HB5699 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 16002 AJO 61153 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB5699

Introduced 2/16/2012, by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Aging Community State Employment Plan Act. Defines the aging community as those persons 50 years of age or older. Provides that the purposes of the Act all relate to Illinois' aging community as to: delivery of State services; State employment; State agencies' goals; and an Aging Community State Employment Plan. Defines terms. Provides that the Department of Central Management Services shall: develop and implement plans to increase the number of aging community members employed by State government; prepare an Aging Community State Employment Plan; annually report to the General Assembly State agency activities under the Plan; and assist State agencies with training programs. Provides that each State agency shall implement the Plan and provide a Plan report annually to the Department. Creates the Aging Community State Employment Plan Advisory Council with 11 members (each a subject matter expert on the aging community), appointed by the Governor, who shall serve without compensation, but be reimbursed for reasonable expenses from appropriated funds. Includes other provisions. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Aging Community State Employment Plan Act.

Section 5. Purposes. The purposes of this Act are as follows:

(a) improve the delivery of State services to Illinois' aging community by increasing the number of members of the aging community who are State employees and the number of members of the aging community who are State employees serving in supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial positions;

(b) identify State agencies' staffing needs and qualification requirements;

(c) track hiring practices and promotions of members of the aging community who are employed by State agencies;

(d) increase the number of members of the aging community employed by State agencies;

(e) increase the number of members of the aging community who are State employees who are promoted;

(f) increase the number of members of the aging community who are veterans hired by State agencies;

(g) assist State agencies to meet their goals established pursuant to the Aging Community State Employment Plan; and

(h) establish the Aging Community State Employment Plan Advisory Council.

Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:

"Aging community" means those persons who are at least 50 years old.

"Department" means the Department of Central Management Services.

"State agency" or "agency", whether used in the singular or plural, means all departments, officers, commissions, boards, institutions, and bodies politic and corporate of the State. The term, however, does not mean the judicial branch, including, without limitation, the several courts of the State, the offices of the clerk of the supreme court and the clerks of the appellate court, and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, nor does it mean the legislature or its committees or commissions.

Section 15. Aging Community State Employment Plan.

(a) The Department shall have a full-time position designated as the Aging Community State Employment Coordinator to monitor compliance with the Aging Community State Employment Plan.

(b) The Department shall develop and implement plans to increase the number of members of the aging community employed by State agencies and the number of members of the aging community employed by State agencies at supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial levels.

(c) The Department shall prepare and revise annually an Aging Community State Employment Plan in consultation with individuals and organizations knowledgeable on this subject and with the Aging Community State Employment Plan Advisory Council. The Department shall report to the General Assembly by February 1 of each year, beginning with February 1, 2013, each State agency's activities that implement the Aging Community State Employment Plan.

Section 20. State agency affirmative action and equal employment opportunity goals.

(a) Each State agency shall implement strategies and programs in accordance with the Aging Community State Employment Plan to increase the number of aging community members employed by that State agency and the number of aging community members employed by that State agency at supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial levels.

(b) Each State agency shall report annually to the Department and the Department of Human Rights, in a format prescribed by the Department, all of the agency's activities in implementing the Aging Community State Employment Plan. Each agency's annual report shall include reports or information related to the agency's aging community employment strategies and programs that the agency has received from the Department, the Department of Human Rights, or the Auditor General, pursuant to their periodic review responsibilities; findings made by the Governor in his or her report to the General Assembly; assessments of service needs based upon the agency's service populations; information on the agency's studies and monitoring success concerning the number of aging community members employed by the agency at the supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial levels and any increases in those categories from the prior year; and information concerning the agency's aging community employment budget allocations.

(c) The Department shall assist State agencies establish programs to meet goals established pursuant to the Aging Community State Employment Plan. The Department shall survey State agencies to identify effective existing training programs and shall serve as a resource to other State agencies. The Department shall assist agencies in the development and modification of training programs to enable them to meet their affirmative action and equal employment opportunity goals and shall provide information regarding other existing training and educational resources, such as the Upward Mobility Program, the Illinois Institute for Training and Development, the Central Management Services Training Center, Executive Recruitment Internships, and Graduate Public Service Internships.

Section 25. Aging Community State Employment Plan Advisory Council.

(a) The Aging Community State Employment Plan Advisory Council is created, consisting of 11 members, each of whom shall be a subject matter expert on the aging community, appointed by the Governor.

(b) All members of the Aging Community State Employment Plan Advisory Council shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(c) The Aging Community State Employment Plan Advisory Council shall examine: (1) the prevalence and impact of members of the aging community employed by State government; (2) the barriers faced by members of the aging community who seek employment or promotional opportunities in State government; and (3) possible incentives that could be offered to foster the employment of and the promotion of members of the aging community in State government.

(d) The Council shall meet quarterly to provide consultation to State agencies and the Aging Community State Employment Coordinator.

(e) The Aging Community State Employment Plan Advisory Council shall receive administrative support from the Department of Central Management Services and shall issue an annual report of its activities each year on or before December 1, beginning with December 1, 2013.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.