HJ0107eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0107 Engrossed LRB094 19799 RLC 56649 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 107

WHEREAS, Changes over the past several decades in federal and state laws defining crimes, prescribing sentences for crimes, prescribing and limiting services and treatment for persons incarcerated for crimes, and setting conditions and services post-release from prison or jail have resulted in staggering increases in the numbers of persons with past criminal convictions; and

WHEREAS, Between 1970 and 2001, the Illinois prison population increased by more than 500 percent, from 7,326 to 44,348; and

WHEREAS, Nationwide, over 650,000 men and women, a figure larger than the entire population of Boston or Washington, DC, will be released from state and federal confinements in 2006; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 244,000 men and women are currently under correctional supervision in Illinois, including those in jail, in prison, on probation, and on parole; and

WHEREAS, Almost all - between 95 and 97 percent - of those who are incarcerated or detained in the United States will serve their time and come home; and

WHEREAS, Over the past several decades enactment of and changes to federal and state laws limiting opportunities for employment, as well as education, housing, public assistance, and other aspects of civil life, for persons with criminal convictions have resulted in high barriers to those persons' success in society after they have served the sentences for their convictions; and

WHEREAS, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich convened the Statewide Community Safety and Reentry Working Group and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley convened the Mayoral Policy Caucus on Prisoner Reentry to study prisoner reentry, and the reports and recommendations from those groups are becoming available in 2006; and

WHEREAS, Barriers to employment and job promotion for persons with criminal convictions are extremely complex issues, involving, among others, public employers at all levels of government, private employers, labor organizations, education and training institutions, public safety officials, public and private licensing and certification bodies, insurers, employment placement agencies, custodians of and users of arrest and conviction records, drug treatment agencies, and persons with criminal records; and

WHEREAS, A thorough examination of the barriers to employment for people with criminal conviction records and a thorough study of ways in which such barriers could be lowered or eliminated without exposing employers, individuals, the general public, or property to unreasonable risk is warranted; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is hereby established a Legislative Task Force on Employment of Persons with Past Criminal Convictions; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall have the following members:

12 voting members, as follows: 3 members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, 3 members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the House Minority Leader; and be it further

RESOLVED, That all actions of the Task Force require the affirmative vote of at least 7 voting members; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the following persons shall serve without compensation as ex-officio, non-voting members of the Task Force:

(A) The Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, or his or her designee;

(B) The Director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, or his or her designee;

(C) The Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services, or his or her designee;

(D) The Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, or his or her designee;

(E) The Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, or his or her designee;

(F) The Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, or his or her designee; and

(G) The Chairman of the Illinois Human Rights Commission, or his or her designee; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the departments of State government and the Illinois Human Rights Commission represented on the Task Force shall work cooperatively to provide administrative support for the Task Force; the Department of Employment Security shall be the primary agency in providing that support; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the voting members of the Task Force shall select a chairperson; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall conduct public hearings and examine the barriers faced by persons with past criminal convictions with respect to obtaining employment; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall evaluate those recommendations made by the Governor's Statewide Community Safety and Reentry Working Group; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly in a final report which shall be filed on or before October 31, 2006; the requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report with the Speaker, the Minority Leader and the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the President, the Minority Leader and the Secretary of the Senate and the Legislative Research Unit, as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing additional copies with the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General Assembly as required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the report shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1) An assessment of those collateral consequences of a criminal conviction which impede employment of persons with past criminal convictions, and the experiences of other states in addressing this issue;

(2) An assessment of the preparation for gainful employment provided to those incarcerated in Illinois correctional facilities, and the experiences of other states in addressing this issue;

(3) An identification of the barriers which impede those with criminal records from obtaining stable employment; and

(4) Recommendations for legislative changes necessary to facilitate the employment of persons with past criminal convictions which, if implemented, would not expose the employer, an individual, the general public, or property to unreasonable risks; and be it further

RESOLVED, That within 60 days after the filing of the report, the appropriate standing committees of both the House and the Senate shall hold hearings to consider the recommendations made by the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the ex-officio members of the Task Force.