HB3357eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3357 Engrossed LRB098 07868 RLC 37952 b

AN ACT concerning criminal law.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Vulnerable Adults Abandonment Prevention Task Force Act.

Section 5. Vulnerable Adults Abandonment Prevention Task Force Act; members.

(a) There is created the Vulnerable Adults Abandonment Prevention Task Force (hereinafter referred to as the Task Force) to address the growing problem of vulnerable adults being left without regard for their mental or physical health, safety, or welfare. The Task Force shall consist of 14 members appointed as follows:

(1) 3 members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) 3 members of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(3) 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(4) 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and

(5) 2 members appointed by the Governor one of whom shall be designated the chairperson by the Governor.

(b) The members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(c) The State of Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force, and the Task Force shall also seek input from the Department of Human Services, the Department on Aging, and the Office of State Guardian. The Task Force shall consult with representatives of law enforcement, bar associations, and not-for-profits focused on persons with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and victims of elder abuse in the preparation of its final report.

(d) The Task Force shall conduct a study on the incidence of abandonment of vulnerable adults by persons and entities legally responsible to safeguard the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of persons who are severely or profoundly intellectually disabled as a result of developmental disabilities, mental illness, dementia, or other similar incapacity and to make recommendations sufficient to protect these vulnerable adults, including the consideration of criminal penalties for the abandonment of these vulnerable adults without assuring adequate support or supervision.

(e) On or before January 1, 2014, the Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly, by filing copies of its report as provided in Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and to the Governor.

(f) The Task Force is abolished on May 31, 2014.

Section 10. Repeal. This Act is repealed on June 1, 2014.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.