(30 ILCS 500/45-110)

Sec. 45-110. Former coal mining employees.

(a) In this Section:

"Abandoned mined land reclamation project" means construction or construction-related professional services that are used for reclamation projects awarded by the Department of Natural Resources under the Abandoned Mined Lands and Water Reclamation Act.

"Former coal mine employee" means an individual previously employed in any capacity by a coal mining company that engaged in the extraction of coal deposits or an individual previously employed in any capacity by a coal-fired power plant.

(b) In awarding contracts for Abandoned Mined Land Reclamation Projects with a total value of more than $100,000, preference shall be given to an otherwise qualified bidder who:

(1) provides proof that at least 2 current employees of the bidder are former coal mine employees and that all such declared former coal mine employees in the bid shall be used in the fulfillment of an awarded Abandoned Mined Land Reclamation Project; or

(2) commits to employing at least 2 former coal mine employees hired in fulfillment of the Abandoned Mined Land Reclamation Project. Under this paragraph (2), the bidder shall provide proof that at least 2 former coal mine employees have been hired within 60 days after the start of construction, and the bidder shall declare that the former coal mine employees, after being hired, shall be used in the fulfillment of an awarded Abandoned Mined Land Reclamation Project.

When the Department of Natural Resources is to award a contract to the lowest responsible bidder, an otherwise qualified bidder who will fulfill the contract through the use of former coal mine employees may be given preference over other bidders unable to do so, if the bid is not more than 2% greater than the low bid.

(c) This Section does not apply to any contract for any project for which federal funds are available for expenditure when its provisions may be in conflict with federal law or federal regulation.

(Source: P.A. 103-570, eff. 1-1-24.)