98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB2591

 

Introduced , by Rep. Esther Golar

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Illinois Employment First Act. Provides that: 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; the policy applies to programs and services that provide services and supports to help persons with disabilities obtain employment; State agencies shall follow the policy and ensure that it is effectively implemented in their programs and services; and nothing in the provisions setting forth the policy shall be construed to require any employer to give preference to hiring persons with disabilities. Requires State agencies to: coordinate efforts and collaborate to ensure that State programs, policies, procedures, and funding support competitive and integrated employment of persons with disabilities; and, whenever feasible, share data and information across systems in order to track progress toward full implementation of the Act. Authorizes State agencies to adopt rules to implement the Act. Provides that: the Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities Task Force shall establish measurable goals and objectives for the State to ensure implementation of the Act and monitor the measured progress toward its implementation; State agencies shall fully cooperate with the Task Force and provide data and information to assist the Task Force; and the Task Force shall include in its annual report a progress report on the implementation of the Act and any recommendations with respect to its implementation. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
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 Employment First Act.
 
6    Section 5. Policy. It is the policy of this State that
7competitive and integrated employment shall be considered the
8first option when serving persons with disabilities of working
9age. This policy applies to programs and services that provide
10services and supports to help persons with disabilities obtain
11employment. All State agencies shall follow this policy and
12ensure that it is effectively implemented in their programs and
13services. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require
14any employer to give preference to hiring persons with
15disabilities.
 
16    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
17    "Competitive employment" means work in the competitive
18labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time
19basis in an integrated setting and for which an individual is
20compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the
21customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for
22the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not

 

 

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1disabled.
2    "Disability" has the meaning ascribed to that term in
3Section 10 of the Disabilities Services Act of 2003.
4    "Integrated setting" means with respect to an employment
5outcome, a setting typically found in the community in which
6applicants or eligible individuals interact with non-disabled
7individuals, other than non-disabled individuals who are
8providing services to those applicants or eligible
9individuals, to the same extent that non-disabled individuals
10in comparable positions interact with other persons.
 
11    Section 15. Agency coordination. All State agencies shall
12coordinate efforts and shall collaborate within and among such
13agencies to ensure that State programs, policies, procedures,
14and funding support competitive and integrated employment of
15persons with disabilities. All State agencies shall, whenever
16feasible, share data and information across systems in order to
17track progress toward full implementation of this Act. State
18agencies are authorized to adopt rules to implement this Act.
 
19    Section 20. Establishment of measurable goals and
20objectives. The Employment and Economic Opportunity for
21Persons with Disabilities Task Force established under the
22Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with
23Disabilities Task Force Act shall establish measurable goals
24and objectives for the State to ensure implementation of this

 

 

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1Act and monitor the measured progress toward implementation of
2this Act. All State agencies shall fully cooperate with the
3Task Force and provide data and information to assist the Task
4Force in carrying out its responsibilities. The Task Force
5shall include in its annual report a progress report on the
6implementation of this Act and any recommendations with respect
7to the implementation of this Act.
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9becoming law.