102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0134
 
Introduced 2/9/2021, by Sen. Steve Stadelman
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 

 
New Act

     Creates the Local Journalism Task Force Act. Establishes the Local Journalism Task Force, consisting of one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one member appointed by the Governor, and one representative of each of the following entities: the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University; the Public Affairs Reporting Program at the University of Illinois at Springfield; the School of Journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale; the Illinois Press Association; the Illinois Broadcasters Association; the Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association; the Illinois Public Broadcasting Council; and the Illinois Municipal League. Directs the Task Force to study communities underserved by local journalism and review all aspects of journalism. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide administrative support. Provides that the Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations of legislation to the Governor and General Assembly.
  


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A BILL FOR
 

  
SB0134LRB102 15340 JLS 20697 b


  
1    AN ACT concerning journalism.
  
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
3represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Local

5Journalism Task Force Act.
 
6    Section 5. Establishment. The Local Journalism Task Force

7is established to:

8        (1) conduct a comprehensive, nonbinding study relative

9    to communities underserved by local journalism in

10    Illinois; and
11        (2) review all aspects of local journalism including,

12    but not limited to, the adequacy of press coverage of

13    communities, the ratio of residents to media outlets, the

14    history of local news in Illinois, print and digital

15    business models for media outlets, the impact of social

16    media on local news, strategies to improve local news

17    access, and public policy solutions to improve the

18    sustainability of local press business models and private

19    and nonprofit solutions.

 
20    Section 10. Membership. The Task Force shall consist of

21the following 13 members:
one member of the House of

22Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of

 
 
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1Representatives; one member of the House of Representatives 
2appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of 
3Representatives; one member of the Senate appointed by
the 
4President of the Senate; one member of the Senate appointed by 
5the Minority Leader of the Senate; one member appointed by the

6Governor; one representative of the Medill School of

7Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at

8Northwestern University; one representative of the Public 
9Affairs Reporting Program at the
University of
Illinois at 
10Springfield; one representative of the School
of Journalism at 
11Southern Illinois University Carbondale; one
representative of 
12the Illinois Press Association; one representative of the

13Illinois Broadcasters Association; one representative of the 
14Illinois
Legislative Correspondents Association; one 
15representative of the Illinois Public Broadcasting Council; 
16and one representative of the
Illinois Municipal League. 
17Appointments shall be made no later
than 30 days following the 
18effective date of this Act.

 
19    Section 15. Meetings. The Task Force shall meet a minimum

20of 5 times to review, study, and analyze existing literature 
21as
well as quantitative and qualitative data on the status of

22journalism in the State of Illinois.
 
23    Section 20. Support.  The Department of Commerce and

24Economic Opportunity shall provide administrative and other

 
 
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1support to the Task Force.

 
2    Section 25. Findings and recommendations. The Task Force

3shall submit its findings, along with its recommendations for

4legislation, to the Governor and the General Assembly no later

5than one year after the effective date of this Act.
  
 
6    Section 30. Repeal. This Act is repealed 2 years after the

7effective date of this Act.