101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB5024

 

Introduced 2/18/2020, by Rep. William Davis

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 405/405-535 new

    Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Establishes the African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission within the Department of Central Management Services. Provides for the appointment of members to the Commission. Provides requirements concerning the operations of the Commission. Provides for the duties of the Commission. Requires the Commission to submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly, and to make that report otherwise available to the public. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB5024LRB101 19246 RJF 68710 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Central Management Services
5Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by
6adding Section 405-535 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 405/405-535 new)
8    Sec. 405-535. African Descent-Citizens Reparations
9Commission.
10    (a) The African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission is
11hereby established within the Department of Central Management
12Services.
13    (b) The Commission shall include the following members:
14        (1) the Governor or his or her designee;
15        (2) one member of the House of Representatives
16    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
17        (3) one member of the Senate appointed by the President
18    of the Senate;
19        (4) one member of the House of Representatives
20    appointed by the Minority leader of the House of
21    Representatives;
22        (5) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority
23    leader of the Senate;

 

 

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1        (6) three representatives of a national coalition that
2    supports reparations for African Americans appointed by
3    the Governor; and
4        (7) ten members of the public appointed by the
5    Governor, at least 8 of whom are African American
6    descendants of slavery.
7    (c) Appointment of members to the Commission shall be made
8within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act
9of the 101st General Assembly, with the first meeting of the
10Commission to be held at a reasonable period of time
11thereafter. The Chairperson of the Commission shall be elected
12from among the members during the first meeting. Members of the
13Commission shall serve without compensation, but may be
14reimbursed for travel expenses. The 10 members of the public
15appointed by the Governor shall be from diverse backgrounds,
16including businesspersons and persons without high school
17diplomas.
18    (d) Administrative support and staffing for the Commission
19shall be provided by the Department of Central Management
20Services. Any State agency under the jurisdiction of the
21Governor shall provide testimony and documents as directed by
22the Department.
23    (e) The Commission shall perform the following duties:
24        (1) work to ensure equity, equality, and parity for
25    African American descendants of slavery mired in poverty;
26        (2) develop and implement measures to ensure equity,

 

 

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1    equality, and parity for African American descendants of
2    slavery;
3        (3) hold hearings to discuss the implementation of
4    measures to ensure equity, equality, and parity for African
5    American descendants of slavery;
6        (4) educate the public on reparations for African
7    American descendants of slavery;
8        (5) report to the General Assembly information and
9    findings regarding the work of the Commission under this
10    Section and the feasibility of reparations for Illinois
11    African American descendants of slavery, including any
12    recommendations on the subject; and
13        (6) discuss and perform actions regarding the
14    following issues:
15            (i) Preservation of African American neighborhoods
16        and communities through investment in business
17        development, home ownership, and affordable housing at
18        the median income of each neighborhood, with a full
19        range of housing services and strengthening of
20        institutions, which shall include, without limitation,
21        schools, parks, and community centers.
22            (ii) Building and development of a Vocational
23        Training Center for People of African
24        Descent-Citizens, with satellite centers throughout
25        the State, to address the racial disparity in the
26        building trades and the de-skilling of African

 

 

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1        American labor through the historic discrimination in
2        the building trade unions. The Center shall also have
3        departments for legitimate activities in the informal
4        economy and apprenticeship.
5            (iii) Ensuring proportional economic
6        representation in all State contracts, including
7        reviews and updates of the State procurement and
8        contracting requirements and procedures with the
9        express goal of increasing the number of African
10        American vendors and contracts for services to an
11        equitable level reflecting their population in the
12        State.
13            (iv) Creation and enforcement of an Illinois
14        Slavery Era Disclosure Bill mandating that in addition
15        to disclosure, an affidavit must be submitted entitled
16        "Statement of Financial Reparations" that has been
17        negotiated between the Commission established under
18        this Section and a corporation or institution that
19        disclosed ties to the enslavement or injury of people
20        of African descent in the United States of America.
21    (f) Beginning December 31, 2020, and for each year
22thereafter, the Commission shall submit a report regarding its
23actions and any information as required under this Section to
24the Governor and the General Assembly. The report of the
25Commission shall also be made available to the public on the
26Internet website of the Department of Central Management

 

 

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1Services.
 
2    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
3becoming law.