Sen. Karina Villa

Filed: 5/14/2024

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 255

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 255 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Youth
5and Young Adult Conservation Education Act.
 
6    Section 5. Declaration of intent. The General Assembly
7finds that youth, representing all segments of society,
8benefit from education and employment in the healthful outdoor
9atmosphere of the State's park systems, recreational
10facilities, and other public land and water areas and, through
11those education and employment opportunities, will develop,
12enhance, and maintain the natural resources of the State of
13Illinois while gaining an understanding and appreciation of
14the State's environment and heritage. The General Assembly,
15therefore, creates this Act to establish the Youth and Young
16Adult Conservation and Education Pilot Program to provide

 

 

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1education and employment opportunities for the youth and young
2adults of this State to further the development and
3maintenance of the natural resources by Illinois' youth and,
4in so doing, to prepare them for the responsibility of
5maintaining and managing these resources.
 
6    Section 10. Definitions.
7    As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise
8requires:
9    "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources.
10    "Program" means the Youth and Young Adult Conservation and
11Education Pilot Program created by this Act.
 
12    Section 15. Cooperation. The Department shall have the
13full cooperation of the Illinois State Board of Education, the
14Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois
15State Job Coordinating Council created by the Federal Job
16Training Partnership Act (Public Law 97-300), and the
17Department of Employment Security in carrying out the purposes
18of this Act.
 
19    Section 20. Funding. Funding for the Program shall be from
20any State or federal funds or grants or other funding received
21by the Department. The Program is subject to appropriation by
22the General Assembly.
 

 

 

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1    Section 25. Youth and Young Adult Conservation and
2Education Pilot Program.
3    (a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall
4administer the Program. The Program may consist of any of the
5following:
6        (1) allocation of grants to units of local government
7    or non-profit entities to provide conservation education
8    and employment opportunities for youth and young adults of
9    this State;
10        (2) development and implementation of conservation
11    education or job training programs; and
12        (3) internship opportunities with the Department for
13    youth and young adults of this State.
14    (b) The Program's education and employment opportunities
15shall be limited to citizens of this State who at the time of
16enrollment in the Program are 15 through 25 years of age.
17Grants under this Act are limited to units of local government
18and non-profit entities that are located in the State of
19Illinois and that provide conservation education and
20employment opportunities for youth and young adults of this
21State.
22    (c) The Department shall designate suitable grant
23opportunities, projects, internships, and educational
24curriculum for the purposes of this Act.
25    Grants, projects, internships, and curriculum so
26designated by the Department shall be for the purpose of: (1)

 

 

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1development, enhancement, and maintenance of the natural
2resources of the State of Illinois, and offering related
3educational opportunities; (2) environmental stewardship and
4civic responsibility; (3) enhancement of public lands owned or
5leased by the Department or developing and enhancing projects
6or initiatives undertaken in whole or part by the Department;
7or (4) any combination of the purposes described in items (1)
8through (3). Such projects, internships and curriculum shall
9include improving the habitat of fauna and flora; improving
10utilization of conservation or recreation facilities and lands
11by the public; improving water quality; and any other project
12deemed by the Department to improve the environmental,
13economic, and recreational quality of the State's natural
14resources.
15    All projects and internships designated by the Department
16shall be within a reasonable commuting time for each
17participant. In no circumstance shall interns be required to
18spend more than 1 1/2 hours of commuting time to a project or a
19designated area, but an intern may agree to spend more than 1
201/2 hours of commuting time to a project or a designated area.
21    (c) Interns shall receive at least the standard minimum
22wage as set by the State of Illinois, when applicable, and
23shall work normal working hours as determined by the
24Department. The interns shall not be classified as employees
25of the State for purposes of contributions to the State
26Employees' Retirement System of Illinois or any other public

 

 

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1employment retirement system of the State.
2    (d) The Department may enter into contracts,
3intergovernmental agreements, grants, cooperative agreements,
4memoranda of understanding, or other instruments as necessary
5to implement the Program.
6    (e) The Department shall adopt administrative rules
7pertaining to implementation, standards, criteria, and
8administration of the Program.
 
9    Section 90. Repeal. This Act is repealed on June 30,
102029.".