102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB5513

 

Introduced 1/31/2022, by Rep. Edgar Gonzalez, Jr.

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Conditions of Homeless Shelters in Illinois Act. Establishes the Conditions of Homeless Shelters in Illinois Commission. Provides that the Commission shall advise the Governor and the General Assembly on policy issues concerning health conditions in homeless shelters in this State with specified goals. Provides for membership of the Commission. Provides for qualifications for Commission appointees. Provides for member terms. Provides that members shall serve without compensation. Provides that the Office of the Governor shall provide administrative and technical support to the Commission. Provides for meetings of the Commission. Provides for reports of the Commission.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
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
5Conditions of Homeless Shelters in Illinois Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
7    "Commission" means the Conditions of Homeless Shelters in
8Illinois Commission created under this Act.
9    "Health conditions" means conditions that impact the
10mental, physical, and spiritual condition of an individual.
 
11    Section 10. The Conditions of Homeless Shelters in
12Illinois Commission.
13    (a) There is hereby created the Conditions of Homeless
14Shelters in Illinois Commission.
15    (b) The Commission shall advise the Governor and the
16General Assembly on policy issues concerning health conditions
17in homeless shelters in this State, including, but not limited
18to, the following goals:
19        (1) To identify the key healthcare conditions in
20    Illinois homeless shelters through a process developed by
21    the Commission that allows Commission members to monitor
22    Illinois homeless shelters.

 

 

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1        (2) To put in place developed processes of monitoring
2    homeless shelters that adequately provide access to
3    Commission members.
4        (3) To create a report that shares the key findings
5    that create problematic health care conditions in Illinois
6    homeless shelters.
7        (4) To create a report that shares the recommendations
8    of policy changes to improve the health conditions of
9    homeless shelters in Illinois.
10        (5) To release the Commission's public report to the
11    Governor, the General Assembly, and the public.
12        (6) To disseminate information and build relationships
13    between community organizations, State agencies, and
14    commissions in furtherance of the Commission's goals under
15    this Act.
 
16    Section 15. Commission members.
17    (a) The Commission shall consist of the following members:
18        (1) one member who is a representative of the Office
19    of the Governor, appointed by the Governor;
20        (2) five members appointed one each by the Governor,
21    the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
22    Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and
23    the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
24        (3) one representative of an organization advocating
25    on behalf of homeless persons, appointed by the Governor;

 

 

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1        (4) one representative of homeless shelters, appointed
2    by the Governor; and
3        (5) one medical professional with expertise on health
4    conditions among the homeless population, appointed by the
5    Governor.
6    (b) The Director of each of the following State agencies
7or his or her designee shall serve as ex officio members of the
8Commission: the Department on Aging, the Department of
9Children and Family Services, the Department of Healthcare and
10Family Services, the Department of Human Rights, and the
11Department of Public Health.
12    (c) The Governor shall select the chairperson of the
13Commission from among the members.
14    (d) Appointing authorities shall ensure, to the maximum
15extent practicable, that the Commission is diverse with
16respect to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, and
17geography.
18    (e) Appointments to the Commission shall be persons of
19recognized ability and experience in one or more of the
20following areas: public policy, healthcare, equity advocacy,
21social services, and community advocacy and development.
22    (f) Members of the Commission shall serve 2-year terms. A
23member shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and
24qualified. Members of the Commission shall not be entitled to
25compensation for their services as members.
26    (g) The Office of the Governor shall provide

 

 

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1administrative and technical support to the Commission.
 
2    Section 20. Meetings. The Commission shall meet at least
3once per quarter. In addition, the Commission may hold up to 2
4public hearings annually to assist in the development of
5policy recommendations to the Governor and the General
6Assembly, and implement processes to meet its overall mission
7goals. All meetings of the Commission shall be conducted in
8accordance with the Open Meetings Act. A majority of the
9non-ex officio members of the Commission shall constitute a
10quorum.
 
11    Section 25. Reports. The Commission shall electronically
12issue semi-annual reports on its policy recommendations by
13June 30 and December 31 of each year to the Governor and the
14General Assembly. The reports issued to the General Assembly
15under this Section shall be filed electronically with the
16General Assembly as provided under Section 3.1 of the General
17Assembly Organization Act, and shall be provided to any member
18of the General Assembly upon request.