HR0646 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has seen a decline in the number of residents with college degrees that would serve as a basis for improving the economic conditions and subsequent quality of life improvements for the State; and

WHEREAS, This has led to a loss of overall population in the State and a skills gap that has not been addressed as a top priority, leading to increasing burdens on State and local government to meet the needs of the residents; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order 2019-03, An Action Agenda for Workforce Development and Job Creation, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker, directs Illinois' state agencies to review current and potential industries targeted for economic growth and recommend how workforce resources for disenfranchised populations may be improved in communities throughout Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The four Illinois state agencies involved in implementing the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the Departments of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Employment Security, and Human Services and the Illinois Community College Board, and representatives of the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board have prepared an agenda that will create opportunities for all Illinoisans; and

WHEREAS, Those agencies presented a report, An Action Agenda for Workforce Development and Job Creation, that includes evidence-based practices, promising innovations, and collaborative input from leaders across the State; its goal is to ensure that businesses, individuals, and communities have the opportunity to prosper and contribute to the State's economic growth, specifically attracting and retaining young people to Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Census Bureau asserts that 93 of 102 counties in Illinois have lost populations since 2010; and

WHEREAS, Since the end of the Great Recession in 2011, the prime working-age population in Illinois has declined five percent while the U.S. prime working-age population has grown 1.4 percent; and

WHEREAS, In collaboration with the State of Illinois, Community Foundations of Illinois have focused their efforts on increasing talent retention and regional prosperity and combatting deteriorating and financially distressed communities by creating a new scholarship that will lessen the burdens of government by preventing further erosion of the State's economic base by recruiting and retaining college educated employees to live and work in the State; and

WHEREAS, With this new scholarship, the Community Foundations of Illinois seek to lessen the burdens of government and improve the quality of life and economic conditions of the residents of the State, which is consistent with the goals of Executive Order 2019-03; it will be a vital part of the State's effort to expand talent retention, stimulate greater investments in our communities, and improve our economic outlook; and

WHEREAS, The new scholarship will support the efforts of local partners to attract young professionals with expertise in Illinois trades, such as agribusiness and food processing, biotechnology, energy, healthcare, professional services, information technology, financial activities, leisure, hospitality, and transportation, distribution, and logistics; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Community Foundations of Illinois to enter into a joint effort with the State of Illinois to administer post-graduation scholarship programs, which are designed to lessen the burdens of government by improving income levels, decreasing unemployment rates, increasing household incomes, and increasing the percentage of residents with college degrees living and working in financially distressed areas in the State in accordance with the rules and regulations of the individual Community Foundations and Executive Order 2019-03.