HR0797 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0797 LRB093 21707 RAS 49470 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State is a highly visible model for Illinois' citizens, businesses, industries, and local governments; and

WHEREAS, The State can demonstrate leadership by incorporating environmentally sustainable practices into its buildings and operations that preserve natural resources, conserve energy and water, eliminate waste and emissions, and lessen overall environmental impact; and

WHEREAS, The State constitutes a large consumer of goods and services, which, in the course of their manufacture, use, and disposition, impact the quality of the environment and public health; and

WHEREAS, The procurement of environmentally preferable goods and services by the State can minimize the hazardous impacts of manufacturing and disposal, improve the safety of product users and building occupants, reduce the need to extract raw materials, such as oil and trees, and save energy and water usage in buildings; and

WHEREAS, Buying recycled content products can ensure that materials collected in community recycling programs will be used again in the manufacture of new products and support the creation of new businesses that use recycled feedstock in their manufacturing processes; and

WHEREAS, State government has made significant strides in the purchase of recycled content products as well as selected energy efficient and low toxicity products; and

WHEREAS, State procurement officials can apply the government's purchasing power to improve and strengthen markets for environmentally preferable products; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Governor to establish a Working Group on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing within State government, which shall be composed of the Director or Secretary or his or her designee of the following executive State agencies: the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Central Management Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; and, immediately after appointment of members, the Working Group shall meet and organize by electing a chair and establishing operating guidelines; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Working Group on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing shall review State purchasing policies and procedures to identify opportunities that would enhance the purchase of environmentally preferable products and services by State government, consistent with other traditional purchasing factors, such as price, performance, and availability considerations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Working Group on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing shall prepare and submit a report to the General Assembly that includes recommendations for administrative and legislative changes that may be necessary to enhance the purchase of environmentally preferable products by State government, including but not limited to, staff training, information dissemination, pilot testing of new and innovative products, changes in internal procedures and specifications, and tracking of product purchases; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the report shall be submitted to the General Assembly by January 1, 2005; Following submission of the report, the working group shall cease to exist; and be it further

RESOLVED, That all State agencies shall cooperate in information gathering by the Working Group on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing for the purpose of evaluating the procurement of environmentally preferable products by State government; and be it further

RESOLVED, That environmentally preferable procurement is a process for purchasing products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose; and be it further

RESOLVED, That environmentally preferable products may include, but are not limited to: recycled content products, energy and water efficient products, alternative fuel and hybrid electric vehicles, bio-based products, low or non-toxic materials, and products using renewable energy.