HB3481 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 10704 SPS 20783 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB3481

Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. Justin Slaughter

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Illinois Moorish-American Family Commission Act. Creates the Illinois Moorish-American Family Commission to advise the Governor and General Assembly, as well as work directly with State agencies, to improve and expand existing policies, services, programs, and opportunities for Moorish-American families, children, and adults and guide the efforts of and collaborate with State agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department on Aging, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Employment Security, and others. Sets forth provisions concerning the members of the Commission, funding, addresses and reports, and oversight. Provides that administrative, technical, and staffing support for the Commission shall be provided by the Commission on Equity and Inclusion. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning government.

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 Moorish-American Family Commission Act.

Section 5. Creation; purpose. The Illinois Moorish-American Family Commission is created for the purpose of doing all of the following:

(1) Advise the Governor and General Assembly, as well as work directly with State agencies, to improve and expand existing policies, services, programs, and opportunities for Moorish-American families, children, and adults.

(2) Guide the efforts of and collaborate with State agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department on Aging, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Employment Security, and others.

This shall be achieved primarily by:

(A) monitoring and commenting on existing and proposed legislation and programs designed to address the needs of Moorish-Americans in the State;

(B) assisting State agencies in developing programs, services, public policies, and research strategies that will expand and enhance the social and economic well-being of Moorish-American children, families, and adults;

(C) facilitating the participation of and representation of Moorish-Americans in the implementation and planning of policies, development, programs, and services; and

(D) promoting research efforts to document the impact of policies and programs on Moorish-American families.

The work of the Illinois Moorish-American Family Commission shall include the use of existing reports, records, research and planning efforts, procedures, and programs.

Section 10. Commission members.

(a) The Commission shall include the following members:

(1) the Governor or his or her designee;

(2) the Lieutenant Governor or his or her designee;

(3) the Speaker of the House of Representatives or his or her designee;

(4) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) the President of the Senate or his or her designee;

(6) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(7) the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or his or her designee;

(8) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(9) the Minority Leader of the Senate or his or her designee;

(10) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(11) the Secretary of State or his or her designee;

(12) the Attorney General or his or her designee;

(13) the State Comptroller or his or her designee;

(14) the State Treasurer or his or her designee;

(15) the Cook County Board President or his or her designee; and

(16) the Mayor of the City of Chicago or his or her designee.

The Department on Aging, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Public Health, the State Board of Education, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the Department of Human Rights, the Capital Development Board, the Department of Labor, the Department of Transportation, and the elected or appointed officers of each county, such as sheriff, county clerk, treasurer, and such other officers as provided by law or by county ordinance under subsection (c) of Section 4 of Article 7 of the Illinois Constitution, wherein a Moorish-American resides or may have reason to travel to or through shall each appoint a liaison to serve ex officio on the Commission.

(b) The Commission shall include the following Moorish-Americans appointed by the Governor:

(1) the Grand Governor or Grand Governess of Illinois for the Moorish Science Temple of America or his or her designee;

(2) the Grand Sheik or Grand Sheikess of every lawfully chartered, subordinate temple of the Moorish Science Temple of America within the State or his or her designee; and

(3) 2 members of each lawfully chartered, subordinate temple of the Moorish Science Temple of America within the State, selected by the Grand Sheik or Governor of that subordinate temple of the Moorish Science Temple of America.

(c) Each member under subsection (a) shall have a working knowledge of human services, community development, and economic public policies in the State and must complete training on Moorish-American culture and Moorish-American diversity, equity, and inclusion not later than the opening of the first meeting of the Commission.

Section 15. Appointment; term; chairperson.

(a) Appointment of all members to the Commission shall be made within 60 days after the effective date of this Act, with the first meeting of the Commission to be held within 30 days thereafter.

(b) State agency members shall serve from election to election, except in the case of initial appointments.

(c) Moorish-American members shall serve on the Commission from annual convention to annual convention.

(d) The Chairperson of the Commission shall be elected from among the members of the Moorish Science Temple of America by the members of the Commission who are members of the Moorish Science Temple of America during the first meeting.

Section 20. Funding.

(a) The Commission shall operate subject to appropriation.

(b) The Commission may receive funding through appropriations available for its purposes made to each department, unit, or branch of government, as the case may be, responsible for appointing a liaison to serve ex officio on the Commission.

(c) The Commission may receive and expend funding from federal and private sources, including gifts, donations, and private grants.

(d) The Commission may receive and expend funds for the establishment, preservation, and progress of institutions for the benefit of Moorish-American families and Moorish-American cultural heritage.

(e) The first year's appropriation for the Commission shall take into account the anticipated creation and establishment of not less than one free-standing Commission office in each state representative district.

(f) Succeeding annual Commission budgets shall respond equitably to the recommendations of the Commission in response to the previous year's findings and reports of the Commission, Commissioners, and Commission offices and Commission officers.

(g) The Moorish-American members of the Commission shall be compensated for their service at a per annum rate equivalent to the per diem rate for State legislators, plus travel expenses. Members who are State or legislative officers or appointed by State or legislative officers shall serve without additional compensation but shall be reimbursed for Commission-related expenses.

Section 25. Annual addresses and reports.

(a) The Chairperson of the Commission or his or her designee shall issue an annual address on the state of Moorish-Americans to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Supreme Court.

(b) The Commission shall issue an annual report to the Moorish Science Temple of America, the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Commission on Equity and Inclusion on the Commission's progress toward its goals and objectives. This report is to be made available to the public.

Section 30. Oversight. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Commission on Equity and Inclusion shall have oversight of the operations of the Commission and its offices.

Section 35. Administrative, technical, and staffing support. Administrative, technical, and staffing support for the Commission shall be provided by the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.

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