20 ILCS 730/5-45

(20 ILCS 730/5-45)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on September 15, 2045)

Sec. 5-45. Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program.

(a) As used in this Section, "community-based organization" means a nonprofit organization, including an accredited public college or university that:

(1) has a history of providing business-related assistance and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start, run, and grow their businesses;

(2) has knowledge of construction and clean energy trades;

(3) demonstrates relationships with local residents and other organizations serving the community; and

(4) demonstrates the ability to effectively serve diverse and underrepresented populations.

(b) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall develop, and through the Regional Administrators, administer the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program ("Program") to create a network of 13 Program delivery Hub Sites with program elements delivered by community-based organizations and their subcontractors geographically distributed across the State, including at least one Hub Site located in or near each of the following areas: Chicago (South Side), Chicago (Southwest and West Sides), Waukegan, Rockford, Aurora, Joliet, Peoria, Champaign, Danville, Decatur, Carbondale, East St. Louis, and Alton.

(c) In admitting program participants, for each Contractor Incubator Hub Site the Regional Administrators shall:

(1) in each Hub Site where the applicant pool allows:

(A) dedicate at least one-third of program placements to the owners of clean energy contractor businesses and nonprofits who reside in a geographic area that is impacted by economic and environmental challenges, defined as an area that is both (i) an R3 Area, as defined pursuant to Section 10-40 of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, and (ii) an environmental justice community, as defined by the Illinois Power Agency, excluding any racial or ethnic indicators used by the agency unless and until the constitutional basis for their inclusion in determining program admissions is established. Among applicants that satisfy these criteria, preference shall be given to applicants who face barriers to employment, such as low educational attainment, prior involvement with the criminal legal system, and language barriers; and applicants that are graduates of or currently enrolled in the foster care system; and

(B) dedicate at least two-thirds of program placements to the owners of clean energy contractor businesses and nonprofits that satisfy the criteria in paragraph (1) or who reside in eligible communities. Among applicants who live in eligible communities, preference shall be given to applicants who face barriers to employment, such as low educational attainment, prior involvement with the criminal legal system, and language barriers; and applicants that are graduates of or currently enrolled in the foster care system; and

(2) prioritize the remaining program placements for: applicants who are displaced energy workers as defined in the Energy Community Reinvestment Act; persons who face barriers to employment, including low educational attainment, prior involvement with the criminal legal system, and language barriers; and applicants who are graduates of or currently enrolled in the foster care system, regardless of the applicants' area of residence.

Consideration shall also be given to any current or past participant in the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, Illinois Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program, or Returning Residents Clean Energy Jobs Training Program.

The Department and Regional Administrators shall protect the confidentiality of any personal information provided by program applicants regarding the applicant's status as a formerly incarcerated person or foster care recipient; however, the Department or Regional Administrators may publish aggregated data on the number of participants that were formerly incarcerated or foster care recipients so long as that publication protects the identities of those persons.

Any person who applies to the program may elect not to share with the Department or Regional Administrators whether he or she is a graduate or currently enrolled in the foster care system or was formerly convicted.

(d) Program elements at each Hub Site shall be provided by a local community-based organization. The Department shall initially select a community-based organization in each Hub Site and shall subsequently select a community-based organization in each Hub Site every 3 years. Community-based organizations delivering program elements outlined in subsection (e) may provide all elements required or may subcontract to other entities for provision of portions of program elements, including, but not limited to, administrative soft and hard skills for program participants, delivery of specific training in the core curriculum, or provision of other support functions for program delivery compliance.

(e) The Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program shall:

(1) provide access to low-cost capital for small clean energy businesses and contractors;

(2) provide support for obtaining financial assurance, including, but not limited to: bonding; back office services; insurance, permits, training and certifications; business planning; and low-interest loans;

(3) train, mentor, and provide other support needed to allow participant contractors to: (i) build their businesses and connect to specific projects, (ii) register as approved vendors, (iii) engage in approved vendor subcontracting and qualified installer opportunities, (iv) develop partnering and networking skills, (v) compete for capital and other resources, and (vi) execute clean energy-related project installations and subcontracts;

(4) ensure that participant contractors, community partners, and potential contractor clients are aware of and engaged in the Program;

(5) connect participant contractors with the Department of Labor for resources, training, and technical support on prevailing wage compliance;

(6) provide recruitment and ongoing engagement with entities that hire contractors and subcontractors, programs providing renewable energy resource-related projects, incentive programs, and approved vendor and qualified installer opportunities, including, but not limited to, activities such as matchmaking, events, and collaborating with other Hub Sites.

(f) Funding for the Program and independent evaluations as described in subsection (h) are subject to appropriation from the Energy Transition Assistance Fund.

(g) The Department shall require submission of quarterly reports including program performance metrics by each Hub Site to the Regional Administrator of their Program Delivery Area. Program performance metrics include, but are not limited to:

(1) demographic data including: race, gender, geographic location, R3 residency, Environmental Justice Community residency, foster care system participation, and justice-involvement for the owners of contractors applying, accepted into, and graduating from the Program;

(2) the number of projects completed by participant contractors, alone or in partnership, by race, gender, geographic location, R3 residency, Environmental Justice Community residency, foster care system participation, and justice-involvement for the owners of contractors;

(3) the number of partnerships with participant contractors that are expected to result in contracts for work by the participant contractor, by race, gender, geographic location, R3 residency, Environmental Justice Community residency, foster care system participation, and justice-involvement for the owners of contractors;

(4) changes in participant contractors' business revenue, by race, gender, geographic location, R3 residency, Environmental Justice Community residency, foster care system participation, and justice-involvement for the owners of contractors;

(5) the number of new hires by participant contractors, by race, gender, geographic location, R3 residency, Environmental Justice Community residency, foster care system participation, and justice-involvement;

(6) demographic data, including race, gender, geographic location, R3 residency, Environmental Justice Community residency, foster care system participation, and justice-involvement, and average wage data, for new hires by participant contractors;

(7) certifications held by participant contractors, and number of participants holding each certification, including, but not limited to, registration under the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act program and other programs intended to certify BIPOC entities;

(8) the number of Program sessions attended by participant contractors, aggregated by race; and

(9) indicators relevant for assessing the general financial health of participant contractors.

(h) Within 3 years after the effective date of this Act, the Department shall select an independent evaluator to review and prepare a report on the performance of the Program and Regional Administrators. The report shall be posted publicly.

(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21.)