|
|
||||
| Public Act 096-0368 |
||||
| ||||
| ||||
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.
| ||