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Public Act 102-0986 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning aging.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Illinois Act on the Aging is amended by | ||||
adding Section 4.04b as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 105/4.04b new) | ||||
Sec. 4.04b. Senior Housing Residents' Advisory Council. | ||||
(a) Findings and purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic has | ||||
impacted seniors residing in assisted living facilities and | ||||
congregate living arrangements especially hard. Faced with | ||||
sickness, isolation, and a lack of support services many | ||||
seniors of this State have expressed feeling overlooked and | ||||
forgotten about. The purpose of the Senior Housing Residents' | ||||
Advisory Council established under this Section is to create a | ||||
space and opportunity for senior Illinoisans to connect with | ||||
each other and meet with representatives from the Department | ||||
on Aging and the Department of Public Health in order to share | ||||
their ideas on how the State can improve the quality of life | ||||
for its senior residents. The Council will also give senior | ||||
Illinoisans the opportunity to share their findings and | ||||
recommendations on targeted services and supports for seniors | ||||
with the Governor and the General Assembly. | ||||
(b) Establishment and composition. The Senior Housing |
Residents' Advisory Council is established within the | ||
Department on Aging. The Council shall consist of the | ||
following members: | ||
(1) The Director of the Department on Aging, or his or | ||
her designee, who shall serve as Chair of the Council. | ||
(2) One member of the Senate appointed by the | ||
President of the Senate. | ||
(3) One member of the House of Representatives | ||
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. | ||
(4) One member of the Senate appointed by the Minority | ||
Leader of the Senate. | ||
(5) One member of the House of Representatives | ||
appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of | ||
Representatives. | ||
(6) The Director of the Department of Public Health or | ||
his or her designee. | ||
(7) Two seniors who reside in affordable senior | ||
housing developments, appointed by the Department on | ||
Aging. | ||
(8) Two seniors who reside in assisted living | ||
facilities, appointed by the Department of Public Health. | ||
(9) One adult family member of a senior who resides in | ||
an affordable senior housing development, appointed by the | ||
Department on Aging. | ||
(10) One adult family member of a senior who resides | ||
in an assisted living facility, appointed by the |
Department of Public Health. | ||
(11) One senior who lives in Cook County, appointed by | ||
the Department on Aging. | ||
(12) One senior who lives in central Illinois, | ||
appointed by the Department on Aging. | ||
(13) One senior who lives in southern Illinois, | ||
appointed by the Department on Aging. | ||
(14) One senior who lives in northern Illinois, | ||
appointed by the Department on Aging. | ||
(15) One senior who lives in western Illinois, | ||
appointed by the Department on Aging. | ||
(16) One administrative personnel from an affordable | ||
senior housing development, appointed by the Department on | ||
Aging. | ||
(17) One administrative personnel from an assisted | ||
living facility, appointed by the Department of Public | ||
Health. | ||
(18) One outreach professional who works at the | ||
Department on Aging. | ||
(19) One senior, appointed by the Department on Aging, | ||
who lives in one of the following counties: DuPage, Kane, | ||
Lake, McHenry, or Will. | ||
(c) The Council shall meet quarterly at the call of the | ||
Chair beginning no later than January 1, 2023 and shall | ||
thereafter meet on the date of each quarterly meeting with | ||
personnel from the Department of Public Health and the |
Department on Aging. All meetings shall be open to the public | ||
in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. The Council is | ||
authorized to form subcommittees that can meet more frequently | ||
than once per quarter. Members of the Council shall receive no | ||
compensation for their service but shall be reimbursed for any | ||
necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties | ||
from appropriations made by the General Assembly for that | ||
purpose. The Department on Aging shall provide the Council | ||
with administrative, personnel, and technical support | ||
services. | ||
(d) Duties. The Council has the following duties: | ||
(1) Identify barriers to seniors feeling supported by | ||
and connected to their communities. | ||
(2) Evaluate available resources and services for | ||
seniors. | ||
(3) Evaluate State outreach to seniors. | ||
(4) Evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on congregate | ||
living arrangements for seniors. | ||
(e) Reports. No later than December 31 in 2023, 2024, and | ||
2025, the Council shall submit a written report to the | ||
Governor and the General Assembly on the results of its | ||
findings and evaluations under subsection (d) and shall | ||
provide advice and recommendations on: | ||
(1) how best to disseminate information to seniors on | ||
available supports and services through the use of State | ||
agency websites, informational materials, and outreach |
personnel; | ||
(2) how to ensure of the availability of targeted | ||
services for seniors and to eliminate any gaps in services | ||
for seniors; and | ||
(3) how to improve State policy concerning seniors and | ||
congregate living arrangements for seniors in response to | ||
COVID-19. | ||
The Council shall terminate and dissolve after it submits | ||
its third report on December 31, 2025. | ||
(f) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2027.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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