Ventura-sponsored legislation takes step toward lowering emissions

Illinois can work toward a cleaner, greener future as part of a recent bill that would require state-owned vehicles to be zero emission.

Senate Bill 1769, sponsored by State Senator Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, will require passenger vehicles purchased or leased by the state to either be a manufactured zero-emission vehicle or converted into a zero-emission vehicle by 2030, according to a news release from Ventura’s office.

Exceptions will be made for law enforcement and IDOT vehicles, according to the release.

Highway vehicles release about 1.4 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year, which contribute to the global climate crisis, according the Ventura’s news release.

The continuous adoption of zero-emission vehicles has the ability to move the nation close to an 80 percent decrease in transportation greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to a press release from Ventura’s office.

Senate Bill 1769 awaits final approval from the governor.