Rep. Justin Slaughter

Filed: 4/5/2022

 

 


 

 


 
10200HB3215ham003LRB102 13303 KTG 38328 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3215

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 3215 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Securing All Futures through Equitable Reinvestment (SAFER)
6Communities and Small Business Act.
 
7    Section 5. Intent. To reverse the trend of high
8unemployment among formerly incarcerated individuals and to
9spur the economic recovery of small businesses in Illinois, it
10is necessary to provide financial incentives for employers to
11create new, full-time jobs for individuals with felony
12conviction records.
13    The intent of this Act is to facilitate the re-entry into
14society of formerly incarcerated individuals and to create
15financial incentives, in the form of wage subsidies and small
16business grants, for employers to hire formerly incarcerated

 

 

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1individuals.
 
2    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
3    "Applicant" means a person who is operating either: (i) a
4not-for-profit organization that is tax-exempt under Section
5501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; or (ii) a business
6engaged in interstate or intrastate commerce, located within
7the State that hires a participant for a position under a union
8contract or for a position that offers a basic wage and
9benefits package as compensation. In the case of any person
10that is a member of a unitary business group as defined in
11paragraph (27) of subsection (a) of Section 1501 of the
12Illinois Income Tax Act, "applicant" refers to the unitary
13business group.
14    "Basic wage" means a minimum of 133% of the local hourly
15minimum wage.
16    "Benefits package" means the benefits outside of the
17employee's basic wage including:
18        (1) a minimum of 5 days of earned sick time; and
19        (2) a minimum of 5 days of paid vacation.
20    "Certificate of eligibility" means the certificate issued
21by the Department under Section 25.
22    "Date of hire" means the first day upon which the
23participant provides services as an employee of the applicant
24under a union contract or for a basic wage and benefits package
25as compensation.

 

 

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1    "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
2    "Disproportionately impacted area" means a census tract or
3comparable geographic area that has high rates of arrest,
4conviction, and incarceration among residents, as determined
5by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
6    "Full-time employee" means an individual who has a
7position under a union contract or is employed for a basic wage
8for at least 30 hours each week and receives a benefits package
9as compensation.
10    "Incentive period" means the period beginning on March 1,
112023 and ending on February 29, 2028.
12    "Noncompliance date" means, in the case of an applicant
13that is not complying with the requirements of this Act, the
14date upon which the applicant became noncompliant with the
15requirements of this Act, as determined by the Secretary under
16Section 40.
17    "Participant" means a full-time employee who:
18        (1) was unemployed or making less than the basic wage
19    before being hired by an applicant;
20        (2) was convicted of a felony crime in Illinois;
21        (3) is registered for the SAFER Communities Wage
22    Subsidy Pilot Program described in Section 20; and
23        (4) is subsequently hired during the incentive period
24    by an applicant for a position under union contract or for
25    a position that offers a basic wage and benefits package
26    as compensation.

 

 

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1    "Participant" does not include a person who was employed
2prior to the onset of the incentive period as a full-time
3employee by the applicant or a related member of the applicant
4that has more than 15 total employees.
5    "Qualifying returning citizen" means an Illinois resident
6who has been incarcerated within 10 years prior to the date
7that a Returning Citizen and Small Business Grant, described
8in Section 60, is awarded.
9    "Re-entering person" means an individual who is in the
10physical custody of the Department of Corrections and is
11scheduled to be released from custody within 12 months.
12    "Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services.
13    "Small business" means a business located within this
14State that:
15        (1) is engaged in interstate or intrastate commerce;
16    and
17        (2) employs 100 or fewer employees.
18    "Wage subsidy" means the amount awarded by the Department
19to an applicant by issuance of a certificate under Section 30
20for each participant hired.
 
21    Section 15. Powers of the Department. The Department is
22granted and shall have all the powers necessary or convenient
23to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of
24this Act, including, but not limited to, the power and
25authority to:

 

 

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1        (1) Adopt rules or procedures deemed necessary and
2    appropriate for the administration of this Act; establish
3    forms for applications, notifications, contracts, or any
4    other agreements; and accept applications at any time
5    during the year and require that all applications be
6    submitted via the Internet. The Department shall require
7    that applications be submitted in electronic form.
8        (2) Provide guidance and assistance to an applicant in
9    accordance with this Act, and cooperate with applicants to
10    promote, foster, and support job creation within the
11    State.
12        (3) Enter into agreements and memoranda of
13    understanding with agencies of the federal government,
14    units of local government, universities, research
15    foundations or institutions, regional economic development
16    corporations, or other organizations for the purposes of
17    this Act.
18        (4) Gather information with respect to applicants for
19    the purpose of making any designations or certifications
20    in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.
21        (5) Provide for sufficient personnel to adequately
22    discharge its duties and responsibilities described in
23    this Act from any funds appropriated by the General
24    Assembly for the administration of this Act.
25        (6) Require applicants, upon written request, to issue
26    any necessary authorization to the appropriate federal,

 

 

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1    State, or local authority or any other person for the
2    release to the Department of information requested by the
3    Department, with the information requested to include, but
4    not limited to, financial reports, returns, or records
5    relating to the applicant or to the amount of the wage
6    subsidy allowable under this Act.
 
7    Section 20. SAFER Communities Wage Subsidy Pilot Program.
8    (a) The Department shall establish and administer a SAFER
9Communities Wage Subsidy Pilot Program. Within each calendar
10year of the incentive period, the wage subsidy shall apply to
11no more than 6,000 participants. A maximum of 3,000
12participants per calendar year shall have been released from
13the custody of any correctional facility in the State within
14one year of the date of registration for the pilot program. A
15maximum of 3,000 participants per calendar year shall have
16been released from the custody of any correctional facility in
17the State within a period of not more than 10 years and not
18less than one year from the date of registration for the pilot
19program.
20    (b) The Department shall maintain a database of all
21participants for the duration of the incentive period.
22        (1) Individuals seeking to participate in the pilot
23    program shall register with the Department on or after
24    January 1, 2023.
25        (2) The Department shall verify individuals'

 

 

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1    eligibility to participate in the pilot program by
2    checking their employment and felony conviction history.
3        (3) The Department shall mail a letter containing a
4    denial or confirmation of the individual's eligibility to
5    participate in the pilot program to the primary address of
6    the individual. The Department shall also send an email
7    with an electronic version of the letter attached to the
8    primary email address of the individual.
9            (A) The denial letter shall state the reason why
10        the individual is being denied.
11            (B) The confirmation letter shall state the
12        identifying number assigned to the individual.
13            (C) The Department shall maintain a record of the
14        participants and the corresponding applicant.
 
15    Section 25. Certificate of eligibility for wage subsidy.
16    (a) An applicant that hires a participant as a full-time
17employee during the incentive period may apply for a
18certificate of eligibility for the wage subsidy on or after
19the date of hire.
20    (b) An applicant may apply for a certificate of
21eligibility for the wage subsidy for more than one participant
22on or after the date of hire of each qualifying participant.
23The application shall include the following:
24        (1) the name, Social Security number or Individual
25    Taxpayer Identification number, job description, salary or

 

 

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1    wage rate, and date of hire of each participant with
2    respect to whom the wage subsidy is being requested, and
3    whether each participant is registered in the pilot
4    program described in Section 20;
5        (2) the number of participants hired by the applicant
6    during the incentive period;
7        (3) an agreement that the Secretary is authorized to
8    verify with the appropriate State agencies the information
9    contained in the request before issuing a certificate to
10    the applicant;
11        (4) the physical address of the workplace to which the
12    participant reports for work; and
13        (5) any other information the Department determines to
14    be appropriate.
15    (c) After receipt of an application and approval of
16eligibility under this Section, the Department shall issue a
17certificate of eligibility to all qualified applicants,
18stating:
19        (1) the date and time on which the application was
20    received by the Department and an identifying number
21    assigned to the applicant by the Department; and
22        (2) the monthly amount of wage subsidy the applicant
23    would receive under this Act with respect to the new
24    employees listed on the application.
25    (d) After the initial certificate of eligibility is
26issued, the applicant must submit a monthly report of

 

 

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1employment of all participants to the Department. The
2Department shall review the report on a monthly basis and
3determine the applicant's eligibility for a monthly wage
4subsidy under this Act.
5    (e) Each applicant shall, on a monthly basis starting from
6receipt of the certificate of eligibility for the wage
7subsidy, submit a year-to-date report of the employment of
8participants to remain in good standing to receive the wage
9subsidy.
10    (f) The reports shall be submitted in the form and manner
11required by the Department.
 
12    Section 30. Wage subsidy.
13    (a) Subject to the conditions set forth in this Act, an
14applicant with a certificate of eligibility is entitled to a
15monthly wage subsidy for each participant that was employed
16for a full calendar month by the applicant if the following
17conditions are met:
18        (1) the participant was continuously employed under a
19    union contract or for a basic wage and benefits package;
20    and
21        (2) starting from the date of hire of the participant,
22    the applicant maintained or increased the total number of
23    full-time Illinois employees.
24    (b) The Department shall make monthly wage subsidy
25payments to qualified applicants with a certificate of

 

 

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1eligibility that are in compliance with the requirements of
2this Act.
3    (c) The Department shall issue a wage subsidy payment to
4the applicant for each participant that was continuously
5employed for an entire calendar month after the date on which
6the certificate is issued by the Department, and each month
7thereafter for a maximum of 12 months during the incentive
8period, as long as the participant's employment with the
9applicant is continuously maintained and the Department
10determines the applicant is in compliance with the
11requirements of this Act.
12    (d) The monetary amount of each monthly wage subsidy
13payment awarded to an applicant for each participant who was
14continuously employed for an entire calendar month shall
15equal:
16        (1) $1,250 for all applicants whose workplaces are
17    located in disproportionately impacted areas; and
18        (2) $850 for all other applicants.
 
19    Section 35. Maximum amount of wage subsidies allowed. To
20the extent authorized under Section 30, during the incentive
21period the Department shall limit the total annual amount of
22wage subsidies awarded under this Act to no more than
23$50,000,000. If applications for a greater amount are
24received, wage subsidies shall be allowed on a first come,
25first served basis, based on the date on which each properly

 

 

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1completed application for a certificate of eligibility is
2received by the Department. If more than one certificate of
3eligibility is received on the same day, the wage subsidies
4shall be awarded based on the time of submission for that
5particular day.
 
6    Section 40. Noncompliance.
7    (a) If the Secretary determines that an applicant that has
8received a wage subsidy under this Act is not complying with
9the requirements of this Act, the Secretary shall provide
10notice to the applicant of the alleged noncompliance, and
11allow the applicant a hearing under the Illinois
12Administrative Procedure Act.
13    (b) If, after such notice and any hearing, the Secretary
14determines that noncompliance exists, the Secretary shall
15issue a notice to the applicant to that effect stating the
16noncompliance date.
 
17    Section 45. Awareness promotion of the pilot program. From
18January 1, 2023 through the end of the incentive period, the
19Department of Corrections shall implement procedures to
20promote awareness and participation in the SAFER Communities
21Wage Subsidy Pilot Program among re-entering persons,
22including, but not limited to, the following:
23        (1) The Department of Corrections shall ensure that
24    the wardens or superintendents of all correctional

 

 

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1    institutions and facilities visibly post information about
2    the availability and registration process for the SAFER
3    Communities Wage Subsidy Pilot Program in all common areas
4    of their respective institutions, and shall broadcast the
5    same via in-house institutional information television
6    channels. The Department of Corrections shall ensure that
7    updated information is distributed in a timely, visible,
8    and accessible manner.
9        (2) The Department of Corrections shall ensure that
10    upon release as a committed person on parole, mandatory
11    supervised release, aftercare release, final discharge, or
12    pardon, a re-entering person shall be provided with
13    written information about the availability and
14    registration process for the SAFER Communities Wage
15    Subsidy Pilot Program.
16        (3) The Department of Corrections shall provide
17    direction to each parole office within this State that
18    information about the availability and registration
19    process for the SAFER Communities Wage Subsidy Pilot
20    Program be posted in a visible and accessible manner.
21        (4) The Department of Corrections shall distribute
22    written information about the availability and
23    registration process for the SAFER Communities Wage
24    Subsidy Pilot Program to the Community Support Advisory
25    Councils of the Department of Corrections for use in
26    re-entry programs across this State.
 

 

 

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1    Section 50. Returning Citizens and Small Business Grant
2Program.
3    (a) The Department shall establish a Returning Citizen and
4Small Business Grant Program.
5    (b) The Department shall provide grants to small
6businesses that hire qualified returning citizens to offset
7the costs of paid, on-the-job training.
8    (c) To be eligible for grants issued under this Section, a
9small business must:
10        (1) provide a certification indicating that it has
11    hired a qualified returning citizen as a full-time
12    employee;
13        (2) provide on-the-job training to that returning
14    citizen for at least 60 days; and
15        (3) paid the qualifying returning citizen at least a
16    basic wage.
17    (d) An eligible small business shall be awarded grants in
18the amount of $2,500 per new qualifying returning citizen
19hired.
20    (e) Eligible small businesses shall not be limited to one
21grant.
22    (f) The Department shall limit the total annual amount of
23small business grants to no more than $25,000,000. The
24Department shall administer the issuance of grants under the
25Program on a first come, first served basis.
 

 

 

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1    Section 55. Data collection and reporting. In partnership
2with the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council, the
3Secretary shall make publicly available annual reports on the
4utilization, outcomes, and impact of the SAFER Communities
5Wage Subsidy Pilot Program and the Returning Citizen and Small
6Business Grant Program described in this Act, including, but
7not limited to:
8        (1) the total number of participants hired under each
9    program, disaggregated by categories of race, age, gender,
10    hourly wage, length of job retention, recidivism status,
11    job location by region, and employment industry; and
12        (2) the impact of each program on overall statewide
13    recidivism rates, individual rate of recidivism, and any
14    public savings or fiscal impact associated with reduced
15    recidivism rates on the State economy.
 
16    Section 60. Funding. Implementation of this Act is subject
17to appropriation. The Department may use State or federal
18funding to administer the SAFER Communities Wage Subsidy Pilot
19Program and the Returning Citizen and Small Business Grant
20Program described in this Act.
 
21    Section 70. Rulemaking authority.
22    (a) The Department may adopt rules necessary to implement
23this Act. Any administrative rules necessary to implement this

 

 

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1Act shall be filed by the Department within 6 months after the
2effective date of this Act.
3    (b) The Department of Corrections shall adopt rules to
4carry out its responsibilities under this Act. Any
5administrative rules necessary to implement its
6responsibilities under this Act shall be filed by the
7Department of Corrections within 6 months after the effective
8date of this Act.
 
9    Section 75. Repealer. This Act is repealed on December 31,
102028.
 
11    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
12becoming law.".