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| Public Act 095-0084 |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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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 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Green | ||||
Cleaning Schools Act. | ||||
Section 5. Legislative findings. Children are vulnerable | ||||
to and may be severely affected by exposure to chemicals, | ||||
hazardous waste, and other environmental hazards. The Federal | ||||
Environmental Protection Agency estimates that human exposure | ||||
to indoor air pollutants can be 2 to 5 times and up to 100 times | ||||
higher than outdoor levels. Children, teachers, janitors, and | ||||
other staff members spend a significant amount of time inside | ||||
school buildings and are continuously exposed to chemicals from | ||||
cleaners, waxes, deodorizers, and other maintenance products. | ||||
Section 10. Use of green cleaning supplies. By no later | ||||
than 90 days after implementation of the guidelines and | ||||
specifications established under Section 15 of this Act or | ||||
thereafter when it is economically feasible, all elementary and | ||||
secondary public schools and all elementary and secondary | ||||
non-public schools with 50 or more students shall establish a | ||||
green cleaning policy and exclusively purchase and use | ||||
environmentally-sensitive cleaning products pursuant to the | ||||
guidelines and specifications established under Section 15 of | ||
this Act. However, a school may deplete its existing cleaning | ||
and maintenance supply stocks and implement the new | ||
requirements in the procurement cycle for the following school | ||
year. | ||
For the purposes of this Section, adopting a green cleaning | ||
policy is not economically feasible if such adoption would | ||
result in an increase in the cleaning costs of the school. If | ||
adopting a green cleaning policy is not economically feasible, | ||
the school must provide annual written notification to the | ||
Illinois Green Government Coordinating Council (IGGCC), on a | ||
form provided by the IGGCC, that the development and | ||
implementation of a green cleaning policy is not economically | ||
feasible until such time that it is economically feasible. | ||
Section 15. Green cleaning supply guidelines and | ||
specifications. The Illinois Green Government Coordinating | ||
Council (IGGCC) shall, in consultation with the Department of | ||
Public Health, the State Board of Education, regional offices | ||
of education, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, | ||
and a panel of interested stakeholders, including cleaning | ||
product industry representatives, non-governmental | ||
organizations, and others, establish and amend on an annual | ||
basis guidelines and specifications for | ||
environmentally-sensitive cleaning and maintenance products | ||
for use in school facilities. The IGGCC shall provide multiple | ||
avenues by which cleaning products may be determined to be | ||
environmentally-sensitive under the guidelines. Guidelines and | ||
specifications must be established after a review and | ||
evaluation of existing research and must be completed no later | ||
than 180 days after the effective date of this Act. Guidelines | ||
and specifications may include implementation practices, | ||
including inspection. The completed guidelines and | ||
specifications must be posted on the IGGCC's Internet website. | ||
Section 20. Dissemination to schools. | ||
(a) Upon the completion of the guidelines and | ||
specifications under Section 15 of this Act, the IGGCC shall | ||
provide each regional office of education and each elementary | ||
or secondary non-public school with 50 or more students in this | ||
State with the guidelines and specifications. Each regional | ||
office of education shall immediately disseminate the | ||
guidelines and specifications to every public school in the | ||
educational service region. Regional offices of education and | ||
the IGGCC shall provide on-going assistance to schools to carry | ||
out the requirements of this Act. | ||
(b) In the event that the guidelines and specifications | ||
under Section 15 of this Act are updated by the IGGCC, the | ||
IGGCC shall provide the updates to each regional office of | ||
education for immediate dissemination to each public school. | ||
Additionally, the IGGCC shall post all updated materials on its | ||
Internet website. | ||
Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding | ||
Section 8.31 as follows: | ||
(30 ILCS 805/8.31 new) | ||
Sec. 8.31. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 | ||
of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the | ||
implementation of any mandate created by the Green Cleaning | ||
Schools Act.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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