Sen. Michael Noland

Filed: 5/22/2008

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1029

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1029 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Illinois Plain Language Task Force Act.
 
6     Section 5. Purpose. The mission of the Illinois Plain
7 Language Task Force is to conduct a study on, and to propose
8 legislative measures designed to realize:
9         (1) the potential benefits of incorporating plain
10     language in State government documents, statutes, and
11     contracts into which the State enters; and
12         (2) how plain language principles might be
13     incorporated into the statutes governing contracts among
14     private parties so as to provide additional protections to
15     Illinois consumer, to reduce litigation between private
16     parties over the meaning of contractual terms, and to

 

 

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1     foster judicial economy.
 
2     Section 10. Definition. As used in this Act:
3     "Plain language" has the same meaning ascribed to it in the
4 Executive Memorandum of President William J. Clinton,
5 mandating that Federal Agencies and Federal Administrative
6 Rules employ plain language, issued June 1, 1998, namely that
7 "plain language" documents have logical organization,
8 easy-to-read design features, and use: (i) common, everyday
9 words, except for necessary technical terms; (ii) "you" and
10 other pronouns; (iii) the active voice; and (iv) short
11 sentences.
 
12     Section 15. Task Force.
13     (a) The Illinois Plain Language Task Force is hereby
14 created. The Illinois Plain Language Task Force shall be
15 chaired by the Lieutenant Governor or his or her designee and
16 shall consist of the following members: one member appointed by
17 the Illinois Attorney General; one member appointed by the
18 Senate President; one member appointed by the Minority Leader
19 of the Senate; one member appointed by the Speaker of the
20 House; one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
21 House; and one member who specializes in consumer protection
22 appointed by the Governor.
23     (b) Members of the Task Force must be appointed no later
24 than 90 days after the effective date of this Act.

 

 

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1     (c) If a vacancy occurs on the Task Force, it shall be
2 filled according to the guidelines of the initial appointment.
3     (d) At the discretion of the chair, additional individuals
4 may participate as non-voting members in the meetings of the
5 Task Force.
6     (e) Members of the Illinois Plain Language Task Force shall
7 serve without compensation. The Office of the Lieutenant
8 Governor shall provide staff and administrative services to the
9 Task Force.
 
10     Section 20. Duties. Once all members have been appointed,
11 the Task Force shall meet not less than once every 2-month
12 period in a 12-month period following the effective date of
13 this Act to carry out the duties prescribed in this Act. A
14 final report delineating the Task Force's findings,
15 conclusions, and recommendations shall be submitted to the
16 Illinois General Assembly no later than 15 months after the
17 effective date of this Act.
 
18     Section 25. Guidance. The Task Force shall be guided in its
19 discussions on the subject of plain language by the
20 "Guidelines" for plain language drafting promulgated by
21 President William J. Clinton on June 1, 1998, which accompanied
22 his plain language Executive Memorandum issued on the same day.
 
23     Section 80. Repeal. This Act is repealed 2 years after its

 

 

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1 effective date.
 
2     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
3 becoming law.".