101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB0837

 

Introduced , by Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.891 new

    Creates the Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory Council Act. Provides that the purpose of the Council is to facilitate communication between the youth of the State of Illinois and the elected branches of State government regarding the issues, interests, and needs important to youth in the State of Illinois. Creates an Advisory Board, consisting of 2 members of the House of Representatives, one each appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and 2 members of the Senate, one each appointed by the President of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the Senate, to facilitate the functions of the Council. Provides for the application and nomination process for prospective members of the Council. Sets forth membership and meeting requirements and the powers of the Council. Provides that members of the Council shall serve one-year terms, but may be re-elected if they continue to be nominated and qualified to serve as members. Provides for the election of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Clerk at the first Council meeting of the year. Requires the Council to submit an annual report to the General Assembly and the Governor. Creates the Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory Council Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Provides that all moneys in the Fund shall be used to reimburse Council members for actual expenses incurred in traveling to Council meetings, including travel, food, and lodging, and printing the annual report. Amends the State Finance Act. Adds the Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory Council Fund. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory Council Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definition. For purposes of this Act:
7    "Council" means the Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory
8Council.
 
9    Section 10. The Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory
10Council. For the purpose of facilitating communication between
11the youth of the State of Illinois and the elected branches of
12State government regarding the issues, interests, and needs
13important to youth in the State of Illinois, the Illinois
14Legislative Youth Advisory Council is created. The Council
15shall have the powers and responsibilities enumerated in this
16Act, together with such others as may be conferred upon it by
17law. The Council shall be an entity created and maintained
18under the legislative branch.
 
19    Section 15. Advisory Board; members; nomination; term of
20office; vacancies.
21    (a) An Advisory Board shall be created to facilitate the

 

 

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1functions of the Council. The Advisory Board shall consist of 2
2members of the House of Representatives, one each appointed by
3the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Minority
4Leader of the House of Representatives; and 2 members of the
5Senate, one each appointed by the President of the Senate and
6the Minority Leader of the Senate. The initial term for members
7of the Advisory Council shall begin on July l, 2019, or the
8effective date of this Act, whichever occurs later, and expire
9on January 11, 2021. Thereafter, the term for members of the
10Advisory Council shall begin on the Thursday following the
11second Wednesday of January, and expire after 2 years. On or
12before September 1, 2019, the Advisory Board shall create an
13application that shall be used in nominating individuals to be
14members of the Council. The Advisory Board may, from time to
15time, modify the application with the consent of the Council.
16While the Council is in session, the Advisory Board may attend
17meetings of the Council, and may generally advise the Council.
18Nothing in this Act shall be construed to entitle Advisory
19Board members to vote on matters pending before the Council.
20    (b) Each member of the Senate shall nominate one qualified
21individual that resides in the Senator's legislative district
22to serve as a member of the Council after receiving and
23reviewing the individual's application and considering any
24recommendation made by a member of the House of
25Representatives. The Senator shall make the nomination on or
26before October 31 of each calendar year. After making the

 

 

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1nomination, the Senator shall, by first class mail, notify the
2nominated individual by November 10 of the same year. If the
3Senator is a member of the majority party, the Senator shall
4notify the President of the Senate of his or her nomination by
5November 10 of the same year. If the Senator is a member of the
6minority party, the Senator shall notify the Minority Leader of
7the Senate of his or her nomination by November 10 of the same
8year.
9    (c) Upon receiving a nomination, the President of the
10Senate or the Minority Leader of the Senate, whichever the case
11may be, shall accept the nomination, except for good cause
12shown, and appoint the individual to be a member of the
13Council. Upon appointing the nominated individual, the
14President of the Senate or the Minority Leader of the Senate,
15whichever the case may be, shall notify the individual of his
16or her appointment by first class mail. A nomination shall not
17be rejected except for good cause shown. If a nomination is
18rejected, the President of the Senate or the Minority Leader of
19the Senate, whichever the case may be, shall state in writing
20the reason or reasons that the nomination was rejected, and
21transmit the written rejection to the nominated individual and
22the Senator that nominated the individual. In such a case, the
23Senator shall nominate another qualified individual within 5
24days.
25    (d) Each Council member's term shall be for one year. A
26member shall be allowed to serve more than one term, so long as

 

 

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1the member continues to meet the requirements for being a
2member and is appointed for each term.
3    (e) Any vacancies in the Council shall be filled in the
4same or substantially the same manner as the original
5appointment within 30 days after the vacancy.
 
6    Section 20. Members; qualifications. Each member of the
7Council shall, during his or her term, be:
8        (1) a resident of this State;
9        (2) older than 16 years of age and younger than 22
10    years of age, except that if a member turns 23 years of age
11    during his or her term, such member shall be allowed to
12    complete the term; and
13        (3) be a student enrolled at a high school, community
14    college, or university in this State, except that if a
15    member graduates from high school or college during his or
16    her term, such member shall be allowed to complete the
17    term.
 
18    Section 25. Quorum; meetings; committees; leadership
19responsibilities.
20    (a) A majority of those appointed to the Council shall
21constitute a quorum.
22    (b) The Council shall convene each year on the Thursday
23following the second Wednesday of January in the State Capitol.
24At the initial meeting, the Council shall:

 

 

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1        (1) elect a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and
2    Clerk;
3        (2) adopt rules of procedure;
4        (3) form committees to assist in furthering the goals
5    of the Council, and appoint committee chairs and
6    vice-chairs; and
7        (4) announce the date and location of the next meeting
8    of the Council.
9    (c) The Council shall meet as often as is deemed necessary,
10but shall meet in person at least once within 100 days after
11the initial meeting. For all other meetings and committee
12meetings, the Council may meet by electronic or telephonic
13means. Members of the Council shall be excused from school to
14participate in in-person meetings of the Council.
15    (d) The President of the Council shall:
16        (1) convene, direct, and adjourn meetings of the
17    Council;
18        (2) call for a vote on any matter pending before the
19    Council;
20        (3) transmit Council reports to the General Assembly;
21    and
22        (4) be the official liaison between the Council and
23    General Assembly.
24    (e) The Secretary of the Council shall:
25        (1) serve as Acting President in the President's
26    absence;

 

 

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1        (2) prepare and distribute agendas of Council meetings
2    to Council members; and
3        (3) keep and maintain the minutes of Council meetings.
4    (f) The Treasurer of the Council shall:
5        (1) report on the funds available in the Illinois
6    Legislative Youth Advisory Council Fund; and
7        (2) serve as the official liaison between the Council
8    and the State Treasurer and the State Comptroller.
9    (g) The Clerk of the Council shall:
10        (1) record the final votes on any measure called for a
11    vote by the President; and
12        (2) transmit the final vote on all measures called for
13    a vote by the President to the Secretary for inclusion in
14    the minutes.
15    (h) The President in transition shall be appointed by the
16President of the Senate within 14 days after the effective date
17of this Act. The President in transition shall meet the
18qualifications set forth in Section 20 of this Act, and shall
19serve until the second Wednesday of the January following the
20effective date of this Act. The President in transition shall
21be responsible for initial outreach and marketing of the
22Council to the youth of Illinois. The President in transition
23may use the provisions of Section 35 of this Act to facilitate
24these duties.
25    (i) The Council may create more leadership positions by
26rule.
 

 

 

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1    Section 30. Powers. The Council may:
2        (1) request the drafting of legislative measures from
3    the Legislative Reference Bureau;
4        (2) provide testimony during any committee meeting of
5    the General Assembly;
6        (3) vote on any matter pending before the General
7    Assembly and inform the General Assembly of the Council's
8    position on the matter;
9        (4) draft reports and advisory opinions to the General
10    Assembly;
11        (5) perform any other activity that may reasonably
12    inform the General Assembly of the Council's position on
13    any issue of relevance; and
14        (6) conduct periodic seminars for members of the
15    Council concerning leadership, government, and the General
16    Assembly.
 
17    Section 35. Outreach.
18    (a) On or before September 1 of each year, the President of
19the Council shall notify all high schools, colleges, and
20universities in this State that the time for applying to become
21a member of the Council is open, and shall expire on October
2231. The notice shall include the requirements for membership, a
23copy of the application, and the name, district address, and
24district phone number of the Senators near the high school,

 

 

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1college, or university.
2    (b) Upon receiving notice that the application period is
3open, the high school, college, or university shall make
4reasonable attempts to notify interested students of the
5Council.
6    (c) To raise awareness about the Council, the Council may:
7        (1) conduct a public awareness campaign;
8        (2) maintain a website; and
9        (3) work with established youth groups to increase
10    awareness.
 
11    Section 40. Staff support. The President of the Senate, the
12Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
13Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of
14Representatives shall each designate an individual to serve as
15a staff member of the Council. Staff members shall be
16uncompensated and shall assist the Council in administrative
17duties.
 
18    Section 45. Report to the General Assembly and Governor.
19The Council shall submit an annual report to the General
20Assembly and the Governor detailing its activities and
21recommending any proposed legislation.
 
22    Section 50. Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory Council
23Fund. The Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory Council Fund is

 

 

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1created as a special fund in the State treasury. All moneys in
2the Fund shall be used to reimburse Council members for actual
3expenses incurred in traveling to Council meetings, including
4travel, food, and lodging, and printing the annual report in
5compliance with Section 45 of this Act. The moneys in the
6Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory Council Fund are subject to
7appropriation by the General Assembly. The Illinois
8Legislative Youth Advisory Council Fund may accept donations
9and gifts.
 
10    Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
11Section 5.891 as follows:
 
12    (30 ILCS 105/5.891 new)
13    Sec. 5.891. The Illinois Legislative Youth Advisory
14Council Fund.
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16becoming law.