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| Public Act 103-1050 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning State government. | ||||
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly: | ||||
Section 5. The Illinois Economic Opportunity Act is | ||||
amended by changing Section 3 as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 625/3) (from Ch. 127, par. 2603) | ||||
Sec. 3. (a) A community action agency is a political | ||||
subdivision of the State, a combination of political | ||||
subdivisions, a public agency, or a private nonprofit agency | ||||
which has the authority under any applicable charter or laws | ||||
to receive funds pursuant to Section 2 to support community | ||||
action programs of the type described in Section 4 and is | ||||
designated as a community action agency. | ||||
(b) Each community action agency shall administer its | ||||
community action programs through a Community Action Board | ||||
consisting of no less than 9 members and no more than 15 to 51 | ||||
members chosen as follows: | ||||
(1) One-third of the members of the Board shall be | ||||
elected public officials, currently holding office, or | ||||
representatives designated by these officials. These | ||||
members shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of | ||||
the chief elected official of the political subdivision | ||||
served by the community action agency. | ||||
(2) At least one-third of the members shall be persons | ||
chosen in accordance with democratic selection procedures | ||
adequate to assure that they are representative of | ||
low-income individuals and families the poor from within | ||
the area served. | ||
(3) The other members shall be officials or members of | ||
business, industry, labor, religious, welfare, education | ||
or other major groups or interests in the community. Each | ||
member of the Board selected to represent a specific | ||
geographic area within a community shall reside in that | ||
area. | ||
(4) The community action agency through its bylaws | ||
shall determine the board tenure of the members selected | ||
under subparagraphs (2) or (3). | ||
(c) Each community action agency shall consult | ||
neighborhood-based organizations composed of residents of the | ||
area and members of the groups served by that agency for | ||
assistance in the planning, conduct and evaluation of | ||
community action programs. | ||
(d) A community action agency shall | ||
(1) plan and carry out community action programs; | ||
(2) address the needs of low-income residents, gather | ||
information as to the problems and causes of poverty in | ||
the community and, where necessary, establish priorities | ||
among projects and activities on the basis of which | ||
projects provide the best and most efficient use of | ||
resources; | ||
(3) encourage organizations engaged in activities | ||
related to community action programs to plan for, secure | ||
and administer financial assistance available either under | ||
Section 2 or from other sources on a common or cooperative | ||
basis, provide planning and technical assistance to those | ||
organizations, and cooperate with such organizations in | ||
undertaking actions to improve upon existing efforts to | ||
reduce poverty; | ||
(4) initiate and sponsor projects which are responsive | ||
to needs of the poor not otherwise being met, with | ||
particular emphasis on providing central or common | ||
services that can be drawn upon by a variety of related | ||
programs, and which offer new approaches or new types of | ||
services that can be incorporated into other programs; and | ||
(5) join with and encourage business, labor and other | ||
private groups and organizations to undertake, together | ||
with public officials and agencies, activities supporting | ||
community action programs which will result in the | ||
additional use of private resources and capabilities in an | ||
effort to develop new employment opportunities and | ||
stimulate investment that will have a measurable impact on | ||
reducing poverty among the residents of areas of | ||
concentrated poverty, and provide methods by which | ||
residents of those areas can work with private groups, | ||
firms, and institutions in seeking solutions to problems | ||
of common concern. | ||
(Source: P.A. 87-926.) | ||