101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2313

 

Introduced , by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Illinois Violence Reduction Funding Act of 2019. Requires the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to make grants to community-based organizations for the purpose of carrying out community-based violence reduction programs. Provides that the programs shall reflect strong community involvement and provide specified services including: (i) youth services; (ii) trauma-informed counseling services; (iii) public awareness campaigns; and (iv) job readiness training programs. Contains provisions concerning eligible activities; selection criteria; eligible entities; application requirements; and reporting requirements. Effective July 1, 2019.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning violence reduction.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Illinois Violence Reduction Funding Act of 2019.
 
6    Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to establish
7a program within the Department of Human Services to administer
8competitively awarded grants to community-based organizations
9to reduce violent crime within the State of Illinois.
 
10    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
11    "Community-based organization" means a private
12not-for-profit organization that is capable of addressing
13violence prevention and reduction within the State of Illinois
14by using a culturally competent approach, and that is located
15within a community:
16         (1) with an unemployment rate that is at least 26%
17    higher than the State's average unemployment rate
18    according to the Illinois Department of Employment
19    Security, adjusted yearly;
20         (2) that has a violent crimes rate that is at least
21    10% higher than the State's average per capita violent
22    crimes rate; and

 

 

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1         (3) that is representative of very low-income
2    populations.
3    "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Human
4Services.
5    "Very low-income" means a person or household whose income
6is at or below 50% of the median family income, adjusted for
7household size, for the county where the household is located.
 
8    Section 15. Program requirements. The Secretary shall,
9subject to appropriations, make grants to community-based
10organizations for the purpose of carrying out community-based
11violence reduction programs as provided under this Act. All
12programs funded in accordance with the provisions of this Act
13shall reflect strong community involvement. In addition,
14funding provided under this Act shall be used by each
15community-based violence reduction program to provide, at a
16minimum, one of the following services:
17        (1) violence prevention;
18        (2) youth services;
19        (3) after school programming;
20        (4) trauma-informed counseling services;
21        (5) youth work experiences;
22        (6) job readiness training programs;
23        (7) public awareness campaigns;
24        (8) services for disconnected youth;
25        (9) capacity building;

 

 

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1        (10) grant management;
2        (11) writing and development;
3        (12) organizational structure and sustainability;
4        (13) street-level outreach; and
5        (14) other priority areas.
 
6    Section 20. Eligible activities. Implementation grants may
7be used to carry out the activities listed in Section 15. Other
8eligible activities include administrative costs of the
9community-based organization which may not exceed a specified
10percentage of the amount of assistance provided, as determined
11by the Secretary, that is necessary to support the capacity
12development of the community-based organization.
 
13    Section 25. Selection criteria. Priority in the awarding of
14grants under this Act shall be given to community-based
15organizations with experience operating violence reduction
16programs in accordance with this Act.
 
17    Section 30. Eligible entities. Community-based
18organizations or public agencies with experience using a
19culturally competent approach to reduce neighborhood violence
20shall also be eligible for grants under this Act.
 
21    Section 35. Application requirements. The Secretary shall
22require that an application for grants under this Act contain,

 

 

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1at a minimum:
2        (1) a request for an implementation grant, specifying
3    the amount of the grant requested and its proposed uses;
4        (2) a description of the applicant and a statement of
5    the applicant's qualifications, including a description of
6    the applicant's experience operating a violence reduction
7    program in accordance with this Act;
8        (3) a description of the educational and job training
9    activities, work opportunities, and other services that
10    will be provided to program participants;
11        (4) a detailed budget and a description of the system
12    of fiscal controls and auditing and accountability
13    procedures that will be used to ensure fiscal soundness;
14        (5) a description of any contracts and arrangements
15    entered into between the applicant and other agencies and
16    entities, including all in-kind donations and grants from
17    both public and private entities that will serve to augment
18    funds provided under this Act.
 
19    Section 40. Annual report. The Department of Human Services
20shall prepare an annual report summarizing costs and outcome
21data associated with the violence reduction programs
22implemented in accordance with this Act. The report must
23include, but not be limited to, the following information: the
24number of participants in each program and the average cost per
25participant. The Department must submit its report to the

 

 

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1General Assembly by December 31, 2019 and by December 31 of
2each year thereafter.
 
3    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
42019.