102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4189

 

Introduced 10/26/2021, by Rep. Mary E. Flowers

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Marshall Plan for Moms Interagency Task Force Act. Establishes the Marshall Plan for Moms Interagency Task Force to examine the following policy areas and issue proposals and recommendations: (i) the utilization of recurring payments or financial assistance to mothers and other caregivers and any equivalent policies under all current State and federal programs; (ii) the current utilization rates and impacts of family leave programs as well as specific impacts of the programs on mothers and other caregivers; (iii) current State policy impacting the childcare industry and the access or availability of child care in all areas of the State; (iv) the impact of any new policies imposed by the federal government or by State or local officials during the COVID-19 pandemic that have impacted mothers and other caregivers in the workforce; and (v) other areas the Task Force deems relevant in the review of policies that may impact mothers and other caregivers. Requires the Task Force to hold public hearings within one year after the effective date of the Act to solicit input and recommendations from statewide and regional stakeholder interests. Contains provisions concerning Task Force reports to the Governor and the General Assembly; membership on the Task Force; repeal of the Act; and other matters.


LRB102 18931 KTG 27659 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4189LRB102 18931 KTG 27659 b

1    AN ACT to establish the Marshall Plan for Moms Interagency
2Task Force.
 
3    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4represented in the General Assembly:
 
5    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
6Marshall Plan for Moms Interagency Task Force Act.
 
7    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the
8following:
9        (1) Any relief and long-term recovery from the
10    economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic must recognize
11    the disproportionate burden mothers have weathered. Women,
12    especially mothers, have faced the brunt of the economic
13    challenges of the pandemic due to social barriers and
14    policy failures that have been compounded by enduring
15    racism and gender injustices, including the lack of care
16    infrastructure, lack of family-supportive workplaces, and
17    gender and racial pay inequities.
18        (2) Women continue to face unjust gender and racial
19    wage gaps, and are overrepresented in low-wage jobs,
20    despite their gains in workforce participation.
21    Asian-American and Pacific Islander women, particularly
22    Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander women, get paid as
23    little as $0.50 for every dollar a White man makes. Black

 

 

HB4189- 2 -LRB102 18931 KTG 27659 b

1    women make only $0.63 for every dollar a White man makes,
2    and as a result may lose $946,000 in their lifetimes.
3    Latina women earn $0.55 for every dollar earned by a White
4    man, and as a result may lose over $1,100,000 in wages over
5    the course of a 40-year career. Native American women are
6    paid $0.60 for every dollar a White man makes and are
7    murdered at 10 times the rate of the national average,
8    even though financial independence and security can
9    increase chances of escaping violence for these women.
10    Women's wages are key to their families' economic security
11    and survival. Across the country, mothers are breadwinners
12    in almost half of families with children under 18, even
13    though mothers face a greater pay gap than women as a
14    whole. Even prior to the pandemic, working mothers faced
15    continued biases and stigmas in the workplace that
16    caregiving responsibilities will negatively impact their
17    work performance.
18        (3) Women have suffered the majority of
19    pandemic-related job losses. Since February 2020, women
20    have lost over 5,400,000 net jobs and account for 55% of
21    overall net job loss since the beginning of the crisis.
22    Women of color are experiencing higher rates of job loss
23    than White women. According to the Bureau of Labor
24    Statistics January 2021 unemployment data, the jobless
25    rate for Black women and Latina women aged 20 and over is
26    over 60% higher than their White counterparts. Asian

 

 

HB4189- 3 -LRB102 18931 KTG 27659 b

1    Americans recorded the highest jobless rates among women
2    in the last 6 months of 2020, even though before the
3    pandemic their average unemployment rate was the lowest.
4        (4) Women face a disproportionate burden of caregiving
5    responsibilities. Mothers are 3 times more likely than
6    fathers to be responsible for most of the caregiving and
7    household work. Single mothers are more likely than other
8    parents to take care of all housework and childcare
9    responsibilities in their household, and are more likely
10    than other mothers to experience financial insecurity.
11        (5) Throughout the pandemic, women of color have
12    played integral roles on the front lines as essential
13    workers, including as nursing assistants, home health
14    aides, and child care educators.
15        (6) The unprecedented burdens of child care, work, and
16    remote learning have strained mental and emotional health
17    for mothers. These points of stress are compounded by
18    financial instability, racial injustice, being a single
19    parent, having children with special needs, and many other
20    factors.
 
21    Section 10. Task Force.
22    (a) The Marshall Plan for Moms Interagency Task Force is
23established. The Task Force shall consist of the following
24members or their designees:
25        (1) the Director of Labor, who shall serve as chair;

 

 

HB4189- 4 -LRB102 18931 KTG 27659 b

1        (2) the Secretary of Human Services;
2        (3) the Chairman of the Illinois Workers' Compensation
3    Commission;
4        (4) the Director of Public Health;
5        (5) the Director of Human Rights;
6        (6) two members, who shall be appointed by the
7    Governor, one upon the recommendation of the Illinois
8    AFL-CIO and one upon the recommendation of the Illinois
9    Manufacturers' Association;
10        (7) one member, who shall be appointed by the Speaker
11    of the House of Representatives; and
12        (8) one member, who shall be appointed by the
13    President of the Senate.
14    (b) The Task Force shall meet as often as is necessary, but
15no less than once per month and where otherwise appropriate to
16fulfilling its duties under this Act. The members of the Task
17Force shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled
18to reimbursement for all necessary expenses incurred in the
19performance of their duties.
20    (c) The Department of Labor shall provide staff and other
21assistance to the Task Force.
 
22    Section 15. Policy areas; proposals and recommendations.
23The Task Force shall examine the following policy areas and
24issue proposals and recommendations thereon:
25        (1) The utilization of recurring payments or financial

 

 

HB4189- 5 -LRB102 18931 KTG 27659 b

1    assistance to mothers and other caregivers and any
2    equivalent policies under all current State and federal
3    programs.
4        (2) The current utilization rates and impacts of
5    family leave programs as well as specific impacts of the
6    programs on mothers and other caregivers.
7        (3) Current State policy impacting the childcare
8    industry and the access or availability of child care in
9    all areas of the State.
10        (4) The availability and access to unemployment for
11    persons who have left a job or worked reduced hours in
12    order to take on caregiving responsibilities.
13        (5) The impact of any new policies imposed by the
14    federal government or by State or local officials during
15    the COVID-19 pandemic that have impacted mothers and other
16    caregivers in the workforce.
17        (6) The availability and access to mental health
18    support for mothers and other caregivers, and the impact
19    of access or availability to mental health support on such
20    families.
21        (7) The access and availability of all such programs
22    for immigrant families, and the impact of inaccessibility
23    or unavailability of any such programs on immigrant
24    families and the State.
25        (8) Any other areas the Task Force deems relevant in
26    the review of policies that may impact mothers and other

 

 

HB4189- 6 -LRB102 18931 KTG 27659 b

1    caregivers.
 
2    Section 20. Hearings. Within one year after the effective
3date of this Act, in carrying out its functions, the Task Force
4shall hold 5 public hearings around the State to foster
5discussions among, and conduct formal public hearings with
6requisite public notice to solicit input and recommendations
7from statewide and regional stakeholder interests. The Task
8Force shall also accept public input in writing. The Task
9Force may utilize remote access such as web conferencing in
10order to comply with the provisions of this Section.
 
11    Section 25. Findings and recommendations. Within 2 years
12after the effective date of this Act, the Task Force shall
13report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and
14the General Assembly and shall publicize its findings on a
15website provided by the Department of Labor.
 
16    Section 30. Findings and recommendations. This Act is
17repealed 3 years after the effective date of this Act.