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| Public Act 103-0198 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Energy Transition Act is amended by | ||||
changing Section 5-50 as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 730/5-50) | ||||
(Section scheduled to be repealed on September 15, 2045)
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Sec. 5-50. Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training | ||||
Program.
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(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall develop | ||||
and, in coordination with the Department of Corrections, | ||||
administer the Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training | ||||
Program.
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(b) As used in this Section:
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"Commitment" means a judicially determined placement in | ||||
the custody of the Department of Corrections on the basis of a | ||||
conviction.
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"Committed person" means a person committed to the | ||||
Department of Corrections.
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"Community-based organization" means an organization that: | ||||
(1) provides employment, skill development, or related | ||||
services to members of the community; | ||||
(2) includes community colleges, nonprofits, and local | ||||
governments; and | ||
(3) has a history of serving committed persons or | ||
justice-involved persons.
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"Correctional institution or facility" means a Department | ||
of Corrections building or part of a Department of Corrections | ||
building where committed persons are detained in a secure | ||
manner.
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"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic | ||
Opportunity.
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"Discharge" means the end of a sentence or the final | ||
termination of a detainee's physical commitment to and | ||
confinement in the Department of Corrections.
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"Location" means where the returning resident is | ||
physically located, such as: | ||
(1) a correctional institution or facility; | ||
(2) a county; | ||
(3) a municipality or town; and | ||
(4) a place of employment. | ||
"Program" means the Returning Residents Clean Jobs | ||
Training Program. | ||
"Program Administrator" means, for each Program Delivery | ||
Area, the administrator selected by the Department pursuant to | ||
paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of this Section.
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"Returning resident" means any United States resident who | ||
is: (i) 17 years of age or older; (ii) in the physical custody | ||
of the Department of Corrections; and (iii) scheduled to be | ||
re-entering society within 36 months.
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(c) Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program.
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(1) Connected services. The Program shall prepare | ||
graduates to work in the clean energy and related sector | ||
jobs as defined in Section 5-25.
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(2) Recruitment of participants. The Program | ||
Administrators shall, in coordination with the Department | ||
of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, educate committed | ||
persons in both men's and women's correctional | ||
institutions and facilities on the benefits of the Program | ||
and how to enroll in the Program.
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(3) Connection to employers. The Program | ||
Administrators shall, with assistance from the Regional | ||
Administrators, connect Program graduates with potential | ||
employers in the clean energy jobs industries.
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(4) Graduation. Participants who successfully complete | ||
all assignments in the Program shall receive a Program | ||
graduation certificate and any certifications or | ||
credentials earned in the process.
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(5) Eligibility. A committed person in a correctional | ||
institution or facility is eligible if the committed | ||
person:
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(i) is within 36 months of expected release;
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(ii) consented in writing to participation in the | ||
Program; | ||
(iii) meets all Program and testing requirements;
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(iv) is willing to follow all Program | ||
requirements;
and | ||
(v) does not pose a safety and security risk for | ||
the facility or any person.
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The Department of Corrections shall have sole discretion | ||
to determine whether a committed person's participation in the | ||
Program poses a safety and security risk for the facility or | ||
any person. The Department of Corrections shall determine | ||
whether a committed person is eligible to participate in the | ||
Program.
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(d) Program entry and testing requirements. To enter the | ||
Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, committed | ||
persons must complete a simple application, undergo an | ||
interview and coaching session, and must score a minimum of a | ||
6.0 or above on the Test for Adult Basic Education or the | ||
Illinois Community College Board approved assessment for | ||
determining basic skills deficiency. The Returning Residents | ||
Clean Jobs Training Program shall include a one-week | ||
pre-program orientation that ensures the candidates understand | ||
and are interested in continuing the Program. Candidates that | ||
successfully complete the orientation may continue to the full | ||
Program.
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(d-5) Training. Once approved for the new program, | ||
candidates must receive essential employability skills | ||
training as part of vocational or occupational training. | ||
Training must lead to certifications or credentials that | ||
prepare candidates for employment. | ||
(e) Removal from the Program. The Department of | ||
Corrections may remove a committed person enrolled in the | ||
Program for violation of institutional rules; failure to | ||
participate or meet expectations of the Program; failure of a | ||
drug test; disruptive behavior; or for reasons of safety, | ||
security, and order of the facility.
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(f) Drug testing. A clean drug test is required to | ||
complete the Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program. | ||
A drug test shall be administered at least once prior to | ||
graduation. The Department of Corrections shall be responsible | ||
for the drug testing of applicants.
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(g) Curriculum.
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(1) The Department of Commerce and Economic | ||
Opportunity shall design a curriculum for the Program that | ||
is as similar as practical to the Clean Jobs Curriculum | ||
and meets in-facility requirements. The curriculum shall | ||
focus on preparing graduates for employment in the clean | ||
energy and related sector jobs as defined in Section 5-25. | ||
The Program shall include structured hands-on activities | ||
in correctional institutions or facilities, including | ||
classroom spaces and outdoor spaces, to instruct | ||
participants in the core curriculum established in this | ||
Act. The Department and the Department of Corrections | ||
shall work together to ensure all curriculum elements may | ||
be available within Department of Corrections facilities.
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(2) The Program Administrators shall collaborate to | ||
create and publish a guidebook that allows for the | ||
implementation of the curriculum and provides information | ||
on all necessary and useful resources for Program | ||
participants and graduates.
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(h) Program administration.
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(1) The Department of Commerce and Economic | ||
Opportunity shall select a Program Administrator for each | ||
Program Delivery Area to administer and coordinate the | ||
Program. The Program Administrators shall have strong | ||
capabilities, experience, and knowledge related to program | ||
development and economic management; cultural and language | ||
competency needed to be effective in the communities to be | ||
served; committed persons or justice-involved persons; | ||
knowledge and experience in working with providers of | ||
clean energy jobs; and awareness of clean energy and | ||
related sector trends and activities, workforce | ||
development best practices, regional workforce development | ||
needs, and community development. | ||
The Program Administrator must pass a background check | ||
administered by the Department of Corrections and be | ||
approved by the Department of Corrections to work within a | ||
secure facility prior to being hired by the Department of | ||
Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a Program delivery | ||
area.
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(2) The Program Administrators shall:
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(i) coordinate with Regional Administrators and | ||
the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program to ensure | ||
that execution, performance, partnerships, marketing, | ||
and Program access across the State consistent with | ||
respecting regional differences;
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(ii) work with community-based organizations | ||
approved to provide industry-recognized credentials or | ||
education institutions to deliver the Program;
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(iii) collaborate to create and publish an | ||
employer "Hiring Returning Residents" handbook that | ||
includes benefits and expectations of hiring returning | ||
residents, guidance on how to recruit, hire, and | ||
retain returning residents, guidance on how to access | ||
State and federal tax credits and incentives and State | ||
and federal resources, guidance on how to update | ||
company policies to support hiring and supporting | ||
returning residents, and an understanding of the harm | ||
in one-size-fits-all policies toward returning | ||
residents. The handbook shall be updated every 5 years | ||
or more frequently if needed to ensure that its | ||
contents are accurate. The handbook shall be made | ||
available on the Department's website;
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(iv) work with potential employers to promote | ||
company policies to support hiring and supporting | ||
returning residents via employee/employer liability, | ||
coverage, insurance, bonding, training, hiring | ||
practices, and retention support;
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(v) provide services such as job coaching and | ||
financial coaching to Program graduates to support | ||
employment longevity;
and | ||
(vi) identify clean energy job opportunities and | ||
assist participants in achieving employment. The | ||
Program shall include at least one job fair; include | ||
job placement discussions with clean energy employers; | ||
establish a partnership with Illinois solar energy | ||
businesses and trade associations to identify solar | ||
employers that support and hire returning residents; | ||
and involve the Department of Commerce and Economic | ||
Opportunity, Regional Administrators, and the Advisory | ||
Council in finding employment for participants and | ||
graduates in the clean energy and related sector | ||
industries. | ||
(3) The Department shall select community-based | ||
organizations to provide Program elements at each | ||
facility. Community-based organizations shall be | ||
competitively selected by the Department of Commerce and | ||
Economic Opportunity. Community-based organizations | ||
delivering the Program elements outlined may provide all | ||
elements required or may subcontract to other entities for | ||
the provision of portions of Program elements. All | ||
contractors who have regular interactions with committed | ||
persons, regularly access a Department of Corrections | ||
facility, or regularly access a committed person's | ||
personal identifying information or other data elements | ||
must pass a Department of Corrections background check | ||
prior to being approved to administer the Program elements | ||
at a facility.
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(4) The Department of Corrections shall aim to include | ||
training in conjunction with other pre-release procedures | ||
and movements. Delays in a workshop being provided shall | ||
not cause delays in discharge.
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(5) The Program Administrators may establish shortened | ||
Returning Resident Clean Jobs Training Programs to prepare | ||
and place graduates in the Clean Jobs Workforce Network | ||
Program or the Illinois Climate Works Preapprenticeship | ||
Program following the graduate's release from commitment. | ||
Graduates of these programs shall receive training that | ||
leads to certification or credentials designed to lead to | ||
employment and shall be prioritized for placement in a | ||
Clean Jobs Workforce Hubs training program or the Illinois | ||
Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program.
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(6) The Director of Corrections shall:
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(i) Ensure that the wardens or superintendents of | ||
all correctional institutions and facilities visibly | ||
post information on the Program in an accessible | ||
manner for committed individuals.
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(ii) Identify the institutions and facilities | ||
within the Department of Corrections that will offer | ||
the Program. The determination of which facility will | ||
offer the Program shall be based on available | ||
programming space, staffing, population, facility | ||
mission, security concerns, and any other relevant | ||
factor in determining suitable locations for the | ||
Program.
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(i) Performance metrics.
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(1) The Program Administrators shall collect and | ||
disaggregate data by race, ethnicity, gender, age, and | ||
location to evaluate and ensure Program and participant | ||
success. This data shall be shared with the Office of | ||
Equity and shall include , including:
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(i) the number of returning residents who enrolled | ||
in the Program;
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(ii) the number of returning residents who were | ||
accepted for enrollment into completed the Program;
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(iii) the total number of returning residents who | ||
applied for and were denied for enrollment into the | ||
Program individuals discharged;
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(iv) the demographics of each entering and | ||
graduating class;
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(v) the percentage of graduates employed at 6 and | ||
12 months after release;
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(vi) the number of returning residents who did not | ||
complete the Program the recidivism rate of Program | ||
participants at 3 and 5 years after release;
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(vii) the total number of individuals discharged | ||
the candidates interviewed and hiring status;
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(viii) the graduate employment status, such as | ||
hire date, pay rates, whether full-time, part-time, or | ||
seasonal, and separation date; and
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(ix) continuing education and certifications | ||
gained by Program graduates; .
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(x) the recidivism rate of Program participants at | ||
1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 years after release; | ||
(xi) the candidates interviewed and their hiring | ||
status; | ||
(xii) the number of returning residents who | ||
enrolled in the Program and were removed; | ||
(xiii) the number of returning residents who | ||
graduated from the Program and remained employed in | ||
the clean energy industry within one year and 3 years | ||
after release. If practicable, the Department shall | ||
consult with the Department of Employment Security to | ||
also provide this data for 5, 7, and 10 years after | ||
release; | ||
(xiv) the number of returning residents who | ||
graduated from the Program and changed employment in | ||
the clean energy industry within one year and 3 years | ||
after release. If practicable, the Department shall | ||
consult with the Department of Employment Security to | ||
also provide this data for 5, 7, and 10 years after | ||
release; | ||
(xv) the number of returning residents who | ||
graduated from the Program and separated from | ||
employment in the clean energy industry and received | ||
employment in another industry within one year and 3 | ||
years after release. If practicable, the Department | ||
shall consult with the Department of Employment | ||
Security to provide this data for 5, 7, and 10 years | ||
after release; and | ||
(xvi) the number of returning residents who | ||
completed the Program. | ||
(2) The Department of Commerce and Economic | ||
Opportunity shall publish an annual report containing | ||
these performance metrics. Data may be disaggregated by | ||
institution, discharge, or residence address of resident, | ||
and other factors.
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(j) Funding. Funding for the Program is subject to | ||
appropriation from the Energy Transition Assistance Fund. | ||
Funding may be made available from other lawful sources, | ||
including donations, grants, and federal incentives. | ||
(k) Access. The Program instructors and staff must pass a | ||
background check administered by the Department of Corrections | ||
prior to entering a Department of Corrections institution or | ||
facility. The Warden or Superintendent shall have the | ||
authority to deny a Program instructor or staff member entry | ||
into an institution or facility for safety and security | ||
concerns or failure to follow all facility procedures or | ||
protocols. A Program instructor or staff member administering | ||
the Program may be terminated or have his or her contract | ||
canceled if the Program instructor or staff member is denied | ||
entry into an institution or facility for safety and security | ||
concerns.
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(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21.) | ||