| ||||
Public Act 103-0269 | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
AN ACT concerning State government.
| ||||
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
| ||||
Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended | ||||
by adding Section 10-75 as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 1305/10-75 new) | ||||
Sec. 10-75. Homelessness supports in Illinois. | ||||
(a) The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (Office) is | ||||
created within the Department of Human Services to facilitate | ||||
the implementation of a strategic plan and initiatives aimed | ||||
at decreasing homelessness and unnecessary | ||||
institutionalization in Illinois, improving health and human | ||||
services outcomes for people who experience homelessness, and | ||||
strengthening the safety nets that contribute to housing | ||||
stability. The Office shall be led by the State Homelessness | ||||
Chief Officer who shall report to the Secretary of the | ||||
Department. The Chief Officer shall also chair the Interagency | ||||
Task Force on Homelessness, co-chair the Community Advisory | ||||
Council on Homelessness, and lead the State's comprehensive | ||||
efforts related to homelessness prevention. The Chief Officer | ||||
shall serve as a policymaker and spokesperson on homelessness | ||||
prevention, including coordinating the multi-agency effort | ||||
through legislation, rules, and budgets and communicating with |
the General Assembly and federal and local leaders on these | ||
critical issues. | ||
(b) The Interagency Task Force on Homelessness is created | ||
within the Department of Human Services to facilitate and | ||
implement initiatives related to decreasing homelessness and | ||
unnecessary institutionalization in this State, improve health | ||
and human services outcomes for people who experience | ||
homelessness, and strengthen the safety nets that contribute | ||
to housing stability. The Task Force shall: | ||
(1) Implement the State Plan which is aimed at | ||
addressing homelessness and unnecessary | ||
institutionalization with the goals of achieving | ||
functional zero homelessness, improving health and human | ||
services outcomes for people experiencing homelessness, | ||
and strengthening the safety nets that contribute to | ||
housing stability. | ||
(2) Recommend policy, regulatory, and resource changes | ||
necessary to accomplish goals and objectives laid out in | ||
the State Plan. | ||
(3) Serve within State government and in the State at | ||
large as an advocate for people experiencing homelessness. | ||
(4) Provide leadership for and collaborate with those | ||
developing and implementing local plans to end | ||
homelessness in Illinois, including, but not limited to, | ||
the Community Advisory Council and its members. | ||
(5) Recommend the resources needed for successful |
implementation and oversee that implementation. | ||
(6) Recommend and promote effective interagency | ||
collaboration and system integration to converge related | ||
efforts, including coordination with the Illinois Youth | ||
Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee, the Illinois | ||
Commission on the Elimination of Poverty, and the Illinois | ||
Commission to End Hunger on drafting policy | ||
recommendations related to the intersection of | ||
homelessness and poverty. | ||
(7) Recommend needed policy, regulatory, and resource | ||
distribution changes; make oversight recommendations that | ||
will ensure accountability, results, and sustained | ||
success; and develop specific proposals and | ||
recommendations for action to provide to the Governor and | ||
the General Assembly. | ||
(d) The Task Force may solicit feedback from stakeholders, | ||
customers, and advocates to inform Task Force recommendations | ||
as necessary. | ||
(e) On or before December 1, 2024, and each year | ||
thereafter, the Task Force shall submit a report to the | ||
Governor and General Assembly regarding the Task Force's work | ||
during the year prior, any new recommendations developed by | ||
the Task Force, any recommendations made by the Community | ||
Advisory Council on Homelessness, and any key outcomes and | ||
measures related to homelessness. | ||
(f) The Task Force shall include the following members |
appointed by the Governor: | ||
(1) The Chief Homelessness Officer, who shall serve as | ||
Chair. | ||
(2) The Secretary of Human Services, or his or her | ||
designee. | ||
(3) The Executive Director of the Illinois Housing | ||
Development Authority, or his or her designee. | ||
(4) The Director of Healthcare and Family Services, or | ||
his or her designee. | ||
(5) The Superintendent of the State Board of | ||
Education, or his or her designee. | ||
(6) The Executive Director of the Board of Higher | ||
Education, or his or her designee. | ||
(7) The Executive Director of the Illinois Community | ||
College Board, or his or her designee. | ||
(8) The Director of Corrections, or his or her | ||
designee. | ||
(9) The Director of Veterans' Affairs, or his or her | ||
designee. | ||
(10) The Director of Children and Family Services, or | ||
his or her designee. | ||
(11) The Director of Public Health, or his or her | ||
designee. | ||
(12) The Director of Aging, or his or her designee. | ||
(13) The Director of Juvenile Justice, or his or her | ||
designee. |
(14) The Director of Commerce and Economic | ||
Opportunity, or his or her designee. | ||
(15) The Director of Employment Security, or his or | ||
her designee. | ||
(16) The Director of the Illinois State Police, or his | ||
or her designee. | ||
(17) The Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal | ||
Justice Authority, or his or her designee. | ||
(18) The Director of the Office of Management and | ||
Budget, or his or her designee. | ||
(g) The Task Force shall also include the following | ||
members: | ||
(1) One member appointed by the President of the | ||
Senate. | ||
(2) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the | ||
Senate. | ||
(3) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House | ||
of Representatives. | ||
(4) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the | ||
House of Representatives. | ||
(h) The Chair of the Task Force may appoint additional | ||
representatives from State agencies as needed. | ||
(i)
The Task Force shall meet at the call of the chair, at | ||
least 4 times per year. Members shall serve without | ||
compensation. | ||
(j) The Task Force may establish subcommittees to address |
specific issues or populations and may collaborate with | ||
individuals with relevant expertise who are not members of the | ||
Task Force to assist the subcommittee in carrying out its | ||
duties. | ||
(k) The Department of Human Services shall provide | ||
administrative support to the Task Force. | ||
(l) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to contravene | ||
any federal or State law or regulation. Unless specifically | ||
referenced in this Act, nothing in this Act shall affect or | ||
alter the existing statutory powers of any State agency or be | ||
construed as a reassignment or reorganization of any State | ||
agency. | ||
(m) Community Advisory Council. The Community Advisory | ||
Council on Homelessness is created within the Department of | ||
Human Services to make recommendations to the Interagency Task | ||
Force on Homelessness regarding homelessness and unnecessary | ||
institutionalization with the goals of achieving functional | ||
zero homelessness, improving health and human services | ||
outcomes for people experiencing homelessness and | ||
strengthening the safety nets that contribute to housing | ||
stability. | ||
(1) The Advisory Council shall be co-chaired by the | ||
Chief Homelessness Officer and a member of the Advisory | ||
Council designated by the Governor. The Advisory Council | ||
shall consist of all of the following members appointed by | ||
the Governor. Members appointed to the Advisory Council |
must reflect the racial, ethnic, and geographic diversity | ||
of this State. The Chief may include any State agency | ||
staff that they deem necessary as ex officio, nonvoting | ||
members of the Community Advisory Council. | ||
(A) Three members with lived experience of | ||
homelessness or housing insecurity, which may include, | ||
but are not limited to, formerly incarcerated persons, | ||
veterans, and youth (16 to 25 years old). | ||
(B) One member representing individuals with | ||
disabilities. | ||
(C) Two members representing the philanthropic | ||
private funding sector. | ||
(D) One member representing a statewide behavioral | ||
health advocacy organization. | ||
(E) One member representing a statewide housing | ||
advocacy organization. | ||
(F) At least 2 members representing local | ||
Continuums of Care. | ||
(G) At least 3 members representing local units of | ||
government (municipal, county, or township). | ||
(H) One member representing an organization that | ||
supports victims of domestic violence. | ||
(I) A minimum of 4 members representing providers | ||
of the homeless response system inclusive of, but not | ||
limited to, emergency supportive housing, rapid | ||
rehousing, permanent supportive housing, homeless |
youth programs, and homeless prevention. | ||
(J) Two members, who may or may not meet the | ||
qualification requirements for the other appointees. | ||
The Advisory Council shall meet at least 4 times per year. | ||
(2) Members shall serve without compensation, but | ||
public members may be reimbursed for reasonable and | ||
necessary travel expenses connected to Task Force | ||
business. Persons with lived experience of homelessness | ||
and housing insecurity, who are not otherwise compensated | ||
by employers to attend the Community Advisory Council, | ||
shall receive compensation for each quarterly Council | ||
meeting attended. | ||
(3) The meetings of the Advisory Council shall be | ||
conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 | ||
of the Open Meetings Act. The Department of Human Services | ||
shall provide staff and administrative support to assist | ||
the Advisory Council in carrying out its duties. | ||
(4) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to | ||
contravene any federal or State law or regulation. Unless | ||
specifically referenced in this Act, nothing in this Act | ||
shall affect or alter the existing statutory powers of any | ||
State agency or be construed as a reassignment or | ||
reorganization of any State agency. | ||
(5) On or before November 15, 2023, and each year | ||
thereafter, the Advisory Council shall submit | ||
recommendations to the Interagency Task Force on |
Homelessness.
| ||
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. |