103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB1225

 

Introduced 1/31/2023, by Rep. Thaddeus Jones

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
220 ILCS 5/16-108.12

    Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that an electric utility that serves more than 3,000,000 customers in the State shall fund the construction of 5 employment training centers at a cost to be determined by the utility. Provides that the employment training centers shall be located in: the west side of Chicago; Ford Heights; Waukegan; Bloomington; and Peoria.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB1225LRB103 24798 AMQ 51127 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing
5Section 16-108.12 as follows:
 
6    (220 ILCS 5/16-108.12)
7    Sec. 16-108.12. Utility job training program.
8    (a) An electric utility that serves more than 3,000,000
9customers in the State shall spend $10,000,000 per year in
102017, 2021, and 2025 to fund the programs described in this
11Section.
12        (1) The utility shall fund a solar training pipeline
13    program in the amount of $3,000,000. The utility may
14    administer the program or contract with another entity to
15    administer the program. The program shall be designed to
16    establish a solar installer training pipeline for projects
17    authorized under Section 1-56 of the Illinois Power Agency
18    Act and to establish a pool of trained installers who will
19    be able to install solar projects authorized under
20    subsection (c) of Section 1-75 of the Illinois Power
21    Agency Act and otherwise. The program may include single
22    event training programs. The program described in this
23    paragraph (1) shall be designed to ensure that entities

 

 

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1    that offer training are located in, and trainees are
2    recruited from, the same communities that the program aims
3    to serve and that the program provides trainees with the
4    opportunity to obtain real-world experience. The program
5    described in this paragraph (1) shall also be designed to
6    assist trainees so that they can obtain applicable
7    certifications or participate in an apprenticeship
8    program. The utility or administrator shall include
9    funding for programs that provide training to individuals
10    who are or were foster children or that target persons
11    with a record who are transitioning with job training and
12    job placement programs. The program shall include an
13    incentive to facilitate an increase of hiring of qualified
14    persons who are or were foster children and persons with a
15    record. It is a goal of the program described in this
16    paragraph (1) that at least 50% of the trainees in this
17    program come from within environmental justice communities
18    and that 2,000 jobs are created for persons who are or were
19    foster children and persons with a record.
20        (2) The utility shall fund a craft apprenticeship
21    program in the amount of $3,000,000. The program shall be
22    an accredited or otherwise recognized apprenticeship
23    program over a period not to exceed 4 years, for
24    particular crafts, trades, or skills in the electric
25    industry that may, but need not, be related to solar
26    installation.

 

 

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1        (3) The utility shall fund multi-cultural jobs
2    programs in the amount of $4,000,000. The funding shall be
3    allocated in the applicable year to individual programs as
4    set forth in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of this
5    paragraph (3) and may, but need not, be related to solar
6    installation, over a period not to exceed 4 years, by
7    diversity-focused community organizations that have a
8    record of successfully delivering job training.
9            (A) $1,000,000 to a community-based civil rights
10        and human services not-for-profit organization that
11        provides economic development, human capital, and
12        education program services.
13            (B) $500,000 to a not-for-profit organization that
14        is also an education institution that offers training
15        programs approved by the Illinois State Board of
16        Education and United States Department of Education
17        with the goal of providing workforce initiatives
18        leading to economic independence.
19            (C) $500,000 to a not-for-profit organization
20        dedicated to developing the educational and leadership
21        capacity of minority youth through the operation of
22        schools, youth leadership clubs and youth development
23        centers.
24            (D) $1,000,000 to a not-for-profit organization
25        dedicated to providing equal access to opportunities
26        in the construction industry that offer training

 

 

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1        programs that include Occupational Safety and Health
2        Administration 10 and 30 certifications, Environmental
3        Protection Agency Renovation, Repair and Painting
4        Certification and Leadership in Energy and
5        Environmental Design Accredited Green Associate Exam
6        preparation courses.
7            (E) $500,000 to a non-profit organization that has
8        a proven record of successfully implementing utility
9        industry training programs, with expertise in creating
10        programs that strengthen the economics of communities
11        including technical training workshops and economic
12        development through community and financial partners.
13            (F) $500,000 to a nonprofit organization that
14        provides family services, housing education, job and
15        career education opportunities that has successfully
16        partnered with the utility on electric industry job
17        training.
18        (4) The utility shall fund the construction of 5
19    employment training centers at a cost to be determined by
20    the utility. The employment training centers shall be
21    located in the following Illinois cities or areas: (A) the
22    west side of Chicago; (B) Ford Heights; (C) Waukegan; (D)
23    Bloomington; and (E) Peoria.
24    For the purposes of this Section, "person with a record"
25means any person who (1) has been convicted of a crime in this
26State or of an offense in any other jurisdiction, not

 

 

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1including an offense or attempted offense that would subject a
2person to registration under the Sex Offender Registration
3Act; (2) has a record of an arrest or an arrest that did not
4result in conviction for any crime in this State or of an
5offense in any other jurisdiction; or (3) has a juvenile
6delinquency adjudication.
7    (b) Within 60 days after the effective date of this
8amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, an electric
9utility that serves more than 3,000,000 customers in the State
10shall file with the Commission a plan to implement this
11Section. Within 60 days after the plan is filed, the
12Commission shall enter an order approving the plan if it is
13consistent with this Section or, if the plan is not consistent
14with this Section, the Commission shall explain the
15deficiencies, after which time the utility shall file a new
16plan. The utility shall use the funds described in
17subparagraph (O) of paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of Section
181-75 of the Illinois Power Agency Act to pay for the Commission
19approved programs under this Section.
20(Source: P.A. 99-906, eff. 6-1-17.)