96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB3148

 

Introduced 2/9/2010, by Sen. Edward D. Maloney

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Interdependence of Generations Task Force Act to develop Illinois' growing retiree population as a resource for mobilizing citizens of all ages and addressing community needs across generations. Contains provisions regarding the composition of the task force; the task force's responsibilities; and reporting requirements. Provides that the Department on Aging, in cooperation with the Intergenerational Initiative at Southern Illinois University School of Law's Center for Health Law and Policy, shall have primary responsibility for, and shall provide staffing and technical assistance and administrative support to, the Task Force in its efforts. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning aging.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Interdependence of Generations Task Force Act.
 
6     Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
7 finds as follows:
8         (1) The State's population 50 years of age and older is
9     projected to increase from 3.2 million in 2000 to 5.3
10     million by 2030, an increase of 63 percent, with a
11     corresponding increase in the number of Illinois'
12     retirees.
13         (2) Civic engagement - including lifelong learning,
14     service and volunteer work - has been found to bring
15     personal fulfillment, improved physical and mental health,
16     and stronger social connections for retirees.
17         (3) Improved physical and mental health for Illinois
18     retirees and the aged will lessen the strains inherent to
19     the public healthcare system.
20         (4) Since the l960s, the policy agenda around aging has
21     focused almost exclusively on the dependency needs of
22     elders, not on their potential as a community resource.
23         (5) There is an ongoing high school dropout epidemic in

 

 

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1     this State. Each year almost one third of all public high
2     school students - including nearly one half of all African
3     Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans - fail to
4     graduate from public high school.
5         (6) A 2009 study through Washington University in St.
6     Louis found that children at risk of dropping out
7     dramatically increased their reading skills when they were
8     tutored by older adults, and the older adults experienced
9     positive health benefits through the civic engagement.
10         (7) Two factors will have a significant impact on the
11     Illinois economy and predict future prosperity. The first
12     is the cost of health care, particularly for older
13     Illinoisans. The second is the educational level of the
14     working population. A statewide effort to connect aging and
15     education has implications for benefits to every community
16     and for policy throughout the State. Schools have resources
17     and facilities to help with promotion. Older adults have
18     great potential to help dropouts and students who are our
19     future workforce.
20         (8) Therefore, it is in the interest of the citizens of
21     this State to develop Illinois' growing retiree population
22     as a resource for mobilizing citizens of all ages and
23     addressing community needs across generations.
 
24     Section 10. The Interdependence of Generations Task Force.
25     (a) The Interdependence of Generations Task Force is

 

 

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1 created.
2     (b) The Interdependence of Generations Task Force shall be
3 appointed and hold its first meeting within 90 days after the
4 effective date of this Act.
5     (c) The Task Force shall be comprised of the following
6 individuals:
7         (1) the Director of the Illinois Department on Aging,
8     or his or her designee, who shall serve as Chairperson;
9         (2) 4 members of the General Assembly, appointed one
10     each by the following: one majority and one minority member
11     of the Illinois Senate and one majority and one minority
12     member of the Illinois House of Representatives; and
13         (3) the following members from the Illinois Policy
14     Academy on the Civic Engagement of Older Adults:
15             (i) one representative of P-12 education;
16             (ii) one representative of community colleges;
17             (iii) one representative of higher education;
18             (iv) two representatives of retirees;
19             (v) two student members;
20             (vi) two representatives of statewide aging
21         organizations;
22             (vii) two representatives of service
23         organizations;
24             (viii) two representatives of foundations;
25             (ix) two representatives of business; and
26             (x) the Director of the Intergenerational

 

 

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1         Initiative (Center for Health Law and Policy, SIU
2         School of Law) who shall serve as Task Force director.
3     (d) The Task Force members shall serve voluntarily and
4 without compensation. Persons with disabilities serving on the
5 Task Force shall be accommodated to enable them to fully
6 participate in Task Force activities.
7     (e) The Department on Aging, in cooperation with the
8 Intergenerational Initiative (Center for Health Law and
9 Policy, SIU School of Law), shall have primary responsibility
10 for, and shall provide staffing and technical assistance and
11 administrative support to, the Task Force in its efforts. No
12 appropriations shall be required for the Task Force to complete
13 its duties.
14     (f) The Task Force shall extend an invitation to chairs and
15 minority spokespersons of appropriate legislative committees
16 to attend all meetings of the Task Force, and may invite other
17 individuals who are not members of the Task Force to
18 participate in subcommittees of the Task Force or to take part
19 in discussions of topics for which those individuals have
20 particular expertise.
21     (g) The Task Force shall coordinate its work with existing
22 State advisory bodies whose work may include improving
23 education, reducing the dropout rate, and civic engagement of
24 retirees and the aged.
 
25     Section 15. Task Force responsibilities. The Task Force on

 

 

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1 the Interdependence of Generations shall be convened to study
2 and make recommendations regarding the creative ways that aging
3 (retiree organizations, organizations that serve older adults,
4 and older adults themselves), education (schools, community
5 colleges, and universities), and other public and private
6 organizations can work together to address the challenges of
7 education, tap the resources of older adults and students to
8 strengthen the economy and benefit the community, and promote
9 healthy lifestyles for all ages.
 
10     Section 20. Reporting. The Task Force shall make
11 recommendations to the General Assembly and to the Governor,
12 including legislative proposals, regulatory changes, systems
13 changes, budget initiatives, and collaborative partnerships in
14 the public and private sectors, that will promote the statewide
15 effort to connect the aging population with opportunities for
16 lifelong learning, employment, and service. These
17 recommendations shall explain how fostering the relationship
18 between older adults and education, economic development, and
19 community service can be beneficial to all Illinoisans. The
20 Task Force shall produce an annual report of its activities and
21 recommendations that shall be issued no later than December 31,
22 2011.
 
23     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
24 becoming law.