balance of a term.
16    (c) The Board shall also have 4 non-voting ex officio
17members appointed as follows: one Representative appointed by
18the Speaker of the House, one Representative appointed by the
19House Minority Leader, one Senator appointed by the President
20of the Senate, and one Senator appointed by the Senate Minority
21Leader, each to serve at the pleasure of the appointing
22authority.
23    (d) Members shall receive no compensation, but may be
24reimbursed for necessary expenses from appropriations to the
25Department available for that purpose.
26    (e) The Board may adopt rules under the Illinois

 

 

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1Administrative Procedure Act.
2    (f) A quorum of the Board is at least 3 voting members, and
3the affirmative vote of at least 3 voting members is required
4for Board decisions and adoption of rules.
5    (g) The Department shall provide staff and administrative
6assistance to the Board.
7    (h) By May December 31 of each year, the Board shall file
8an annual report with the Governor and the General Assembly
9concerning the Initiative, grants awarded, and grantees and
10making recommendations for any changes needed to enhance the
11effectiveness of the Initiative.
12(Source: P.A. 96-37, eff. 7-13-09.)