Full Text of HB1575 94th General Assembly
HB1575 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006 HB1575
Introduced 02/15/05, by Rep. Bill Mitchell SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: |
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New Act |
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30 ILCS 105/5.640 new |
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Creates the Illinois AgrAbility Act. Provides that the Department of
Agriculture, in cooperation with the University of Illinois
Extension, shall contract with a non-profit disability service provider or other entity that assists disabled farmers, to establish and administer the Illinois AgrAbility Program
in order to assist individuals who are engaged in farming or an
agriculture-related activity and who have been affected by disability. Sets
forth services to be provided by the Illinois AgrAbility Program. Sets forth
eligibility requirements for the Program. Creates the Illinois AgrAbility Fund,
a special fund created in the State treasury and, subject to appropriation,
provides that moneys in the Fund may be expended for the Illinois AgrAbility
Program and for no other purpose. Requires the University of Illinois Extension
to submit certain documents to the Department of Agriculture. Amends the State
Finance Act to create the Illinois AgrAbility Fund.
Effective immediately. |
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| FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY | |
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A BILL FOR
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HB1575 |
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LRB094 06889 JAM 37000 b |
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| AN ACT concerning agriculture.
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| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | 3 |
| represented in the General Assembly:
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| Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | 5 |
| Illinois
AgrAbility Act.
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| Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the | 7 |
| following:
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| (1) Illinois is one of the leading | 9 |
| agricultural-producing
states in the nation. By being | 10 |
| involved in such a diverse
and highly mechanized industry, | 11 |
| the more than 500,000 agricultural
workers in Illinois are | 12 |
| susceptible to any one of a number of work-related
injuries | 13 |
| and chronic health problems that limit an individual's | 14 |
| ability to safely continue farming.
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| (2) Available estimates indicate that, each year in
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| Illinois, more than 200 farm workers sustain injuries, | 17 |
| which result
in permanent physical disabilities affecting | 18 |
| their future income.
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| (3) It is estimated that nationwide more than 200,000 | 20 |
| farmers,
ranchers, and other agricultural workers | 21 |
| experience injuries that
result in lost work time. Of these | 22 |
| injuries, 5% have serious or
permanent results.
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| (4) According to the most recent census data, | 24 |
| approximately 5,000 Illinois farmers have permanent | 25 |
| disabilities as a result of accidents, health related | 26 |
| ailments, and age.
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| (5) Farm operators and workers are typically highly | 28 |
| skilled individuals and the loss of these individuals to a | 29 |
| disability negatively impacts the Illinois farm economy. | 30 |
| The AgrAbility Project established by the U. S. Department | 31 |
| of
Agriculture has been successful in helping agricultural | 32 |
| workers who suffer from
a disability continue to farm. A |
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HB1575 |
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| similar program established by the State and working with | 2 |
| the existing AgrAbility Unlimited Program will assist even | 3 |
| more
Illinois citizens in receiving the assistance that | 4 |
| they need and will benefit
the State agriculture industry.
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| Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
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| "AgrAbility Unlimited" means the joint program of the | 7 |
| University of Illinois
Extension and the Easter Seals of | 8 |
| Central Illinois established
in accordance with the AgrAbility | 9 |
| Program established by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
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| "Department" means the Department of Agriculture.
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| "Director" means the Director of Agriculture.
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| "Production agriculture" has the meaning set forth in | 13 |
| Section 3-35
of the Use Tax Act.
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| Section 15. Illinois AgrAbility Program established.
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| (a) Subject to appropriation, the Department, in | 16 |
| cooperation with the University of Illinois Extension,
shall | 17 |
| contract with a non-profit disability service provider or other | 18 |
| entity that assists disabled farmers, to establish and | 19 |
| administer the Illinois AgrAbility Program in order to assist
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| individuals who are engaged in farming or an | 21 |
| agriculture-related activity and
who have been affected by | 22 |
| disability.
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| (b) Services provided by the Illinois AgrAbility Program | 24 |
| shall
include, but are not limited to, the following:
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| (1) A toll-free information and referral hotline.
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| (2) The establishment of networks with local
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| agricultural and rehabilitation professionals.
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| (3) The coordination of community resources.
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| (4) The establishment of networks with local | 30 |
| agricultural and health care professionals to
help | 31 |
| identify individuals who may be eligible for assistance and | 32 |
| to help
identify the best method of providing that | 33 |
| assistance.
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| (5) The provision of information on and assistance |
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| regarding equipment
modification.
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| (6) Job restructuring.
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| (7) The provision of information on and assistance | 4 |
| regarding the development of alternative jobs.
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| In order to provide these services, the Illinois AgrAbility | 6 |
| Program shall
cooperate and share resources, facilities, and | 7 |
| employees with AgrAbility
Unlimited, the University of | 8 |
| Illinois Extension, and the Office of Rehabilitation Services | 9 |
| of the Department of
Human Services.
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| The costs of the program, including any related | 11 |
| administrative expenses from the Department, may be paid from | 12 |
| any funds specifically appropriated or otherwise available to | 13 |
| the Department for that purpose. The Department may pay the | 14 |
| costs of the Illinois AgrAbility program by making grants to | 15 |
| the operating entity, by making grants directly to service | 16 |
| providers, by paying reimbursements for services provided, or | 17 |
| in any other appropriate manner. | 18 |
| (c) The Department has the power to enter into any | 19 |
| agreements that are necessary and appropriate for the | 20 |
| establishment, operation, and funding of the Illinois | 21 |
| AgrAbility Program. The Department may adopt any rules that it | 22 |
| determines necessary for the establishment, operation, and | 23 |
| funding of the Illinois AgrAbility Program.
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| Section 20. Eligibility. To be eligible to receive | 25 |
| assistance under
this Act, an individual must meet all of the | 26 |
| following:
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| (1) Be a resident of Illinois.
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| (2) Derive at least a portion of his or her income from
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| production agriculture.
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| (3) Be affected by a disability. | 31 |
| (4) Meet any additional eligibility requirements set
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| forth by the Department, in conjunction with the University | 33 |
| of Illinois
Extension.
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| Section 25. The Illinois AgrAbility Fund.
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| (a) The Illinois AgrAbility Fund is created as a special | 2 |
| appropriated fund
within the State treasury.
The Director shall | 3 |
| also accept and deposit into the Fund all gifts,
grants, | 4 |
| transfers, and other amounts from any legal source,
public or | 5 |
| private, that are designated for deposit into the Fund. All | 6 |
| interest
earned on moneys in the Fund shall be deposited into | 7 |
| the Fund.
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| (b) Subject to appropriation and as directed by the | 9 |
| Director, moneys
in the Illinois AgrAbility Fund may be | 10 |
| expended for the Illinois AgrAbility
Program and for no other | 11 |
| purpose.
No more than 15% of the moneys expended in a fiscal | 12 |
| year for the Program
may be expended for administrative costs.
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| Section 30. Reports. Unless otherwise required by federal | 14 |
| law, the
University of Illinois
Extension must provide the | 15 |
| Department with a copy of any report or other
document that it | 16 |
| provides to the U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning
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| AgrAbility Unlimited.
The non-profit disability service | 18 |
| provider or other entity awarded a contract under Section 15 | 19 |
| must annually up-date the University of Illinois Extension and | 20 |
| the Department in writing on the status of the Illinois | 21 |
| AgrAbility Program.
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| Section 95. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | 23 |
| Section
5.640 as follows:
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| (30 ILCS 105/5.640 new)
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| Sec. 5.640. The Illinois AgrAbility Fund. | 26 |
| Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | 27 |
| becoming law. |
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