99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB2639

 

Introduced , by Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
See Index

    Amends the Coal Mining Act. Eliminates the Miners' Examining Board and transfers its duties to the Mining Board and makes conforming changes throughout the Act. Provides that no person shall be employed or engaged at the face of the coal as a machine operator (rather than as a coal loader, loading machine operator, cutting machine operator, driller or shooter, timberman or roof bolter) in any coal mine in this State without having first obtained a certificate of competency from the Mining Board, and having completed a course of instruction in first aid (rather than a course of instruction in first aid to the injured and mine rescue methods and appliances prescribed by the Department). Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Coal Mining Act is amended by changing
5Sections 2.01, 8.01, 8.06, 8.08, 8.09, 8.11, 8.12, 8.13, 8.16,
68.17, and 8.19 and the heading of Article 8 as follows:
 
7    (225 ILCS 705/2.01)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 301)
8    Sec. 2.01. The Mining Board in the Department of Natural
9Resources shall administer this Act, except that Article 8
10shall be administered by the Miners' Examining Board in the
11Department.
12(Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)
 
13    (225 ILCS 705/Art. 8 heading)
14
ARTICLE 8.
15
MINERS' EXAMINING BOARD AND MINERS' EXAMINATIONS.

 
16    (225 ILCS 705/8.01)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 801)
17    Sec. 8.01. No person shall be employed or engaged at the
18face of the coal as a coal loader, loading machine operator,
19cutting machine operator, driller or shooter, timberman or roof
20bolter in any coal mine in this State without having first
21obtained a certificate of competency from the Mining Miners'

 

 

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1Examining Board, and having completed a course of instruction
2in first aid, to the injured and mine rescue methods and
3appliances prescribed by the Department, except that any such
4certified miner may have one person working with him and under
5his direction as an apprentice for the purpose of learning the
6business of mining and becoming qualified to obtain a
7certificate of competency.
8    No person who enters employment as an apprentice miner
9shall be employed as an apprentice miner for a period longer
10than 12 months after becoming eligible to obtain a first class
11certificate of competency, except in the event of illness or
12injury, when time extensions may be permitted in a manner
13established by the Mining Miners' Examining Board.
14(Source: P.A. 85-1333.)
 
15    (225 ILCS 705/8.06)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 806)
16    Sec. 8.06. The Mining Miners' Examining Board shall hold an
17examination once in each calendar month, and at such other
18times and at such places as the Director may designate. The
19Director shall endeavor to schedule examinations at places
20located most conveniently with reference to the districts in
21which coal is mined in the State of Illinois so that all
22persons in such district or in this State, or who may wish to
23come into this State for the purpose of engaging in mining may
24be examined as to their competency and qualifications. Public
25notice of the examinations shall be given through the press or

 

 

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1otherwise not less than 7 days in advance of such meeting,
2which notice shall fix the time and place at which any
3examination under this Act is to be held.
4(Source: P.A. 85-1333.)
 
5    (225 ILCS 705/8.08)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 808)
6    Sec. 8.08. All examinations held by the Mining Miners'
7Examining Board shall be conducted in the English language and
8shall be of a practical nature so as to determine the
9competency and qualification of the applicant to engage in
10mining. The Mining Miners' Examining Board shall examine under
11oath all persons who apply for certificates as to their
12previous experience as miners and shall grant certificates of
13competency to such applicants as are qualified, which
14certificates shall entitle the holder thereof to be employed as
15and to do the work of miners in this State.
16(Source: P.A. 85-1333.)
 
17    (225 ILCS 705/8.09)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 809)
18    Sec. 8.09. A first class certificate of competency shall be
19issued to any person under this Article who can produce
20satisfactory evidence to the Mining Miners' Examining Board of
21having had not less than one 1 year experience as a worker on
22coal producing sections of a coal mine and having had an
23opportunity during that year of observing and helping to
24perform all the work required in that section and also to learn

 

 

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1the fundamentals of roof control, testing of top, and testing
2for gas, which could be accomplished by the cooperation of
3management and workers, and that he has completed a course in
4first aid for the injured.
5    A first class certificate of competency shall also be
6issued to any person under this Article who can produce
7satisfactory evidence to the Mining Miners' Examining Board of
8having been employed as a worker or a trainee in an underground
9coal mine for a period not less than 6 months and having had an
10opportunity during that 6 months of observing and helping to
11perform work required on a coal producing section and also to
12learn the fundamentals of ventilation, roof control, testing of
13rib and roof, and testing for gas, and that he has completed a
14course in first aid for the injured, and possesses a two-year
15Associate in Applied Science Degree in Coal Mining Technology
16or a degree in Engineering from an approved school or college,
17or university.
18(Source: P.A. 85-1333.)
 
19    (225 ILCS 705/8.11)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 811)
20    Sec. 8.11. In no case shall an applicant for certificate of
21competency be deemed competent unless he appears in person
22before the Mining Miners' Examining Board and orally answers
23intelligently and correctly practical questions, propounded to
24him by said Board, pertaining to the requirements and
25qualifications of a practical miner.

 

 

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1(Source: Laws 1955, p. 2012.)
 
2    (225 ILCS 705/8.12)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 812)
3    Sec. 8.12. The Mining Miners' Examining Board shall make an
4accurate record of its proceedings and meetings and in the
5record shall show a correct detailed account of the examination
6of each applicant with questions asked and their answers, and
7the record made shall be open for public inspection.
8(Source: Laws 1957, p. 1558.)
 
9    (225 ILCS 705/8.13)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 813)
10    Sec. 8.13. No miners' certificate granted under the
11provisions of this Article is transferable and any effort to
12transfer the same is a violation of this Act. Such certificates
13shall be issued only at meetings of the Mining Miners'
14Examining Board and shall not be valid unless signed by at
15least two members of the Mining Miners' Examining Board and
16sealed with the seal of such Board.
17(Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)
 
18    (225 ILCS 705/8.16)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 816)
19    Sec. 8.16. The Mining Miners' Examining Board shall report
20all complaints or charges of noncompliance with, or violation
21of the provisions of this Article to the State's Attorney of
22the county in which such non-compliance or violation occurs,
23and the State's Attorney of the county wherein the complaints

 

 

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1or charges are made shall investigate the same and prosecute
2all persons so offending.
3(Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)
 
4    (225 ILCS 705/8.17)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 817)
5    Sec. 8.17. In order to more effectively carry out the
6intention and purposes of this Article, the Mining Miners'
7Examining Board shall have power to administer oaths to any and
8all persons who are applicants or may vouch in any manner for
9the service or qualification of any applicant in order to
10obtain for him a certificate hereunder, and any person who
11shall wilfully and falsely swear or testify as to any matter
12material to such examination or as to the service or
13qualification of any applicant shall be deemed guilty of
14perjury and shall be subject to the penalties thereof as
15prescribed by the criminal code of this State.
16(Source: Laws 1953, p. 701.)
 
17    (225 ILCS 705/8.19)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 819)
18    Sec. 8.19. It shall be unlawful for any member of the
19Mining Miners' Examining Board to issue any certificate of
20competency pursuant to this Section when he knows or has reason
21to know that the applicant fails to meet any of the
22requirements for the certificate.
23(Source: P.A. 79-460.)
 

 

 

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1    (225 ILCS 705/8.02 rep.)
2    (225 ILCS 705/8.03 rep.)
3    (225 ILCS 705/8.04 rep.)
4    (225 ILCS 705/8.05 rep.)
5    (225 ILCS 705/8.14 rep.)
6    (225 ILCS 705/8.18 rep.)
7    Section 10. The Coal Mining Act is amended by repealing
8Sections 8.02, 8.03, 8.04, 8.05, 8.14, and 8.18.
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.

 

 

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1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
3    225 ILCS 705/2.01from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 301
4    225 ILCS 705/Art. 8
5    heading
6    225 ILCS 705/8.01from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 801
7    225 ILCS 705/8.06from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 806
8    225 ILCS 705/8.08from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 808
9    225 ILCS 705/8.09from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 809
10    225 ILCS 705/8.11from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 811
11    225 ILCS 705/8.12from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 812
12    225 ILCS 705/8.13from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 813
13    225 ILCS 705/8.16from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 816
14    225 ILCS 705/8.17from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 817
15    225 ILCS 705/8.19from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 819
16    225 ILCS 705/8.02 rep.
17    225 ILCS 705/8.03 rep.
18    225 ILCS 705/8.04 rep.
19    225 ILCS 705/8.05 rep.
20    225 ILCS 705/8.14 rep.
21    225 ILCS 705/8.18 rep.