Full Text of HB4234 100th General Assembly
HB4234enr 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | AN ACT concerning agriculture.
| 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 Farmer | 5 | | Equity Act. | 6 | | Section 5. Legislative Findings. This State recognizes the | 7 | | importance of investing in the long-term prosperity of our food | 8 | | and farming system, beginning with farmers. It is the intent of | 9 | | the General Assembly that the Director of Agriculture should | 10 | | support socially disadvantaged farmers and include this | 11 | | support in the Department's vision and its relevant policies. | 12 | | Section 10. Definitions.
In this Act: | 13 | | "Department" means the Department of Agriculture. | 14 | | "Director" means the Director of Agriculture. | 15 | | "Socially disadvantaged farmers" means a farmer who is a | 16 | | member of a socially disadvantaged group. | 17 | | "Socially disadvantaged group" means a group whose members | 18 | | have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice | 19 | | because of their identity as members of a group without regard | 20 | | to that member's personal qualities. "Socially disadvantaged | 21 | | group" includes, but is not limited to, African Americans, | 22 | | Native Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans, |
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| 1 | | and Pacific Islanders. | 2 | | "Urbanized area" means a geographic location with a | 3 | | population of at least 50,000 people. | 4 | | Section 15. Inclusion of socially disadvantaged farmers. | 5 | | (a) The Department shall ensure the inclusion of socially | 6 | | disadvantaged farmers, including socially disadvantaged | 7 | | farmers in urbanized areas, in the development, adoption, | 8 | | implementation, and enforcement of food and agriculture laws, | 9 | | regulations, policies, and programs. | 10 | | (b) The Department shall: | 11 | | (1) consult with the Director of the Environmental | 12 | | Protection Agency, the Director of Natural Resources, the | 13 | | Executive Director of the Illinois Housing Development | 14 | | Authority, the Secretary of Human Services, and other | 15 | | interested parties of the public and private sector of the | 16 | | State on opportunities for socially disadvantaged farmers | 17 | | to coordinate State programs; | 18 | | (2) disseminate information regarding opportunities | 19 | | provided by, including, but not limited to, the United | 20 | | States Department of Agriculture, the United States | 21 | | Environmental Protection Agency, the General Accounting | 22 | | Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and other | 23 | | federal agencies that that have programs that may assist | 24 | | socially disadvantaged farmers; and | 25 | | (3) evaluate opportunities for the inclusion of |
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| 1 | | socially disadvantaged farmers in boards, committees, | 2 | | commissions, and other similar positions created by the | 3 | | Department. | 4 | | Section 20. Report. On or before January 1, 2020, the | 5 | | Department shall submit a report to the Governor and the | 6 | | General Assembly on efforts to serve socially disadvantaged | 7 | | farmers and female farmers in this State. The report shall | 8 | | include recommendations to the Governor and the General | 9 | | Assembly on how to improve processes to include socially | 10 | | disadvantaged farmers. The report to the General Assembly shall | 11 | | be filed electronically with the General Assembly as provided | 12 | | under Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act and | 13 | | shall be provided electronically to any member of the General | 14 | | Assembly upon request.
| 15 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | 16 | | becoming law.
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