Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB3194
Illinois General Assembly

Previous General Assemblies

Full Text of HB3194  99th General Assembly

HB3194 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  

 


 
99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB3194

 

Introduced , by Rep. Monique D. Davis

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
30 ILCS 738/40-10
30 ILCS 738/40-20
30 ILCS 738/40-40

    Amends the Urban Weatherization Initiative Act. Provides that the efforts of the Urban Weatherization Initiative shall be coordinated with federal weatherization programs. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to administer the Initiative so as to qualify for federal grant or matching programs. Provides the salary of employees hired under the Initiative in accordance with the hourly wages associated with the federal prevailing wage rates for weatherization workers. Provides that the maximum per unit expenditure is limited to $10,000 (currently $6,500) and that a grant recipient may not be awarded grants totaling more than $2,000,000 (currently $500,000) per fiscal year. Provides that 2 voting members of the Weatherization Initiative Board must have experience in residential weatherization or energy efficiency and that one voting member must have experience in workforce development. Requires the Board's annual report to be filed by May 31 (instead of December 31).


LRB099 09383 SXM 29589 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3194LRB099 09383 SXM 29589 b

1    AN ACT concerning finance.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Urban Weatherization Initiative Act is
5amended by changing Sections 40-10, 40-20, and 40-40 as
6follows:
 
7    (30 ILCS 738/40-10)
8    Sec. 40-10. Urban Weatherization Initiative established;
9purpose.
10    (a) The Urban Weatherization Initiative is created. The
11Initiative shall be administered by the Department of Commerce
12and Economic Opportunity in consultation with other
13appropriate State agencies and overseen by the Weatherization
14Initiative Board.
15    (b) The purpose of the Urban Weatherization Initiative is
16to promote the State's interest in reducing the impact of high
17energy costs on low-income households. The Initiative seeks to
18increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities through
19the installation and manufacturing of low-cost weatherization
20materials. In particular, the Initiative is intended to
21weatherize owner-occupied, single family homes and
22multi-family (6 units or fewer) housing in census tracts with
23high rates of unemployment, underemployment, and poverty and to

 

 

HB3194- 2 -LRB099 09383 SXM 29589 b

1ensure that residents of those communities are able to access
2the work as a local employment engine. The Initiative also
3seeks to implement outreach strategies to increase awareness of
4cost savings and job training services associated with the
5program.
6    (c) The efforts of the Urban Weatherization Initiative
7shall be coordinated with those of federal weatherization
8programs, including, but not limited to, the weatherization
9programs of the United States Department of Energy. The
10Department shall administer the Initiative so as to qualify for
11any federal grant or matching programs that may from time to
12time be offered to the State of Illinois or any political
13subdivision thereof. Employees hired under the Initiative
14shall be paid in accordance with the hourly wages associated
15with the federal prevailing wage rates for weatherization
16workers.
17(Source: P.A. 96-37, eff. 7-13-09.)
 
18    (30 ILCS 738/40-20)
19    Sec. 40-20. Award of grants.
20    (a) The Department shall award grants under this Article
21using a competitive request-for-proposal process administered
22by the Department and overseen by the Board. No more than 2% of
23funds used for grants may be retained by the Department for
24administrative costs, program evaluation, and technical
25assistance activities.

 

 

HB3194- 3 -LRB099 09383 SXM 29589 b

1    (b) The Department must award grants competitively in
2accordance with the priorities described in this Article.
3Grants must be awarded in support of the implementation,
4expansion, or implementation and expansion of weatherization
5and job training programs consistent with the priorities
6described in this Article. Strategies for grant use include,
7but are not limited to, the following:
8        (1) Repair or replacement of inefficient heating and
9    cooling units.
10        (2) Addressing of air infiltration with weather
11    stripping, caulking, thresholds, minor repairs to walls,
12    roofs, ceilings, and floors, and window and door
13    replacement.
14        (3) Repair or replacement of water heaters.
15        (4) Pipe, duct, or pipe and duct insulation.
16    (c) Portions of grant funds may be used for:
17        (1) Work-aligned training in weatherization skill
18    sets, including skills necessary for career advancement in
19    the energy efficiency field.
20        (2) Basic skills training, including soft-skill
21    training, and other workforce development services,
22    including mentoring, job development, support services,
23    transportation assistance, and wage subsidies tied to
24    training and employment in weatherization.
25    (d) All grant applicants must include a comprehensive plan
26for local community engagement. Grant recipients may devote a

 

 

HB3194- 4 -LRB099 09383 SXM 29589 b

1portion of awarded funds to conduct outreach activities
2designed to assure that eligible households and relevant
3workforce populations are made aware of the opportunities
4available under this Article. A portion of outreach activities
5must occur in convenient, local intake centers, including but
6not limited to churches, local schools, and community centers.
7    (e) Any private, public, and non-profit entities that
8provide, or demonstrate desire and ability to provide,
9weatherization services that act to decrease the impact of
10energy costs on low-income areas and incorporate an effective
11local employment strategy are eligible grant applicants.
12    (f) For grant recipients, maximum per unit expenditure
13shall not exceed $10,000 $6,500.
14    (g) A grant recipient may not be awarded grants totaling
15more than $2,000,000 $500,000 per fiscal year.
16    (h) A grant recipient may not use more than 15% of its
17total grant amount for administrative expenses.
18(Source: P.A. 96-37, eff. 7-13-09.)
 
19    (30 ILCS 738/40-40)
20    Sec. 40-40. Weatherization Initiative Board.
21    (a) The Weatherization Initiative Board is created within
22the Department. The Board must approve or deny all grants from
23the Fund.
24    (a-5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article,
25the Board has the authority to direct the Department to

 

 

HB3194- 5 -LRB099 09383 SXM 29589 b

1authorize the awarding of grants to applicants serving areas or
2populations not included in the target areas and populations
3set forth in Section 40-25 if the Board determines that there
4are special circumstances involving the areas or populations
5served by the applicant.
6    (b) The Board shall consist of 5 voting members appointed
7by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The
8initial members shall have terms as follows as designated by
9the Governor: one for one year, one for 2 years, one for 3
10years, one for 4 years, and one for 5 years, or until a
11successor is appointed and qualified. Thereafter, members
12shall serve 5-year terms or until a successor is appointed and
13qualified. Two voting members shall have experience in
14residential weatherization or energy efficiency; one voting
15member shall have experience in workforce development. The
16voting members shall elect a voting member to serve as chair
17for a one-year term. Vacancies shall be filled in the same
18manner for the balance of a term.
19    (c) The Board shall also have 4 non-voting ex officio
20members appointed as follows: one Representative appointed by
21the Speaker of the House, one Representative appointed by the
22House Minority Leader, one Senator appointed by the President
23of the Senate, and one Senator appointed by the Senate Minority
24Leader, each to serve at the pleasure of the appointing
25authority.
26    (d) Members shall receive no compensation, but may be

 

 

HB3194- 6 -LRB099 09383 SXM 29589 b

1reimbursed for necessary expenses from appropriations to the
2Department available for that purpose.
3    (e) The Board may adopt rules under the Illinois
4Administrative Procedure Act.
5    (f) A quorum of the Board is at least 3 voting members, and
6the affirmative vote of at least 3 voting members is required
7for Board decisions and adoption of rules.
8    (g) The Department shall provide staff and administrative
9assistance to the Board.
10    (h) By May December 31 of each year, the Board shall file
11an annual report with the Governor and the General Assembly
12concerning the Initiative, grants awarded, and grantees and
13making recommendations for any changes needed to enhance the
14effectiveness of the Initiative.
15(Source: P.A. 96-37, eff. 7-13-09.)