Public Act 095-0833
 		





HB4369 Enrolled
LRB095 15572 RCE 43401 b






    AN ACT concerning people living in poverty.

 
    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 
Commission on the Elimination of Poverty Act.
 
    Section 5. Legislative Findings. It is the goal of the 
State of Illinois that all people be free from poverty. 
    The preamble to the Constitution of the State of Illinois 
states that the elimination of poverty and inequality are among  
the core  goals of our State government.   The Illinois Human 
Rights Act states that the public policy of the State of 
Illinois is "to promote the public health, welfare and safety 
by protecting the interest of all people in Illinois in 
maintaining personal dignity, in realizing their full 
productive capacities, and in furthering their interests, 
rights and privileges as citizens of this State".  The State of 
Illinois is a party to all international human rights treaties 
signed and ratified by the United States.
    Illinois is one of the wealthiest states in the United 
States, yet it has one of the highest rates of poverty and 
extreme poverty in the Midwest.   The poverty level in 2007 was 
$20,620 or less per year for a family of 4 and $10,310 or less 
per year for a family of 4 in extreme poverty.  In 2006 just 
under 1,400,000 people residing in Illinois were living in 
poverty and over 687,000 people residing  in Illinois were 
living in extreme poverty.  There are people living in extreme 
poverty in every Illinois county.
    Full participation in civic life cannot be achieved without 
those things that protect and preserve human dignity and make 
for a healthy life, including adequate nutrition and housing, 
meaningful work, safe communities, health care, and education.  
    Illinois has no comprehensive plan for the elimination of 
poverty.
 
    Section 10. Commission on the Elimination of Poverty.   The  
Commission on the Elimination of Poverty is created.  The 
purpose of the Commission is to comprehensively address poverty 
in Illinois consistent with international human rights 
standards.  The initial goal of the Commission is to develop a 
poverty elimination strategic plan to reduce extreme poverty in 
Illinois by 50% or more by 2015.  In developing the overall 
strategic plan, and in working toward the goal of reducing 
extreme poverty in Illinois by at least 50% by 2015, the 
Commission shall address, at a minimum, all of the following:
    (1) Access to safe, decent and affordable housing.
    (2) Access to adequate food and nutrition.
    (3) Access to affordable and quality health care.
    (4) Equal access to quality education and training.
    (5) Dependable and affordable transportation.
    (6) Access to quality and affordable child care.
    (7) Opportunities to engage in meaningful and sustainable 
work that pays a living wage.
    (8) The availability of adequate income supports.
    The strategic plan shall include specific policy and fiscal 
recommendations and a timeline for each stage of implementation 
for each recommendation.  For each recommendation, the 
Commission shall identify in measurable terms the actual or 
potential impact.  The Commission may review and may make 
comments and recommendations on existing or proposed programs, 
policies, administrative rules, and statutes that have an 
impact on poverty in Illinois and, in particular, people living 
in extreme poverty.
 
    Section 15. Members.  The Commission on the Elimination of 
Poverty shall be composed of no more than  26 voting members 
including 2 members of the Illinois House of Representatives, 
one appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by 
the House Minority Leader; 2 members of the Illinois Senate, 
one appointed by the Senate President and one appointed by the 
Senate Minority Leader;  one representative of the Office of the 
Governor appointed by the Governor; one representative of the 
Office of the Lieutenant Governor appointed by the Lieutenant 
Governor; and 20 public members, 4 of whom shall be appointed 
by the Governor, 4 of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
the House, 4 of whom shall be appointed by the House Minority 
Leader, 4 of whom shall be appointed by the Senate President, 
and 4 of whom shall be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader.  
It shall be determined by lot who will appoint which public 
members of the Commission.  The public members shall include a 
representative of a service-based human rights organization; 2 
representatives from anti-poverty organizations, including one 
that focuses on rural poverty; 2 individuals who have 
experienced extreme poverty;  a representative of an 
organization that advocates for health care access, 
affordability and availability;  a representative of an 
organization that advocates for persons with mental illness; a 
representative of an organization that  advocates for children 
and youth;  a representative of an organization that advocates 
for quality and equality in education;  a representative of an 
organization that advocates for people who are homeless; a 
representative of a statewide anti-hunger organization; a 
person with a disability;  a representative of an organization 
that advocates for persons with disabilities; a representative 
of an organization that advocates for immigrants; a 
representative of a statewide faith-based organization that 
provides direct social services in Illinois; a representative 
of an organization that advocates for economic security for 
women;  a representative of an organization that advocates for 
older adults;  a representative of a labor organization that 
represents primarily low and middle-income wage earners; a 
representative of a municipal or county government; and a 
representative of township government.  The appointed members 
shall reflect the racial, gender, and geographic diversity of 
the State and shall include representation from regions of the 
State experiencing the highest rates of extreme poverty. 
    The following officials shall serve as ex-officio members:  
the Secretary of Human Services or his or her designee; the 
Director of Corrections or his or her designee; the Director of 
Healthcare and Family Services or his or her designee;  the 
Director of Human Rights or his or her designee; the Director 
of Children and Family Services or his or her designee; the 
Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or his or her 
designee; the State Superintendent of Education or his or her 
designee;  the Director of Aging or his or her designee;  the 
Director of Public Health or his or her designee; and the 
Director of Employment Security or his or her designee.   The 
State Workforce Investment Board, the African-American Family 
Commission, and the Latino Family Commission shall each 
designate a liaison to serve ex-officio on the Commission.


    Members shall serve without compensation, but, subject to 
the availability of funds, public members may be reimbursed for 
reasonable and necessary travel expenses connected to 
Commission business.
    Commission members shall be appointed within 60 days after 
the effective date of this Act.  The Commission shall hold its 
initial meeting within 30 days after at least 50% of the 
members have been appointed.
    The representative of the Office of the Governor and the 
representative of a service-based human rights organization 
shall serve as co-chairs of the Commission.
    At the first meeting of the Commission, the members shall 
select a 7-person Steering Committee that includes the 
co-chairs.
    The Commission may establish committees that address 
specific issues or populations and may appoint individuals with 
relevant expertise who are not appointed members of the 
Commission to serve on committees as needed.
    Under the leadership of the Office of the Governor, subject 
to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall 
provide administrative support to the Commission.
 
    Section 20. Meetings; reports. The full Commission shall 
meet at least annually. The Steering Committee shall meet  at 
least quarterly.  In addition, it may hold up to 4 public 
hearings to assist in the development of the strategic plan.   
The Commission shall also consider written comments for the 
purpose of developing the strategic plan.
    The Commission shall issue an interim report on its 
activities and recommendations to the constitutional officers 
and to  the General Assembly on or before March 1, 2009.  The 
strategic plan shall be adopted by the Commission not later 
than January 1, 2010 and sent to the constitutional officers 
and to the General Assembly.   Following the adoption of the 
strategic plan, the Commission shall continue to meet and issue 
annual reports by March 1st of each year on the implementation 
of the strategic plan.
    The Commission shall hold at least one public hearing prior 
to the issuance of each annual report.
 

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