Bill Text: IL SB0295 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Amends the Intergenerational Poverty Act. Provides that the Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security shall have 2 members of the judiciary (rather than a member of the judiciary or a designee) who shall be appointed by the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-07-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 102-0090 [SB0295 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-SB0295-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 102-0090
SB0295 Enrolled LRB102 10937 KTG 16269 b
AN ACT concerning public aid.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Intergenerational Poverty Act is amended by
changing Section 95-501 as follows:
(305 ILCS 70/95-501)
Sec. 95-501. The Commission on Poverty Elimination and
Economic Security.
(a) Establishment. The Commission on Poverty Elimination
and Economic Security is established.
(b) Purpose. The purpose of the Commission is to:
(1) Inform the public policy making process by:
(i) Improving policymakers' understanding of the
root causes of poverty and economic insecurity,
including contributing social, economic, and cultural
factors and the reasons that poverty and economic
insecurity persist in this State.
(ii) Expanding policymakers' understanding of
poverty by distinguishing a standard that measures a
level of freedom from deprivation from a standard that
measures economic security provided by a living wage
and access to a livable standard of living.
(iii) Educating policymakers on the impact poverty

has on other measures of economic stability and
economic outcomes, including educational attainment,
rates of incarceration, lifetime earnings, access to
health care, health care outcomes, and access to
housing.
(2) Support governmental efforts to ensure that
residents of this State have equal opportunity to achieve
economic security.
(3) Reduce and ultimately eliminate poverty in this
State by making policy and other recommendations to the
legislative, executive, and judicial branches of this
State.
(c) Membership. The Commission shall consist of the
following members:
(1) Four members of the General Assembly, one each
appointed by the President of the Senate, the Minority
Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of
Representative.
(2) Two members A member of the judiciary or a
designee who shall be appointed by the Chief Justice of
the Illinois Supreme Court.
(3) Twenty members of the public appointed under
subsection (d) representing stakeholders as follows:
(i) Two representatives, one of whom shall
represent an organization that focuses on rural

poverty and one of whom shall represent an
organization that focuses on urban and suburban
poverty.
(ii) Two individuals who have experienced deep
poverty.
(iii) One representative of an organization that
advocates for health care access, affordability, and
availability.
(iv) One representative of an organization that
advocated for individuals with mental illness.
(v) One representative of an organization that
advocates for children and youth.
(vi) One representative of an organization that
advocates for equity and equality in education.
(vii) One representative of an organization that
advocates for individuals who are homeless.
(viii) One representative of a Statewide
antihunger organization.
(ix) One representative of an organization that
advocates for military veterans.
(x) One representative of an organization that
advocates for individuals with disabilities.
(xi) One representative of an organization that
advocates for immigrants.
(xii) One representative of a Statewide
faith-based organization that provides direct social

services in this State.
(xiii) One representative of an organization that
advocates for economic security for women.
(xiv) One representative of an organization that
advocates for older adults.
(xv) One representative of a labor organization
that represents primarily low-wage and middle-wage
earners.
(xvi) One representative of school districts in
this State.
(xvii) One representative of county governments in
this State.
(xviii) One representative of municipal
corporation governments in this State.
(4) The members of the workgroup shall serve as
nonvoting ex officio members of the Commission.
(d) Appointment. The following shall apply:
(1) The public members of the Commission under
paragraph (3) of subsection (c) shall be appointed as
follows:
(i) Four shall be appointed by the Governor.
(ii) Four shall be appointed by the President of
the Senate.
(iii) Four shall be appointed by the Minority
Leader of the Senate.
(iv) Four shall be appointed by the Speaker of the

House of Representatives.
(v) Four shall be appointed by the Minority Leader
of the House of Representatives.
(2) It shall be determined by lot which appointing
authority appoints which public members to the Commission.
(3) The appointed members shall reflect the racial,
gender, and geographic diversity of this State and shall
include representation from regions of this State
experiencing economic insecurity and the highest rates of
deep poverty.
(4) Public members of the Commission shall be selected
for service on the Commission within 45 days after the
effective date of this Act.
(e) Qualifications. Each member of the Commission must
have been a resident of this State for a period of at least one
year immediately preceding appointment and must continue
residence in this State during the member's tenure of service
on the Commission.
(f) Organizational meeting. The organizational meeting of
the Commission shall take place after all members are
appointed but no later than 60 days after the effective date of
this Act.
(g) Compensation. Members shall serve without
compensation, but public members may be reimbursed for
reasonable and necessary travel expenses connected to
Commission business.

(h) Commission chairperson. The representatives of the
antipoverty organizations appointed under subparagraph (i) of
paragraph (3) of subsection (c) shall serve as cochairs of the
Commission.
(i) Committees. The Commission may establish subcommittees
to address specific issues or populations and may collaborate
with individuals with relevant expertise who are not members
of the Commission to assist the subcommittee in carrying out
its duties.
(j) Meetings. The full Commission shall meet at least once
annually.
(k) Quorum. A majority plus one of the voting members
shall constitute a quorum.
(l) Voting. All actions of the Commission and any
subcommittees established by the Commission shall be approved
by a majority vote of the Commission or subcommittee as
applicable.
(m) Open meetings. The meetings of the Commission shall be
conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 of
the Open Meetings Act.
(n) Administrative support. The Department of Human
Services shall provide staff and administrative support to
assist the Commission in carrying out its duties.
(Source: P.A. 101-636, eff. 6-10-20.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.