State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_HB1691eng

      New Act.
          Creates the  Commission  on  the  Status  of  Women  Act.
      Contains the short title only.
                                                     LRB9004489MWpc
HB1691 Engrossed                               LRB9004489MWpc
 1        AN ACT to create the Commission on the Status of Women.
 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    Commission on the Status of Women Act.
 6        Section 5.  Creation; members.  A commission, to be known
 7    as  the  Commission on the Status of Women, is created within
 8    the Department of Human Rights.
 9        The Commission shall consist of 18 members, including:  8
10    members of the General Assembly, 2 each to  be  appointed  by
11    the  Speaker  of  the  House of Representatives, the Minority
12    Leader of the House of Representatives, the President of  the
13    Senate,  and  the Minority Leader of the Senate; 8 members of
14    the public, 2 each to be appointed  by  the  Speaker  of  the
15    House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of
16    Representatives,   the  President  of  the  Senate,  and  the
17    Minority Leader of the Senate; and 2 members  of  the  public
18    appointed by the Governor.
19        Members appointed from the public may include but are not
20    limited  to persons who are active in and knowledgeable about
21    the following areas: health and  human  services,  education,
22    business  and  industry,  science  and  technology,  arts and
23    culture, the promotion of social and  economic  justice,  law
24    and government, and volunteerism.
25        At  least 11 of the 18 members of the Commission shall be
26    women.  The membership of the Commission  shall  reflect  the
27    diversity   of  this  State's  population.   The  legislative
28    leaders and the Governor shall consult with  individuals  and
29    organizations  that  promote the advancement of women to seek
30    their recommendation of persons to serve as public members of
31    the Commission.
HB1691 Engrossed            -2-                LRB9004489MWpc
 1        Section 10.  Terms.  The members of the Commission  shall
 2    be  appointed  every  2 years for terms expiring on July 1 of
 3    each succeeding odd-numbered year.  The public members  shall
 4    serve  until  their  respective  successors are appointed and
 5    qualified.  The members from the General Assembly shall serve
 6    until their respective successors are appointed or until  the
 7    termination  of  their  legislative service, whichever occurs
 8    first.   Vacancies  occurring  because  of   the   death   or
 9    resignation  of  a  member  shall be filled by the appointing
10    authority for the group in which the vacancy occurs.  The new
11    member shall serve for the  remainder  of  the  term  of  the
12    position that was vacated.
13        Section  15.  Compensation.  Commission members shall not
14    receive  compensation  for  their  services  but   shall   be
15    reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance
16    of their duties.
17        Section  20.  Organization; rules.  The Commission shall,
18    within 30 days after all of the members have been  appointed,
19    appoint  one member as its Chairperson, a secretary to keep a
20    record of its proceedings, and any  other  officers  that  it
21    considers  necessary.  A Chairperson shall be appointed every
22    2  years.   The  Commission  may  make  any  rules  for   the
23    administration  of  the  Commission that are not inconsistent
24    with this Act.
25        Section   25.  Staff   and   assistants.    Subject    to
26    appropriations,  the Department of Human Rights shall provide
27    the necessary staff and assistance for the Commission.
28        Section 30.  Offices.   Subject  to  appropriations,  the
29    Commission  shall  maintain  an office for the transaction of
30    business in any city in the State  that  the  Commission  may
HB1691 Engrossed            -3-                LRB9004489MWpc
 1    designate.
 2        Section 40.  Powers and duties.
 3        (a)  The Commission shall do all of the following:
 4             (1)  identify through research, data collection, and
 5        public hearings, barriers to women's equality;
 6             (2)  maintain  and make available to the appropriate
 7        appointing authorities lists  of  persons  qualified  for
 8        appointment to positions in State government;
 9             (3)  educate  the  public on the status of women and
10        on the impact of public  policy  on  women,  and  analyze
11        current  and  proposed public policies to determine their
12        impact  on  women  and  report  the   analysis   to   the
13        appropriate authorities;
14             (4)  issue   reports   and  recommendations  to  the
15        executive and legislative branches  of  State  government
16        and  to  the  general  public  regarding  women's  policy
17        issues; and
18             (5)  help  the  public  and  private sectors develop
19        programs  and   services   for   women,   and   encourage
20        collaboration  between  the  Commission  and other public
21        agencies, institutions, and organizations  on  issues  of
22        mutual interest on them.
23        (b)  The  Commission  shall  also  study  and analyze all
24    facts relating to Illinois laws, rules, and  guidelines  with
25    respect to equal protection under the Illinois Constitution.
26        (c)  The Commission may do the following:
27             (1)  Create   standing   or  special  committees  as
28        needed.  These standing or special  committees  shall  be
29        chaired  by  a  member  of the Commission but may include
30        members who are not members of the Commission.
31             (2)  Survey activity in the area of status of  women
32        carried  on  by  any commission, agency, or department of
33        the  federal  government,  any  State,  or  any   private
HB1691 Engrossed            -4-                LRB9004489MWpc
 1        organization or association and may cooperate with any of
 2        those entities in conducting investigations and studies.
 3        Section 45.  Gifts and grants.  The Commission may accept
 4    monetary  gifts  or  grants from the federal government or an
 5    agency of the federal government, any  charitable  foundation
 6    or  professional  association,  or any other reputable source
 7    for the implementation of any program necessary or  desirable
 8    for carrying out the general purposes of the Commission.  The
 9    gifts  and  grants  shall be held by the State Treasurer in a
10    special trust fund outside the State treasury and expended as
11    directed by the Commission in the exercise of its powers  and
12    the performance of its duties as prescribed by law.
13        Section  50.  Reports  and recommendations.  On or before
14    February 1 of each year, the Commission  shall  make  a  full
15    report  of  its proceedings for the year ending December 1 to
16    the Governor  and  members  of  the  General  Assembly.   The
17    Commission  may  submit any recommendations pertaining to its
18    affairs that it deems desirable and any  recommendations  for
19    legislative  consideration and action that it deems necessary
20    or desirable with the report.
21        The requirement for reporting  to  the  General  Assembly
22    shall  be  satisfied  by filing copies of the report with the
23    Speaker,  Minority  Leader,  and  Clerk  of  the   House   of
24    Representatives;   the   President,   Minority   Leader,  and
25    Secretary of the Senate; and the Legislative Research Unit as
26    required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly  Organization
27    Act;   and   by  filing  additional  copies  with  the  State
28    Government  Report  Distribution  Center  for   the   General
29    Assembly  as is required under subsection (1) of Section 7 of
30    the State Library Act.

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