SJ0083 LRB096 17159 RLC 32491 r

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The federal government has expressed an interest
3 in purchasing the State of Illinois Thomson Maximum Security
4 Correctional Center in Thomson, Illinois, for the purpose of
5 operating the facility as a federal maximum security prison for
6 1600 or more federal inmates with a portion leased to the
7 Department of Defense for holding a number of Guantanamo
8 terrorist detainees; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The Governor has indicated his support for the
10 closure and sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the
11 federal government; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Toward that end the Illinois Department of
13 Corrections has pursuant to the State Facilities Closure Act
14 filed a Recommendation to close the Thomson Correctional
15 Facility with the Commission on Government Forecasting and
16 Accountability; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Even though the Commission on Government
18 Forecasting and Accountability has carried out its obligation
19 under the State Facilities Closure Act to hold a hearing and
20 render an advisory opinion on the proposed Thomson closure; the
21 highly unusual circumstances surrounding the use of the Thomson
22 facility to house an as yet undetermined number of Guantanamo

 

 

SJ0083 - 2 - LRB096 17159 RLC 32491 r

1 terrorist detainees raise significant public safety and
2 security concerns for the entire State of Illinois which should
3 be debated and voted upon by the entire General Assembly;
4 therefore, be it
 
5     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
6 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
7 CONCURRING HEREIN, that the President of the Senate and the
8 Speaker of the House shall cause the matter of the closure and
9 sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal
10 government to be submitted to their respective houses of the
11 General Assembly for their consideration and vote, and that the
12 results of the votes shall be forwarded to the Governor.