HJ0045 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0045 LRB096 12283 JDS 25107 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Chicago Chapter of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), in cooperation with civic and corporate partners, has announced a project to help 3 Illinois public schools (one in Chicago, one in the suburbs, and one downstate) achieve certification under the USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard for existing buildings; and

WHEREAS, The LEED building rating system provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction; and

WHEREAS, Thousands of buildings throughout the United States and other countries have become LEED certified; and

WHEREAS, This project will cover all of the additional costs of achieving LEED certification and will provide resources to project schools to allow them to determine how to shift costs from materials and services that negatively impact the environment toward those that improve the environment; and

WHEREAS, This project provides a model for a statewide campaign to transform every existing Illinois public school into a green school so that within a generation every child in Illinois can attend a green school; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that a Task Force shall be created to investigate how to retrofit 3 public schools in the State of Illinois to achieve LEED certification; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall develop the infrastructure for a statewide program coincident to the USGBC's project; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of one individual appointed by the Chair of the Chicago Chapter of the USGBC, who shall serve as the Chair of the Task Force; one individual appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; one individual appointed by the State Superintendent of Education; one individual appointed by the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives; one individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives; one individual appointed by the President of the Illinois Senate; and one individual appointed by the Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Capital Development Board shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to the Capital Development Board available for that purpose and subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution shall be delivered to the Chairperson of the Chicago Chapter of the USGBC, the Executive Director of the Capital Development Board, the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the State Superintendent of Education.