96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB0655

 

Introduced 02/06/09, by Rep. Esther Golar

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities Task Force Act. Creates the Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities Task Force. Requires the Task Force to analyze (i) programs and policies of the State to determine what changes, modifications, and innovations may be necessary to remove barriers to competitive employment and economic opportunity for persons with disabilities, (ii) State disability systems, including the mental health, developmental disabilities, veterans' assistance, workforce investment, and rehabilitation services systems, and their effect on employment of persons with disabilities, and (iii) applicable research and policy studies, innovations used in other States, and any federal policy initiatives such as customized employment, and federal funding opportunities that would increase competitive employment and economic opportunity for persons with disabilities in Illinois. Requires the Task Force to meet for the first time no later than 90 days after the effective date. Requires the Task Force to produce an annual report of its activities and recommendations and to issue that report no later than May 1st of each year, beginning May 1, 2010. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

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,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with
6 Disabilities Task Force Act.
 
7     Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds as follows:
8         (1) That there are many qualified persons with
9     disabilities in Illinois who are unable to obtain
10     competitive employment.
11         (2) That the unemployment rate for persons with
12     disabilities far exceeds the unemployment rate for persons
13     without disabilities.
14         (3) That millions of federal and State dollars are
15     invested each year in education, training, supported
16     employment, vocational training and other services related
17     to the employment and training of persons with disabilities
18     in Illinois without any significant gains in the rate of
19     competitive employment for persons with disabilities.
20         (4) That there has been a history of barriers to equal
21     employment opportunity for persons with disabilities in
22     Illinois, and those barriers continue to exist in the
23     public and the private sectors.

 

 

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1         (5) That it is in the best social and economic
2     interests of the State of Illinois to expand competitive
3     employment and economic opportunity for persons with
4     disabilities in Illinois.
5         (6) That competitive employment and other economic
6     opportunity for persons with disabilities will facilitate
7     self-sufficiency and independent living for more persons
8     with disabilities in Illinois.
 
9     Section 10. Employment and Economic Opportunity for
10 Persons with Disabilities Task Force.
11     (a) The Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons
12 with Disabilities Task Force is created.
13     (b) The Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons
14 with Disabilities Task Force shall be appointed and hold its
15 first meeting within 90 days after the effective date of this
16 Act, be convened by the Governor, and operate under the
17 auspices of the Governor's office.
18     (c) The Task Force shall be comprised of the following
19 representatives of State Government: a high-ranking member of
20 the Governor's management team, designated by the Governor;
21 representatives of each division of the Department of Human
22 Services, designated by the Secretary of Human Services; the
23 Director of Healthcare and Family Services, or his or her
24 designee; the Director of Veterans' Affairs or his or her
25 designee; the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or

 

 

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1 his or her designee; the Director of Employment Security or his
2 or her designee; and the State Superintendent of Education or
3 his or her designee.
4     (d) The Task Force shall also consist of no more than 25
5 public members who shall be appointed by the Governor and who
6 represent the following constituencies: statewide
7 organizations that advocate for persons with physical,
8 developmental and psychiatric disabilities, entities with
9 expertise in assistive technology devices and services for
10 persons with disabilities, advocates for veterans with
11 disabilities, centers for independent living, disability
12 services providers, the Illinois Council on Developmental
13 Disabilities, organized labor, higher education, the private
14 sector business community, entities that provide employment
15 and training services to persons with disabilities, and at
16 least 3 persons who have a disability.
17     (e) The Task Force shall be co-chaired by the
18 representative of the Governor and a public member who shall be
19 chosen by the other public members of the Task Force.
20     (f) The Task Force members shall serve voluntarily and
21 without compensation. Persons with disabilities serving on the
22 Task Force shall be accommodated to enable them to fully
23 participate in Task Force activities.
24     (g) The co-chairs of the Task Force shall extend an
25 invitation to chairs and minority spokespersons of appropriate
26 legislative committees to attend all meetings of the Task

 

 

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1 Force, and may invite other individuals who are not members of
2 the Task Force to participate in subcommittees of the Task
3 Force or to take part in discussions of topics for which those
4 individuals have particular expertise.
5     (h) The Task Force shall coordinate its work with existing
6 State advisory bodies whose work may include employment and
7 economic opportunity for persons with disabilities.
 
8     Section 15. Task Force Responsibilities. The Task Force
9 shall analyze programs and policies of the State to determine
10 what changes, modifications, and innovations may be necessary
11 to remove barriers to competitive employment and economic
12 opportunity for persons with disabilities, including barriers
13 such as transportation, housing, program accessibility, and
14 benefit structure. The Task Force shall also analyze State
15 disability systems, including the mental health, developmental
16 disabilities, veterans' assistance, workforce investment, and
17 rehabilitation services systems, and their effect on
18 employment of persons with disabilities. The Task Force shall
19 review and analyze applicable research and policy studies,
20 innovations used in other states, and any federal policy
21 initiatives such as customized employment, and federal funding
22 opportunities that would increase competitive employment and
23 economic opportunity for persons with disabilities in
24 Illinois.
 

 

 

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1     Section 20. Reporting. The Task Force shall make
2 recommendations to the General Assembly and to the Governor,
3 including legislative proposals, regulatory changes, systems
4 changes, and budget initiatives, that would advance employment
5 and economic opportunity for persons with disabilities in
6 Illinois. The Task Force shall produce an annual report of its
7 activities and recommendations that shall be issued no later
8 than May 1st of each year, the first report being due no later
9 than May 1, 2010.
 
10     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11 becoming law.