SAFETY-TECH

This bill creates a new Health and Equity Advisory Council to guide Illinois state agencies on environmental justice and the use of federal funds for these issues. The council will include representatives from disadvantaged communities and various state departments, tasked with making findings and recommendations while submitting annual reports to the General Assembly. To support its work, the legislation defines specific monitoring methods, such as using low-cost neighborhood sensors and tracking truck traffic at large facilities, to better identify where pollution disproportionately affects local populations. Ultimately, the bill aims to ensure that policy decisions regarding air quality and emissions are made in close collaboration with the communities most impacted by them.