HB2591eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2591 Engrossed LRB098 07302 JLS 37365 b

AN ACT concerning employment.

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 Illinois Employment First Act.

Section 5. Policy. It is the policy of this State that competitive and integrated employment shall be considered the first option when serving persons with disabilities of working age. This policy applies to programs and services that provide services and supports to help persons with disabilities obtain employment. All State agencies shall follow this policy and ensure that it is effectively implemented in their programs and services. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require any employer to give preference to hiring persons with disabilities.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Competitive employment" means work in the competitive labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis in an integrated setting and for which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not disabled.

"Disability" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 10 of the Disabilities Services Act of 2003.

"Integrated setting" means with respect to an employment outcome, a setting typically found in the community in which applicants or eligible individuals interact with non-disabled individuals, other than non-disabled individuals who are providing services to those applicants or eligible individuals, to the same extent that non-disabled individuals in comparable positions interact with other persons.

"State agency" means and includes all boards, commissions, agencies, institutions, authorities, and bodies politic and corporate of the State, created by or in accordance with the Illinois Constitution or State statute, of the executive branch of State government and does include colleges, universities, public employee retirement systems, and institutions under the jurisdiction of the governing boards of the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Eastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, Chicago State University, Governors State University, Northeastern Illinois University, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Section 15. Agency coordination. All State agencies shall coordinate efforts and shall collaborate within and among such agencies to ensure that State programs, policies, procedures, and funding support competitive and integrated employment of persons with disabilities. All State agencies shall, whenever feasible, share data and information across systems in order to track progress toward full implementation of this Act. State agencies are authorized to adopt rules to implement this Act.

Section 20. Establishment of measurable goals and objectives. The Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities Task Force established under the Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities Task Force Act shall establish measurable goals and objectives for the State to ensure implementation of this Act and monitor the measured progress toward implementation of this Act. All State agencies shall fully cooperate with the Task Force and provide data and information to assist the Task Force in carrying out its responsibilities. The Task Force shall include in its annual report a progress report on the implementation of this Act and any recommendations with respect to the implementation of this Act.

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