(20 ILCS 4095/5)

Sec. 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.

(Source: P.A. 96-368, eff. 8-13-09.)