Public Act 098-0091
 
HB2591 EnrolledLRB098 07302 JLS 37365 b


  
    AN ACT concerning employment.
  
 
    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 
Illinois Employment First Act.
 
    Section 5. Policy. It is the policy of this State that 
competitive and integrated employment shall be considered the 
first option when serving persons with disabilities of working 
age. This policy applies to programs and services that provide 
services and supports to help persons with disabilities obtain 
employment. All State agencies shall follow this policy and 
ensure that it is effectively implemented in their programs and 
services. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require 
any employer to give preference to hiring persons with 
disabilities.
 
    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
    "Competitive employment" means work in the competitive 
labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time 
basis in an integrated setting and for which an individual is 
compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the 
customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for 
the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not 
disabled.
    "Disability" has the meaning ascribed to that term in 
Section 10 of the Disabilities Services Act of 2003.


    "Integrated setting" means with respect to an employment 
outcome, a setting typically found in the community in which 
applicants or eligible individuals interact with non-disabled 
individuals, other than non-disabled individuals who are 
providing services to those applicants or eligible 
individuals, to the same extent that non-disabled individuals 
in comparable positions interact with other persons.

    "State agency" means and includes all boards, commissions, 
agencies, institutions, authorities, and bodies politic and 
corporate of the State, created by or in accordance with the 
Illinois Constitution or State statute, of the executive branch 
of State government and does include colleges, universities,


public employee retirement systems, and institutions under the 
jurisdiction of the governing boards of the University of 
Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Illinois State 
University, Eastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois 
University, Western Illinois University, Chicago State 
University, Governors State University, Northeastern Illinois 
University, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
 
    Section 15. Agency coordination. All State agencies shall 
coordinate efforts and shall collaborate within and among such 
agencies to ensure that State programs, policies, procedures, 
and funding support competitive and integrated employment of 
persons with disabilities. All State agencies shall, whenever 
feasible, share data and information across systems in order to 
track progress toward full implementation of this Act. State 
agencies are authorized to adopt rules to implement this Act.
 
    Section 20. Establishment of measurable goals and 
objectives. The Employment and Economic Opportunity for 
Persons with Disabilities Task Force established under the 
Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with 
Disabilities Task Force Act shall establish measurable goals 
and objectives for the State to ensure implementation of this 
Act and monitor the measured progress toward implementation of 
this Act. All State agencies shall fully cooperate with the 
Task Force and provide data and information to assist the Task 
Force in carrying out its responsibilities. The Task Force 
shall include in its annual report a progress report on the 
implementation of this Act and any recommendations with respect 
to the implementation of this Act.
 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.