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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 26

 
2     WHEREAS, The Illinois economy is transforming; despite
3 having the nation's fifth largest state economy, the State
4 ranked only 35th in economic growth over the last 15 years; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Illinois' economic growth is lagging because we
6 are losing good jobs; between 1990 and 2005, the number of
7 manufacturing jobs in Illinois declined by 24.3%, or 222,500;
8 during this same period, 34% of job growth occurred in
9 education, health services, and hospitality, sectors that
10 currently pay, on average, 29% less than manufacturing jobs;
11 adjusted for inflation, median wages have declined leaving
12 families with the same income they had in 1989; nearly 685,000
13 working Illinoisans earn less than the living wage for a single
14 adult - $17,950 annually; and
 
15     WHEREAS, 40% of new job growth will be in mid- to high-wage
16 sectors; manufacturers will continue to be a major employer,
17 but most of these jobs will require increasingly sophisticated
18 levels of skill; in fact, over 35% of Illinois' new jobs will
19 require an associate degree or higher and 71% of the highest
20 wage jobs will require a post-secondary degree; and
 
21     WHEREAS, To attract high wage jobs, Illinois will need
22 high-skilled workers; but, at the same time that our economy

 

 

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1 demands skilled workers in order to remain competitive and
2 thrive, federal funds for workforce development continue to
3 shrink, after adjusting for inflation; and
 
4     WHEREAS, It is time for Illinois to make a new commitment;
5 about 594,000 twenty-five to fifty-four year olds have no high
6 school diploma or equivalent; 60% of these working age
7 individuals are without an associate degree or higher; just 35%
8 of Illinois' young adults are enrolled in postsecondary
9 education; over the next 15 years, 33% of the State's labor
10 force will retire and the fastest growing segments of our
11 population who must replace them have generally lower education
12 levels; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Strong workforce development is a key driver of
14 long-term business retention and growth; additionally,
15 Illinois must use its economic development policies
16 strategically targeting disadvantaged areas to foster
17 high-wage job creation and to leverage infrastructure
18 investments; these are the tools that can ensure Illinois'
19 families, businesses, and communities enjoy a prosperous
20 future; therefore, be it
 
21     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
23 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that, to compete successfully in a

 

 

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1 global economy and end poverty, Illinois needs an integrated
2 economic and workforce development policy that works for
3 everyone and that includes producing skilled workers in strong
4 businesses with good jobs that foster thriving communities; and
5 be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That this new policy must provide lasting value
7 to Illinois' 10 economic regions and offer sustainable
8 programming in urbanized and rural communities throughout the
9 State that allows for the flexibility necessary to address
10 regional differences in the economy, business climate and the
11 workforce; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That the General Assembly create, upon adoption
13 of this resolution, a bipartisan task force, whose work shall
14 endeavor to fulfill the following goals:
15         (1) Ensure Illinoisans develop the skills businesses
16     demand in a modern economy;
17         (2) Create career paths and job opportunities for all
18     working-age Illinoisans, from the least skilled and most
19     disadvantaged to middle income workers whose skills have
20     become obsolete;
21         (3) Invest resources in the capital and human
22     infrastructure needed to attract and retain "high road"
23     employers that provide quality jobs, wages, and benefits;
24         (4) Encourage entrepreneurship, small business growth,

 

 

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1     technology transfers from Illinois' higher education
2     system, and other economic/workforce development
3     innovation in all communities across Illinois to grow
4     competitive State businesses; and
5         (5) Support economic and workforce development that is
6     environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable;
7     and be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That this task force shall conduct a thorough
9 discovery process that will include identification of
10 effective policies and programs; conduct public hearings;
11 invite expert testimony and shall furnish a report of its
12 findings whereupon clear and concise information of programs
13 and policies will be made available to the public throughout
14 Illinois; new legislation or policy changes developed during
15 the course of the deliberations of the task force shall be
16 introduced at the earliest possible moment; hearings shall be
17 held within 6 months of the first meeting of the task force and
18 the report shall be issued within 12 months of the meeting and
19 not later than September 30, 2010 to the Governor and the
20 General Assembly; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That the requirement for the reporting to the
22 General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the
23 report with the Speaker, the Minority Leader, and the Clerk of
24 the House of Representatives, and the President, the Minority

 

 

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1 Leader, and the Secretary of the Senate, and the Legislative
2 Research Unit, as required by Section 3.1 of the General
3 Assembly Organization Act, and filing additional copies with
4 the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General
5 Assembly as required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the
6 State Library Act; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That the task force shall have the following
8 members: 16 voting members, as follows: 4 members of the Senate
9 appointed by the President of the Senate, 4 members of the
10 Senate appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, 4 members of
11 the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the
12 House of Representatives, and 4 members of the House of
13 Representatives appointed by the House Minority Leader; and be
14 it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That all actions of the task force require the
16 affirmative vote of at least 9 voting members; and be it
17 further
 
18     RESOLVED, That the following persons shall serve without
19 compensation as ex-officio, non-voting members of the task
20 force:
21         (A) the Director of the Department of Commerce and
22     Economic Opportunity, or his or her designee;
23         (B) the Director of the Department of Employment

 

 

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1     Security, or his or her designee;
2         (C) the Secretary of the Department of Human Services,
3     or his or her designee;
4         (D) the Secretary of the Department of Transportation,
5     or his or her designee;
6         (E) the Secretary of the Department of Labor, or his or
7     her designee;
8         (F) the Director of the Environmental Protection
9     Agency, or his or her designee;
10         (G) the Director of the Illinois Community College
11     Board, or his or her designee; and
12         (H) the Director of the Department of Corrections; and
13     be it further
 
14     RESOLVED, That the departments of State government and the
15 Illinois Community College Board shall work cooperatively to
16 provide administrative support for the task force, and the
17 Departments of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and
18 Employment Security, subject to appropriation for this purpose
19 and the limits of each agency's statutory authority, shall be
20 the primary agencies in providing that support.