Bill Text: IL SB1570 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Enrolled

---

Bill Title: Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the State Finance Act, the School Code, and the Public Community College Act. Creates the School Wind and Solar Generation Program to fund wind generation projects and solar generation projects for school districts and community college districts. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to implement and administer the program; allows the Department to award full or partial grants for, without limitation, engineering studies, feasibility studies, research studies, and construction costs. For each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014, requires the State Comptroller to order transferred and the State Treasurer to transfer $5,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the School Wind and Solar Generation Fund, a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that all money in the Fund must be used for the purposes of the program. Allows school districts and community college districts to own and operate solar generation turbine farms (not just wind generation turbine farms) that directly or indirectly reduce energy or other operating costs. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2009-08-25 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-0725 [SB1570 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SB1570-Enrolled.html

---

SB1570 Enrolled LRB096 10957 NHT 21214 b
AN ACT concerning schools.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Finance Authority Act is amended by
adding Section 825-100 as follows:
(20 ILCS 3501/825-100 new)
Sec. 825-100. School Wind and Solar Generation Program.
(a) There is created the School Wind and Solar Generation
Program to fund wind generation projects and solar generation
projects for school districts and community college districts.
The Authority may implement and administer this program. Under
the program, the Authority may provide to school districts and
community college districts that apply, full or partial
low-interest loans for, without limitation, engineering
studies, feasibility studies, research studies, and
construction costs for wind generation projects and solar
generation projects. The loan funds, subject to appropriation,
shall be paid out of the School Wind and Solar Generation
Revolving Loan Fund. All repayments of loans shall be deposited
into the School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund.
(b) The Authority may make available information regarding
the School Wind and Solar Generation Program to all school
districts and community college districts in this State.

SB1570 Enrolled - 2 - LRB096 10957 NHT 21214 b
(c) The School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan
Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The
School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund shall
consist of any moneys appropriated into the School Wind and
Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund, as well as all repayments
of loans made under the School Wind and Solar Generation
Program. All interest earned on moneys in the School Wind and
Solar Generation Revolving Loan Fund shall be deposited into
the Fund. All money in the School Wind and Solar Generation
Revolving Loan Fund must be used, subject to appropriation, by
the Authority for the purposes of this Section.
(d) The Authority may accept additional funding for the
School Wind and Solar Generation Program from the federal
government and private donations.
(e) The Authority may adopt any rules necessary to
implement this Section.
Section 7. The Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and
Coal Resources Development Law of 1997 is amended by changing
Section 6-5.5 as follows:
(20 ILCS 687/6-5.5)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 12, 2015)
Sec. 6-5.5. Renewable energy grants.
(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department may establish
and operate a renewable energy grant program to assist public

SB1570 Enrolled - 3 - LRB096 10957 NHT 21214 b
schools and community colleges with engineering studies and
feasibility studies and school districts in the installation,
acquisition, construction, and improvement of renewable energy
resources in the public schools, including without limitation
solar energy (such as solar panels), geothermal energy, and
wind energy.
(b) Application for a grant under this Section must be in
the form and manner established by the Department. The grant
shall cover 50% of the cost for which the grant is sought, up
to a maximum grant of $1,000,000, if the applicant school
district is able to demonstrate that it has funds to pay the
other 50% of the cost. The schools and community colleges
school district may accept private funds for their its portion
of the cost.
(c) The Department may adopt any rules that are necessary
to carry out its responsibilities under this Section.
(Source: P.A. 95-46, eff. 8-10-07.)
Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Section 5.719 as follows:
(30 ILCS 105/5.719 new)
Sec. 5.719. The School Wind and Solar Generation Revolving
Loan Fund.
Section 15. The School Code is amended by changing Sections

SB1570 Enrolled - 4 - LRB096 10957 NHT 21214 b
10-20.42 and 34-18.36 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/10-20.42)
Sec. 10-20.42. Wind and solar farms farm. A school
district may own and operate a wind or solar generation turbine
farm, either individually or jointly with a unit of local
government, school district, or community college district
that is authorized to own and operate a wind or solar
generation turbine farm, that directly or indirectly reduces
the energy or other operating costs of the school district. The
school district may ask for the assistance of any State agency,
including without limitation the State Board of Education, the
Illinois Power Agency, or the Environmental Protection Agency,
in obtaining financing options for a wind or solar generation
turbine farm.
(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08;
95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
(105 ILCS 5/34-18.36)
Sec. 34-18.36. Wind and solar farms farm. The school
district may own and operate a wind or solar generation turbine
farm, either individually or jointly with a unit of local
government, school district, or community college district
that is authorized to own and operate a wind or solar
generation turbine farm, that directly or indirectly reduces
the energy or other operating costs of the school district. The

SB1570 Enrolled - 5 - LRB096 10957 NHT 21214 b
school district may ask for the assistance of any State agency,
including without limitation the State Board of Education, the
Illinois Power Agency, or the Environmental Protection Agency,
in obtaining financing options for a wind or solar generation
turbine farm.
(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08;
95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
Section 20. The Public Community College Act is amended by
changing Section 3-42.3 as follows:
(110 ILCS 805/3-42.3)
Sec. 3-42.3. Wind and solar farms farm. To own and operate
a wind or solar generation turbine farm, either individually or
jointly with a unit of local government, school district, or
community college district that is authorized to own and
operate a wind or solar generation turbine farm, that directly
or indirectly reduces the energy or other operating costs of
the community college district. The board may ask for the
assistance of any State agency, including without limitation
the State Board, the Illinois Power Agency, or the
Environmental Protection Agency, in obtaining financing
options for a wind or solar generation turbine farm.
(Source: P.A. 95-390, eff. 8-23-07; 95-805, eff. 8-12-08.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.