HB5701 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 16010 AJO 61161 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB5701

Introduced 2/16/2012, by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the People with Disabilities Act. Provides that the Act concerns people with disabilities as to: delivery of State services; State employment; State agencies' goals; and a People with Disabilities State Employment Plan. Provides that "disability" has the same meaning as in the Illinois Human Rights Act (determinable physical or mental characteristic of a person). Provides that the Department of Central Management Services shall: develop and implement plans to increase the number of people with disabilities employed by the State; prepare a People with Disabilities State Employment Plan; annually report to the General Assembly State agency activities under the Plan; and assist State agencies with training programs. Provides that each State agency shall implement the Plan and provide a Plan report annually to the Department. Creates the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council with 11 members (each a subject matter expert on people with disabilities), appointed by the Governor, who shall serve without compensation, but be reimbursed for reasonable expenses from appropriated funds. Includes other provisions. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the People with Disabilities Act.

Section 5. Purposes. The purposes of this Act are as follows:

(a) improve the delivery of State services to Illinois' people with disabilities by increasing the number of people with disabilities who are State employees and the number of people with disabilities who are State employees serving in supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial positions;

(b) identify State agencies' staffing needs and qualification requirements;

(c) track hiring practices and promotions of people with disabilities who are employed by State agencies;

(d) increase the number of people with disabilities employed by State agencies;

(e) increase the number of people with disabilities who are State employees who are promoted;

(f) increase the number of people with disabilities who are veterans hired by State agencies;

(g) assist State agencies to meet their goals established pursuant to the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan; and

(h) establish the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council.

Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:

"Department" means the Department of Central Management Services.

"Disability" has the meaning given to that term in Section 1-103 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

"State agency" or "agency", whether used in the singular or plural, means all departments, officers, commissions, boards, institutions, and bodies politic and corporate of the State. The term, however, does not mean the judicial branch, including, without limitation, the several courts of the State, the offices of the clerk of the supreme court and the clerks of the appellate court, and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, nor does it mean the legislature or its committees or commissions.

Section 15. People with Disabilities State Employment Plan.

(a) The Department shall have a full-time position designated as the People with Disabilities State Employment Coordinator to monitor compliance with the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan.

(b) The Department shall develop and implement plans to increase the number of people with disabilities employed by State agencies and the number of people with disabilities employed by State agencies at supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial levels.

(c) The Department shall prepare and revise annually a People with Disabilities State Employment Plan in consultation with individuals and organizations knowledgeable on this subject and with the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council. The Department shall report to the General Assembly by February 1 of each year, beginning with February 1, 2013, each State agency's activities that implement the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan.

Section 20. State agency affirmative action and equal employment opportunity goals.

(a) Each State agency shall implement strategies and programs in accordance with the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan to increase people with disabilities employed by that State agency and the number of disability community members employed by that State agency at supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial levels.

(b) Each State agency shall report annually to the Department and the Department of Human Rights, in a format prescribed by the Department, all of the agency's activities in implementing the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan. Each agency's annual report shall include reports or information related to the agency's community employment strategies and programs that the agency has received from the Department, the Department of Human Rights, or the Auditor General, pursuant to their periodic review responsibilities; findings made by the Governor in his or her report to the General Assembly; assessments of service needs based upon the agency's service populations; information on the agency's studies and monitoring success concerning the number of disability community members employed by the agency at the supervisory, technical, professional, and managerial levels and any increases in those categories from the prior year; and information concerning the agency's disability community employment budget allocations.

(c) The Department shall assist State agencies establish programs to meet goals established pursuant to the People With Disabilities State Employment Plan. The Department shall survey State agencies to identify effective existing training programs and shall serve as a resource to other State agencies. The Department shall assist agencies in the development and modification of training programs to enable them to meet their employment goals and shall provide information regarding other existing training and educational resources, such as the Upward Mobility Program, the Illinois Institute for Training and Development, the Central Management Services Training Center, Executive Recruitment Internships, and Graduate Public Service Internships.

Section 25. People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council.

(a) The People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council is created, consisting of 11 members, each of whom shall be a subject matter expert on people with disabilities, appointed by the Governor.

(b) All members of the People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(c) The People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council shall examine: (1) the prevalence and impact of people with disabilities employed by State government; (2) the barriers faced by people with disabilities who seek employment or promotional opportunities in State government; and (3) possible incentives that could be offered to foster the employment of and the promotion of people with disabilities in State government.

(d) The Council shall meet quarterly to provide consultation to State agencies and the People with Disabilities State Employment Coordinator.

(e) The People with Disabilities State Employment Plan Advisory Council shall receive administrative support from the Department of Central Management Services and shall issue an annual report of its activities each year on or before December 1, beginning with December 1, 2013.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.