Illinois § 25

§ 25.

Youth and Young Adult Conservation and Education Pilot Program. (a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall administer the Program. The Program may consist of any of the following: (1) allocation of grants to units of local government or non-profit entities to provide conservation education and employment opportunities for youth and young adults of this State; (2) development and implementation of conservation education or job training programs; and (3) internship opportunities with the Department for youth and young adults of this State. (b) The Program's education and employment opportunities shall be limited to citizens of this State who at the time of enrollment in the Program are 15 through 25 years of age. Grants under this Act are limited to units of local government and non-profit entities that are located in the State of Illinois and that provide conservation education and employment opportunities for youth and young adults of this State. (c) The Department shall designate suitable grant opportunities, projects, internships, and educational curriculum for the purposes of this Act. Grants, projects, internships, and curriculum so designated by the Department shall be for the purpose of: (1) development, enhancement, and maintenance of the natural resources of the State of Illinois, and offering related educational opportunities; (2) environmental stewardship and civic responsibility; (3) enhancement of public lands owned or leased by the Department or developing and enhancing projects or initiatives undertaken in whole or part by the Department; or (4) any combination of the purposes described in items (1) through (3). Such projects, internships, and curriculum shall include improving the habitat of fauna and flora; improving utilization of conservation or recreation facilities and lands by the public; improving water quality; and any other project deemed by the Department to improve the environmental, economic, and recreational quality of the State's natural resources. All projects and internships designated by the Department shall be within a reasonable commuting time for each participant. In no circumstance shall interns be required to spend more than 1 1/2 hours of commuting time to a project or a designated area, but an intern may agree to spend more than 1 1/2 hours of commuting time to a project or a designated area. (c-5) Interns shall receive at least the standard minimum wage as set by the State of Illinois, when applicable, and shall work normal working hours as determined by the Department. The interns shall not be classified as employees of the State for purposes of contributions to the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois or any other public employment retirement system of the State. (d) The Department may enter into contracts, intergovernmental agreements, grants, cooperative agreements, memoranda of understanding, or other instruments as necessary to implement the Program. (e) The Department shall adopt administrative rules pertaining to implementation, standards, criteria, and administration of the Program. (Source: P.A. 103-788, eff. 1-1-25; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)