Public Act 096-0368
 
HB0655 Enrolled LRB096 08292 JDS 18400 b

    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with
Disabilities Task Force Act.
 
    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds as follows:
        (1) That there are many qualified persons with
    disabilities in Illinois who are unable to obtain
    competitive employment.
        (2) That the unemployment rate for persons with
    disabilities far exceeds the unemployment rate for persons
    without disabilities.
        (3) That millions of federal and State dollars are
    invested each year in education, training, supported
    employment, vocational training and other services related
    to the employment and training of persons with disabilities
    in Illinois without any significant gains in the rate of
    competitive employment for persons with disabilities.
        (4) That there has been a history of barriers to equal
    employment opportunity for persons with disabilities in
    Illinois, and those barriers continue to exist in the
    public and the private sectors.
        (5) That it is in the best social and economic
    interests of the State of Illinois to expand competitive
    employment and economic opportunity for persons with
    disabilities in Illinois.
        (6) That competitive employment and other economic
    opportunity for persons with disabilities will facilitate
    self-sufficiency and independent living for more persons
    with disabilities in Illinois.
 
    Section 10. Employment and Economic Opportunity for
Persons with Disabilities Task Force.
    (a) The Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons
with Disabilities Task Force is created.
    (b) The Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons
with Disabilities Task Force shall be appointed and hold its
first meeting within 90 days after the effective date of this
Act, be convened by the Governor, and operate under the
auspices of the Governor's office.
    (c) The Task Force shall be comprised of the following
representatives of State Government: a high-ranking member of
the Governor's management team, designated by the Governor;
representatives of each division of the Department of Human
Services, designated by the Secretary of Human Services; the
Director of Healthcare and Family Services, or his or her
designee; the Director of Veterans' Affairs or his or her
designee; the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or
his or her designee; the Director of Employment Security or his
or her designee; the Executive Director of the Illinois Council
on Developmental Disabilities or his or her designee; and the
State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee.
    (d) The Task Force shall also consist of no more than 15
public members who shall be appointed by the Governor and who
represent the following constituencies: statewide
organizations that advocate for persons with physical,
developmental and psychiatric disabilities, entities with
expertise in assistive technology devices and services for
persons with disabilities, advocates for veterans with
disabilities, centers for independent living, disability
services providers, organized labor, higher education, the
private sector business community, entities that provide
employment and training services to persons with disabilities,
and at least 5 persons who have a disability.
    (e) The Task Force shall be co-chaired by the
representative of the Governor and a public member who shall be
chosen by the other public members of the Task Force.
    (f) The Task Force members shall serve voluntarily and
without compensation. Persons with disabilities serving on the
Task Force shall be accommodated to enable them to fully
participate in Task Force activities.
    (g) The co-chairs of the Task Force shall extend an
invitation to chairs and minority spokespersons of appropriate
legislative committees to attend all meetings of the Task
Force, and may invite other individuals who are not members of
the Task Force to participate in subcommittees of the Task
Force or to take part in discussions of topics for which those
individuals have particular expertise.
    (h) The Task Force shall coordinate its work with existing
State advisory bodies whose work may include employment and
economic opportunity for persons with disabilities.
 
    Section 15. Task Force Responsibilities. The Task Force
shall analyze programs and policies of the State to determine
what changes, modifications, and innovations may be necessary
to remove barriers to competitive employment and economic
opportunity for persons with disabilities, including barriers
such as transportation, housing, program accessibility, and
benefit structure. The Task Force shall also analyze State
disability systems, including the mental health, developmental
disabilities, veterans' assistance, workforce investment, and
rehabilitation services systems, and their effect on
employment of persons with disabilities. The Task Force shall
review and analyze applicable research and policy studies,
innovations used in other states, and any federal policy
initiatives such as customized employment, and federal funding
opportunities that would increase competitive employment and
economic opportunity for persons with disabilities in
Illinois.
 
    Section 20. Reporting. The Task Force shall make
recommendations to the General Assembly and to the Governor,
including legislative proposals, regulatory changes, systems
changes, and budget initiatives, that would advance employment
and economic opportunity for persons with disabilities in
Illinois. The Task Force shall produce an annual report of its
activities and recommendations that shall be issued no later
than May 1st of each year, the first report being due no later
than May 1, 2010.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.