Public Act 100-0459
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Public Act 100-0459 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning 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 Muslim American Advisory Council Act. | ||||
Section 5. Findings and declaration of policy. The General | ||||
Assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares: | ||||
(a) The State of Illinois is home to over 500,000 Muslims | ||||
and over 300 mosques, representing various races and | ||||
ethnicities, including but not limited to African Americans, | ||||
West and East African Americans, South Asian Americans, Arab | ||||
Americans, Latin Americans, and Caucasian Americans. They also | ||||
represent a variety of professions, including, but not limited | ||||
to, lawyers, business owners, professors, and community | ||||
activists. | ||||
(b) Muslims are the third largest religious group in the | ||||
State of Illinois after Roman Catholics and independent | ||||
Evangelical Christians. | ||||
(c) It is the public policy of the State of Illinois to | ||||
promote diversity and to ensure inclusion of all religious, | ||||
racial, and ethnic groups within this State. | ||||
Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act: |
"Council" means the Illinois Muslim American Advisory | ||
Council created by this Act. | ||
"Muslim" means an individual who practices the religion of | ||
Islam. | ||
Section 15. The Illinois Muslim American Advisory Council. | ||
There is hereby created the Illinois Muslim American Advisory | ||
Council. The purpose of the Council is to advise the Governor | ||
and the General Assembly on policy issues impacting Muslim | ||
Americans and immigrants; to advance the role and civic | ||
participation of Muslim Americans in this State; to enhance | ||
trade and cooperation between Muslim-majority countries and | ||
this State; and to build relationships with and disseminate | ||
information to, in cooperation with State agencies, boards, and | ||
commissions, Muslim American and immigrant communities across | ||
this State. | ||
Section 20. Council members. | ||
(a) The Council shall consist of 21 members. The Governor | ||
shall appoint one member to be 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 also each appoint 4 public members to the | ||
Council. The Governor shall select the chairperson of the | ||
Council from among the 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. | ||
(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 healthcare. | ||
(d) 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. | ||
(e) The following officials shall serve as ex-officio | ||
members: 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. In addition, 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 Board of Education, the Board of | ||
Higher Education, and the Community College Board shall each | ||
appoint a liaison to serve as an ex-officio member of the | ||
Council. | ||
(f) The Council may establish committees that address |
certain issues, including, but not limited to, communications, | ||
economic development, and legislative affairs. | ||
(g) The Office of the Governor shall provide administrative | ||
and technical support to the Council, including a staff member | ||
to serve as ethics officer. | ||
Section 25. Meetings. The Council shall meet at least once | ||
per month. 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 30. Reports. The Council shall issue semi-annual | ||
reports on its policy recommendations by June 30th and December | ||
31st of each year to the Governor and the General Assembly. | ||
Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are | ||
severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. |