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| Public Act 102-1058 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||
Illinois Indian American Advisory Council Act. | ||||
Section 5. Definitions.
As used in this Act:
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"Indian" means a person descended from any of the | ||||
countries of the subcontinent that are not primarily Muslim in | ||||
character, including India, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
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"Council" means the Illinois Indian American Advisory | ||||
Council created by this Act. | ||||
Section 10. Illinois Indian American Advisory Council. | ||||
There is hereby created the Illinois Indian American Advisory | ||||
Council. The purpose of the Council is to advise the Governor | ||||
and the General Assembly on policy issues impacting Indian | ||||
Americans and immigrants; to advance the role and civic | ||||
participation of Indian Americans in this State; to enhance | ||||
trade and cooperation between Indian-majority countries and | ||||
this State; and, in cooperation with State agencies, boards, | ||||
and commissions, to build relationships with and disseminate | ||||
information to Indian American and immigrant communities | ||||
across this State. | ||||
Section 15. Council members.
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(a) The Council shall consist of 21 voting members. The | ||
Governor shall appoint one voting member, who shall act as the | ||
chairperson of the Council and serve as the representative of | ||
the Office of the Governor. The Governor, the President of the | ||
Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the | ||
Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the | ||
House of Representatives shall each appoint 4 members of the | ||
public to the Council, who shall also serve as voting members. | ||
(b) Appointing authorities shall ensure, to the maximum | ||
extent practicable, that the Council is diverse with respect | ||
to race, ethnicity, age, gender, and geography.
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(c) Appointments to the Council shall be persons of | ||
recognized ability and experience in one or more of the | ||
following areas: higher education, business, international | ||
trade, law, social services, human services, immigration, | ||
refugee services, community development, or health care.
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(d) Appointed members of the Council shall serve 2-year | ||
terms. A member shall serve until his or her successor shall be | ||
appointed. Members of the Council shall not be entitled to | ||
compensation for their services as members.
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(e) The following officials shall serve as ex officio, | ||
nonvoting members of the Council: the Deputy Director of the | ||
Office of Trade and Investment within the Department of | ||
Commerce and Economic Opportunity, or his or her designee, and | ||
the Chief of the Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services | ||
within the Department of Human Services, or his or her | ||
designee.
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The following State agencies shall also each appoint a | ||
liaison to serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the | ||
Council: the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, | ||
the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the | ||
Department of Human Services, the Department on Aging, the | ||
Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of | ||
Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Public | ||
Health, the Department of Central Management Services, the | ||
Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Board of | ||
Higher Education, and the Illinois Community College Board.
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(f) The Council may establish committees that address | ||
certain issues, including, but not limited to, communications, | ||
economic development, and legislative affairs.
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(g) The Office of the Governor shall provide | ||
administrative and technical support to the Council, including | ||
a staff member to serve as ethics officer.
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Section 20. Meetings. The Council shall meet at least once | ||
per each calendar quarter. In addition, the Council may hold | ||
up to 2 public hearings annually to assist in the development | ||
of policy recommendations to the Governor and the General | ||
Assembly. All meetings of the Council shall be conducted in | ||
accordance with the Open Meetings Act. Eleven members of the | ||
Council shall constitute a quorum. | ||
Section 25. Reports.
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(a) The Council shall issue semi-annual reports on its | ||
policy recommendations to the Governor and the General | ||
Assembly by June 30th and December 31st of each year.
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(b) The reports on policy recommendations shall focus on, | ||
but are not limited to, the following: (i) policy issues | ||
impacting Indian Americans and immigrants; (ii) advancement of | ||
the role and civic participation of Indian Americans in this | ||
State; (iii) enhancement of trade and cooperation between | ||
Indian-majority countries and this State; and (iv) building | ||
relationships with and disseminating information to, in | ||
cooperation with State agencies, boards, and commissions, | ||
Indian American and immigrant communities across this State.
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