Public Act 102-0361
 
SB0921 EnrolledLRB102 04769 RJF 14788 b


  
    AN ACT concerning government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
    Section 5. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act is 
amended  by adding Section 23 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 3305/23 new)
    Sec. 23. Access and Functional Needs Advisory Committee.
    (a) In this Section, "Advisory Committee" means the Access 
and Functional Needs Advisory Committee.
    (b) The Access and Functional Needs Advisory Committee is 
created.
    (c) The Advisory Committee shall:
        (1) Coordinate meetings occurring, at a minimum, 6 
    times each year, in addition to emergency meetings called 
    by the chairperson of the Advisory Committee.
        (2) Research and provide recommendations for 
    identifying and effectively responding to the needs of 
    persons with access and functional needs before, during, 
    and after a disaster using an intersectional lens for 
    equity.
        (3) Provide recommendations to the Illinois Emergency 
    Management Agency regarding how to ensure that persons 
    with a disability are included in disaster strategies and 
    emergency management plans, including updates and 
    implementation of disaster strategies and emergency 
    management plans.
        (4) Review and provide recommendations for the 
    Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and all relevant 
    State agencies that are involved in drafting and 
    implementing the Illinois Emergency Operation Plan, to 
    integrate access and functional needs into State and local 
    emergency plans.
    (d) The Advisory Committee shall be composed of the 
Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency or his or 
her designee, the Attorney General or his or her designee, the 
Secretary of Human Services or his or her designee, the 
Director on Aging or his or her designee, and the Director of 
Public Health or his or her designee, together with the 
following members appointed by the Governor on or before 
January 1, 2022:
        (1) Two members, either from a municipal or 
    county-level emergency agency or a local emergency 
    management coordinator.
        (2) Nine members from the community of persons with a 
    disability who represent persons with different types of 
    disabilities, including, but not limited to, individuals 
    with mobility and physical disabilities, hearing and 
    visual disabilities, deafness or who are hard of hearing, 
    blindness or who have low vision, mental health 
    disabilities, and intellectual or developmental 
    disabilities. Members appointed under this paragraph shall 
    reflect a diversity of age, gender, race, and ethnic 
    background.
        (3) Four members who represent first responders from 
    different geographical regions around the State.
    (e) Of those members appointed by the Governor, the 
initial appointments of 6 members shall be for terms of 2 years 
and the initial appointments of 5 members shall be for terms of 
4 years. Thereafter, members shall be appointed for terms of 4 
years. A member shall serve until his or her successor is 
appointed and qualified. If a vacancy occurs in the Advisory 
Committee membership, the vacancy shall be filled in the same 
manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the 
unexpired term. 
    (f) After all the members are appointed, and annually 
thereafter, they shall elect a chairperson from among the 
members appointed under paragraph (2) of subsection (d).
    (g) The initial meeting of the Advisory Committee shall be 
convened by the Director of the Illinois Emergency Management 
Agency no later than February 1, 2022.
    (h) Advisory Committee members shall serve without 
compensation.
    (i) The Illinois Emergency Management Agency shall provide 
administrative support to the Advisory Committee.
    (j) The Advisory Committee shall prepare and deliver a 
report to the General Assembly, the Governor's Office, and the 
Illinois Emergency Management Agency by July 1, 2022, and 
annually thereafter. The report shall include the following:
        (1) Identification of core emergency management 
    services that need to be updated or changed to ensure the 
    needs of persons with a disability are met, and shall 
    include disaster strategies in State and local emergency 
    plans.
        (2) Any proposed changes in State policies, laws, 
    rules, or regulations necessary to fulfill the purposes of 
    this Act.
        (3) Recommendations on improving the accessibility and 
    effectiveness of disaster and emergency communication.
        (4) Recommendations on comprehensive training for 
    first responders and other frontline workers when working 
    with persons with a disability during emergency situations 
    or disasters, as defined in Section 4 of the Illinois 
    Emergency Management Agency Act.
        (5) Any additional recommendations regarding emergency 
    management and persons with a disability that the Advisory 
    Committee deems necessary.
    (k) The annual report prepared and delivered under 
subsection (j) shall be annually considered by the Illinois 
Emergency Management Agency when developing new State and  
local emergency plans or updating existing State and local 
emergency plans.
    (l)  The Advisory Committee is dissolved and this Section 
is repealed on January 1, 2032.

 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.

Effective Date:  8/13/2021