101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB3986

 

Introduced 1/8/2020___________, by

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 2421/1
20 ILCS 2421/5
20 ILCS 2421/10
20 ILCS 2421/11 new
20 ILCS 2421/15

    Amends the Blind Vendors Act. Renames the Act the Vending Facilities Act. Provides that priority shall be given to blind vendors in the operation of 50% of the vending facilities on State property (rather than priority shall be given to blind vendors in the operation of vending facilities on State property). Requires each State agency controlling State property or parts thereof where vending machines or vending facilities are located to implement an aspirational goal of awarding contracts representing 50% of the vending machines or vending facilities under its control to minority-owned or women-owned businesses. Provides that each State-operated facility that has 6 or more vending machines under its control shall award at least 2 contracts for vending, where practical. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act apply to written contracts or agreements entered into on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act; and that any written contract or agreement in place prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act between a State agency and the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind shall be maintained and fully adhered to including any moneys paid to individual vending facilities. Defines terms. Provides that to ensure adequate competition and to encourage new participants, all written contracts or agreements for vending machines or vending facilities shall be limited to a 5-year term. Effective immediately.


LRB101 13838 KTG 64444 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3986LRB101 13838 KTG 64444 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Blind Vendors Act is amended by changing
5Sections 1, 5, 10, and 15 and by adding Section 11 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 2421/1)
7    Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Vending
8Facilities Act Blind Vendors Act.
9(Source: P.A. 96-644, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
10    (20 ILCS 2421/5)
11    Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
12    "Blind licensee" means a blind person licensed by the
13Department to operate a vending facility on State, federal, or
14other property.
15    "Blind person" means a person whose central visual acuity
16does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses
17or whose visual acuity, if better than 20/200, is accompanied
18by a limit to the field of vision in the better eye to such a
19degree that its widest diameter subtends an angle of no greater
20than 20 degrees. In determining whether an individual is blind,
21there shall be an examination by a physician skilled in
22diseases of the eye, or by an optometrist, whichever the

 

 

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1individual shall select.
2    "Building" means only the portion of a structure owned or
3leased by the State or any State agency.
4    "Cafeteria" means a food dispensing facility capable of
5providing a broad variety of prepared foods and beverages
6(including hot meals) primarily through the use of a line where
7the customer serves himself or herself from displayed
8selections. A cafeteria may be fully automatic or some limited
9waiter or waitress service may be available and provided within
10a cafeteria and table or booth seating facilities are always
11provided.
12    "Committee" means the Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors,
13an independent representative body for blind vendors
14established by the federal Randolph-Sheppard Act.
15    "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
16    "Director" means the Bureau Director of the Bureau for the
17Blind in the Department of Human Services.
18    "Federal property" means any structure, land, or other real
19property owned, leased, or occupied by any department, agency
20or instrumentality of the United States (including the
21Department of Defense and the U.S. Postal Service), or any
22other instrumentality wholly owned by the United States, or by
23any department or agency of the District of Columbia or any
24territory or possession of the United States.
25    "License" means a written instrument issued by the
26Department to a blind person, authorizing such person to

 

 

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1operate a vending facility on State, federal, or other
2property.
3    "Minority person" has the same meaning ascribed to that
4term in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and
5Persons with Disabilities Act.
6    "Minority-owned business" has the same meaning ascribed to
7that term in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and
8Persons with Disabilities Act.
9    "Net proceeds" means the amount remaining from the sale of
10articles or services of vending facilities, and any vending
11machine or other income accruing to blind vendors after
12deducting the cost of such sale and other expenses (excluding
13any set-aside charges required to be paid by the blind
14vendors).
15    "Normal working hours" means an 8-hour work period between
16the approximate hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through
17Friday.
18    "Other property" means property that is not State or
19federal property and on which vending facilities are
20established or operated by the use of any funds derived in
21whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the operation of
22vending facilities on any State or federal property.
23    "Priority" means the right of a blind person licensed by
24the Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation
25Services, to operate a vending facility on any and all State
26property in the State of Illinois, in the same manner and to

 

 

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1the same extent as the priority is provided to blind licensees
2on federal property under the Randolph-Sheppard Act, 20 U.S.C.
3107, and federal regulations, 34 C.F.R. 395.30, except as
4provided in Section 11 for minority-owned businesses and
5women-owned businesses.
6    "Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services.
7    "Set-aside funds" means funds that accrue to the Department
8from an assessment against the net income of each vending
9facility in the State's vending facility program and any income
10from vending machines on State or federal property that accrues
11to the Department.
12    "State agency" means any department, board, commission, or
13agency created by the Constitution or Public Act, whether in
14the executive, legislative, or judicial branch.
15    "State property" means all property owned, leased, or
16rented by any State agency. For purposes of this Act, "State
17property" does not include property owned or controlled by a
18unit of local government, a public school district, or a public
19university, college, or community college.
20    "Vending facility" means automatic vending machines, snack
21bars, cart service, counters, rest areas, and such other
22appropriate auxiliary equipment that may be operated by blind
23vendors and that is necessary for the sale of newspapers,
24periodicals, confections, tobacco products, foods, beverages,
25and notions dispensed automatically or manually and prepared on
26or off the premises in accordance with all applicable health

 

 

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1laws, and including the vending and payment of any lottery
2tickets or shares authorized by State law and conducted by a
3State agency within the State. "Vending facility" does not
4include cafeterias, restaurants, the Department of
5Corrections' non-vending machine commissaries, the Department
6of Juvenile Justice's non-vending machine commissaries, or
7commissaries and employment programs of the Division of Mental
8Health or Division of Developmental Disabilities that are
9operated by residents or State employees.
10    "Vending machine", for the purpose of assigning vending
11machine income under this Act, means a coin, currency, or debit
12card operated machine that dispenses articles or services,
13except that those machines operated by the United States Postal
14Service for the sale of postage stamps or other postal products
15and services, machines providing services of a recreational
16nature, and telephones shall not be considered to be vending
17machines.
18    "Vending machine income" means the commissions or fees paid
19to the State from vending machine operations on State property
20where the machines are operated, serviced, or maintained by, or
21with the approval of, a State agency by a commercial or
22not-for-profit vending concern that operates, services, and
23maintains vending machines.
24    "Vendor" means a blind licensee who is operating a vending
25facility on State, federal, or other property.
26    "Women" has the same meaning ascribed to that term in the

 

 

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1Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with
2Disabilities Act.
3    "Women-owned business" has the same meaning ascribed to
4that term in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and
5Persons with Disabilities Act.
6(Source: P.A. 96-644, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
7    (20 ILCS 2421/10)
8    Sec. 10. Business Enterprise Program for the Blind.
9    (a) The Business Enterprise Program for the Blind is
10created for the purposes of providing blind persons with
11remunerative employment, enlarging the economic opportunities
12of the blind, and stimulating the blind to greater efforts in
13striving to make themselves self-supporting. In order to
14achieve these goals, blind persons licensed under this Act
15shall be authorized to operate vending facilities on any
16property within this State as provided by this Act.
17    It is the intent of the General Assembly that the
18Randolph-Sheppard Act, 20 U.S.C. Sections 107-107f, and the
19federal regulations for its administration set forth in Part
20395 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, shall serve
21as a model for minimum standards for the operation of the
22Business Enterprise Program for the Blind. The federal
23Randolph-Sheppard Act provides employment opportunities for
24individuals who are blind or visually impaired through the
25Business Enterprise Program for the Blind. Under the

 

 

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1Randolph-Sheppard Act, all federal agencies are required to
2give priority to licensed blind vendors in the operation of
3vending facilities on federal property. Except as otherwise
4provided in Section 11, it It is the intent of this Act to
5provide the same priority to licensed blind vendors on State
6property by requiring State agencies to give priority to
7licensed blind vendors in the operation of vending facilities
8on State property and preference to licensed blind vendors in
9the operation of cafeteria facilities on State property.
10Furthermore it is the intent of this Act that all State
11agencies, particularly the Department of Central Management
12Services, promote and advocate for the Business Enterprise
13Program for the Blind.
14    (b) The Secretary, through the Director, shall continue,
15maintain, and promote the Business Enterprise Program for the
16Blind. Some or all of the functions of the program may be
17provided by the Department of Human Services. The Business
18Enterprise Program for the Blind must provide that:
19        (1) priority is given to blind vendors in the operation
20    of 50% of the vending facilities on State property;
21        (2) tie bid preference is given to blind vendors in the
22    operation of cafeterias on State property, unless the
23    cafeteria operations are operated by employees of a State
24    agency;
25        (3) vending machine income from all vending machines on
26    State property is assigned as provided for by Section 30 of

 

 

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1    this Act;
2        (4) no State agency may impose any commission, service
3    charge, rent, or utility charge on a licensed blind vendor
4    who is operating a vending facility on State property
5    unless approved by the Department;
6        (5) the Department shall approve a commission to the
7    State agency from a blind vendor operating a vending
8    facility on the State property of the Department of
9    Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice in the
10    amount of 10% of the net proceeds from vending machines
11    servicing State employees and 10% 25% of the net proceeds
12    from vending machines servicing visitors on the State
13    property; and
14        (6) vending facilities operated by the Program use
15    reasonable and necessary means and methods to maintain fair
16    market pricing in relation to each facility's given
17    demographic, geographic, and other circumstances.
18    (c) With respect to vending facilities on federal property
19within this State, priority shall be given as provided in the
20federal Randolph-Sheppard Act, 20 U.S.C. Sections 107-107f,
21including any amendments thereto. This Act, as it applies to
22federal property, is intended to conform to the federal Act,
23and is to be of no force or effect if, and to the extent that,
24any provision of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act is
25in conflict with the federal Act. Nothing in this subsection
26shall be construed to impose limitations on the operation of

 

 

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1vending facilities on State property, or property other than
2federal property, or to allow only those activities
3specifically enumerated in the Randolph-Sheppard Act.
4    (d) The Secretary shall actively pursue all commissions
5from vending facilities not operated by blind vendors as
6provided in Section 30 of this Act, and shall propose new
7placements of vending facilities on State property where a
8facility is not yet in place.
9    (e) Partnerships and teaming arrangements between blind
10vendors and private industry, including franchise operations,
11shall be fostered and encouraged by the Department.
12(Source: P.A. 96-644, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
13    (20 ILCS 2421/11 new)
14    Sec. 11. Vending facility contracts for minority-owned and
15women-owned businesses.
16    (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, each
17State agency controlling State property or parts thereof where
18vending machines or vending facilities are located must
19implement an aspirational goal of awarding contracts
20representing 50% of the vending machines or vending facilities
21under its control to minority-owned or women-owned businesses.
22    (b) Each State-operated facility that has 6 or more vending
23machines under its control shall award at least 2 contracts for
24vending, where practical.
25    (c) The provisions of this Section apply to written

 

 

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1contracts or agreements entered into on or after the effective
2date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly. Any
3written contract or agreement in place prior to the effective
4date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly
5between a State agency and the Business Enterprise Program for
6the Blind shall be maintained and fully adhered to including
7any moneys paid to individual vending facilities.
 
8    (20 ILCS 2421/15)
9    Sec. 15. Vending facilities on State property.
10    (a) In order to ensure that priority is given to blind
11vendors and minority-owned and women-owned businesses in the
12operation of vending facilities on State property as provided
13in Section 10, the Secretary, directly or by delegation to the
14Director, and the Committee shall jointly develop rules to
15ensure the following:
16        (1) That priority is given to blind persons licensed
17    under this Act or under its predecessor Act (the Blind
18    Persons Operating Vending Facilities Act, 20 ILCS 2420/),
19    including the assignment of vending machine income as
20    provided in this Act.
21        (2) That one or more vending facilities shall be
22    established on all State property to the extent feasible.
23    Where a larger vending facility is determined by the
24    Director and the Committee to be infeasible, every effort
25    shall be made to place vending machines on the property

 

 

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1    whenever possible. The Director and the Committee shall
2    take into account the following criteria when determining
3    whether establishment of a vending facility is feasible:
4            (A) the number of State employees, visitors, and
5        other potential facility customers on the property in a
6        given period;
7            (B) the size, in square feet, of the area owned,
8        leased, occupied, or otherwise controlled by the
9        State;
10            (C) the duration the property is expected to be
11        leased or occupied by the State;
12            (D) whether establishment of a vending facility
13        would adversely affect the interests of the State; and
14            (E) the likelihood that the vending facility would
15        produce an adequate net income for a blind vendor as
16        determined by the average income of all blind vendors
17        in the State.
18    (b) Any determination by the Director, or by the State
19agency controlling the property, that the placement or
20operation of a vending facility is not feasible, or that the
21placement or operation would adversely affect the interests of
22the State shall be in writing and shall be transmitted to the
23Committee for review and ratification or rejection.
24    (c) The Secretary, through the Director, subject to the
25rules developed and adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this
26Section and the requirements of federal law and regulations, is

 

 

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1authorized to select a location for a vending facility and the
2type of facility to be provided.
3    (d) Beginning January 1, 2010, all State agencies that:
4        (1) undertake to acquire any property, in whole or in
5    part, by ownership, rent, or lease, or that undertake to
6    relocate to any property, shall request a determination
7    from the Director or his or her designee as to whether the
8    new property includes a satisfactory site or sites for the
9    location and operation of a blind vendor vending facility;
10    or
11        (2) undertake to occupy a building that is to be
12    constructed, substantially altered, or renovated, or in
13    the case of a building that is already occupied by the
14    State agency, undertake to substantially alter or renovate
15    that building for use by the State agency;
16shall request a determination from the Director or his or her
17designee as to whether that building includes a satisfactory
18site or sites for the location and operation of a blind vendor
19vending facility.
20    Upon receiving a request for a determination under this
21subsection (d), the Director or his or her designee and the
22Committee shall have 10 days in which to notify that requesting
23State agency as to whether the new property or building is
24satisfactory or not satisfactory for the operation of a blind
25vendor vending facility. A site shall be deemed to be a
26satisfactory site by examining the potential customer base,

 

 

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1including, but not limited to, State employees, State
2contractual employees, and the general public. The
3determination shall be based upon a site survey or any other
4reasonable means enabling an accurate assessment of the
5location. If the property has an existing private vendor,
6bottler, or vending machine operator, then the property shall
7be presumed to be a satisfactory site. If the Director, in
8consultation with the Committee, determines that the number of
9people using the location is or will be insufficient to support
10a vending facility, then the Director shall determine the
11property to be not satisfactory.
12    Upon a determination by the Director or his or her designee
13and the Committee that the new property or building is
14satisfactory for the operation of a blind vendor vending
15facility, the Director, in consultation with the head of the
16State agency and in accordance with the rules developed
17pursuant to subsection (a), shall inform the agency to comply
18with the priority established for the operation of vending
19facilities by blind persons under this Act.
20    (e) All State agencies shall fully cooperate with the
21Department to ensure that priority is given to: (i) blind
22vendors in the operation of 50% of the vending facilities on
23State property; and (ii) minority-owned or women-owned
24businesses in the operation of 50% of the vending facilities on
25State property as an aspirational goal. This includes notifying
26the Department prior to the expiration of existing contracts or

 

 

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1agreements for vending facilities or when such contracts or
2agreements are considered for renewal options. The
3notification must be given, when feasible, no later than 6
4months prior to the potential expiration or renewal of the
5existing vending facility contract or agreement.
6    (f) To ensure adequate competition and to encourage new
7participants, all written contracts or agreements for vending
8machines or vending facilities shall be limited to a 5-year
9term.
10(Source: P.A. 96-644, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
11    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
12becoming law.