97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1510

 

Introduced 2/14/2011, by Rep. Monique D. Davis

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
15 ILCS 322/15
30 ILCS 105/5.786 new
30 ILCS 105/6z-34
30 ILCS 105/6z-35

    Creates the Reduce Illiteracy Advisory Commission Act. Provides that the Reduce Illiteracy Advisory Commission shall consist of 10 members. Sets forth the appointment of the members. Directs the Commission to study literacy rates throughout the State in order to determine the areas of the State with the highest rates of illiteracy. Requires the Commission to report its findings to the General Assembly and the Governor by December 31, 2012 and each December 31 thereafter. Amends the Illinois Literacy Act and the State Finance Act. Provides that the authority of the Secretary of State to award grants that develop, expand, or support adult literacy programs through community programs administered by education agencies, libraries, or volunteer or community-based organizations is transferred to the Commission on January 1, 2012. Provides that the awarding of grants must be based on documented literacy rate needs in communities. Provides that moneys in the Secretary of State Special Services Fund and the Live and Learn Fund may be transferred to the Reduce Illiteracy Grant Fund (created as a special fund in the State treasury) for use by the Commission for literacy grants. Effective immediately.


LRB097 05651 RLJ 45713 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB1510LRB097 05651 RLJ 45713 b

1AN ACT concerning government.
 
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
5Reduce Illiteracy Advisory Commission Act.
 
6    Section 5. Commission; creation; members.
7    (a) The Reduce Illiteracy Advisory Commission is created.
8The Commission shall consist of 10 members appointed by the
9Governor. The members must have professional experience and
10expertise in education.
11    (b) Of the initial members, 5 members shall serve for a
122-year term and 5 members shall serve for a 4-year term, as
13determined by lot. Thereafter, all members shall serve for a
144-year term. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as
15appointments.
16    (c) The Commission shall be provided assistance and
17necessary staff support services by the Department of Commerce
18and Economic Opportunity.
 
19    Section 10. Study; grants.
20    (a) The Commission shall research the literacy rates
21throughout the State in order to determine the areas of the
22State with the highest rates of illiteracy. On December 31,

 

 

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12012, and each December 31 thereafter, the Commission shall
2submit a report of its findings to the General Assembly and the
3Governor.
4    (b) The Commission shall apply for federal grants to
5develop, expand, or support literacy programs in communities
6determined to have a high rate of illiteracy based on the
7report created by the Commission under subsection (a).
8    (c) Subject to appropriation from the Reduce Illiteracy
9Grant Fund, the Commission is authorized to award grants that
10develop, expand, or support literacy programs in this State.
11The Commission shall award these grants based on documented
12literacy rate needs in communities determined from the report
13created by the Commission under subsection (a).
14    (d) The Reduce Illiteracy Grant Fund is created as a
15special fund in the State treasury. All money in the Reduce
16Illiteracy Grant Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation,
17by the Commission for grants under this Section.
 
18    Section 15. Meetings; chairperson. As soon as practical
19after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th
20General Assembly, the members of the Commission shall meet for
21the first time, and shall at that time elect a chair from among
22the members. The Commission may adopt its own rules of
23procedure.
 
24    Section 20. Compensation; expenses. A member of the

 

 

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1Commission shall serve without compensation, but is entitled to
2reimbursement for the travel expenses incurred by the member
3while transacting Commission business, as provided in Section
410.
 
5    Section 25. The Illinois Literacy Act is amended by
6changing Section 15 as follows:
 
7    (15 ILCS 322/15)
8    Sec. 15. Grants.
9    (a) Until January 1, 2012, the The Secretary of State, in
10consultation with the Literacy Advisory Board created by
11Section 7.2 of the State Library Act, is authorized to award
12grants that develop, expand, or support adult literacy programs
13in Illinois through community programs administered by
14education agencies, libraries, volunteer or community-based
15organizations, or a coalition of any of those groups.
16    With regard to these grants, on January 1, 2012, all
17powers, duties, assets, liabilities, contracts, property,
18records, pending business, and unexpended funds of the
19Secretary of State are transferred to the Reduce Illiteracy
20Advisory Commission. With regard to the grants, beginning on
21January 1, 2012, references in statutes, rules, forms, and
22other documents to the Secretary of State shall, in appropriate
23contexts, be deemed to refer to the Reduce Illiteracy Advisory
24Commission. All rules, standards, and procedures adopted by the

 

 

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1Secretary of State with regard to the grants that are in effect
2on January 1, 2012 shall continue in effect as the rules,
3standards, and procedures of the State Board of Education until
4they are amended or repealed by the Reduce Illiteracy Advisory
5Commission.
6    (b) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the
7Literacy Advisory Board created by Section 7.2 of the State
8Library Act, is authorized to award grants for workplace
9programs to public or private employers or entities acting on
10behalf of a coalition of employers to improve the basic skills
11of current and prospective employees. Current and prospective
12employees' lack of basic skills may impede hiring, effective
13job performance, or eligibility for advancement. Public funds
14awarded under this grant program must be matched by the
15business with funds at least equal to the amount of public
16funds awarded.
17    (c) The Secretary of State is authorized to make family
18literacy grants that will assist in breaking the
19intergenerational cycle of illiteracy. The grants must involve
20an adult literacy component and an entity working with children
21at risk of school failure. Programs will focus on parents or
22guardians and children involved in reciprocal learning and
23teaching. In addition to other grants authorized in this
24subsection, the Secretary of State may make family literacy
25grants, upon his or her approval of application from entities,
26for innovative programming in the area of parent and child

 

 

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1learning activities. The Secretary of State shall establish
2criteria for awarding the grants by rule. The Secretary of
3State may expend appropriations statewide for direct purchases
4of equipment and services that support families learning
5together.
6(Source: P.A. 89-697, eff. 1-6-97; 90-783, eff. 8-14-98.)
 
7    Section 30. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
8Section 5.786 and by changing Sections 6z-34 and 6z-35 as
9follows:
 
10    (30 ILCS 105/5.786 new)
11    Sec. 5.786. The Reduce Illiteracy Grant Fund.
 
12    (30 ILCS 105/6z-34)
13    Sec. 6z-34. Secretary of State Special Services Fund. There
14is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as
15the Secretary of State Special Services Fund. Moneys deposited
16into the Fund may, subject to appropriation, be used by the
17Secretary of State for any or all of the following purposes:
18        (1) For general automation efforts within operations
19    of the Office of Secretary of State.
20        (2) For technology applications in any form that will
21    enhance the operational capabilities of the Office of
22    Secretary of State.
23        (3) To provide funds for any type of library grants

 

 

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1    authorized and administered by the Secretary of State as
2    State Librarian.
3    These funds are in addition to any other funds otherwise
4authorized to the Office of Secretary of State for like or
5similar purposes.
6    On August 15, 1997, all fiscal year 1997 receipts that
7exceed the amount of $15,000,000 shall be transferred from this
8Fund to the Statistical Services Revolving Fund; on August 15,
91998 and each year thereafter through 2000, all receipts from
10the fiscal year ending on the previous June 30th that exceed
11the amount of $17,000,000 shall be transferred from this Fund
12to the Statistical Services Revolving Fund; on August 15, 2001
13and each year thereafter through 2002, all receipts from the
14fiscal year ending on the previous June 30th that exceed the
15amount of $19,000,000 shall be transferred from this Fund to
16the Statistical Services Revolving Fund; and on August 15, 2003
17and each year thereafter, all receipts from the fiscal year
18ending on the previous June 30th that exceed the amount of
19$33,000,000 shall be transferred from this Fund to the
20Statistical Services Revolving Fund.
21    Beginning with fiscal year 2012, moneys in the Secretary of
22State Special Services Fund may be transferred to the Reduce
23Illiteracy Grant Fund for use by the Reduce Illiteracy Advisory
24Commission for literacy grants under Section of the Reduce
25Illiteracy Advisory Commission Act.
26(Source: P.A. 92-32, eff. 7-1-01; 93-32, eff. 7-1-03.)
 

 

 

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1    (30 ILCS 105/6z-35)
2    Sec. 6z-35. Live and Learn Fund. There is hereby created in
3the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Live and
4Learn Fund. The Comptroller and the Treasurer shall transfer
5$1,742,000 from the General Revenue Fund into the Live and
6Learn Fund each month. The first transfer shall be made 60 days
7after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993, with
8subsequent transfers occurring on the first of each month.
9Moneys deposited into the Fund may, subject to appropriation,
10be used by the Secretary of State for any or all of the
11following purposes:
12        (a) An organ donation awareness or education program.
13        (b) To provide additional funds for all types of
14    library grants as authorized and administered by the
15    Secretary of State as State Librarian.
16    Beginning with fiscal year 2012, moneys in the Live and
17Learn Fund may be transferred to the Reduce Illiteracy Grant
18Fund for use by the Reduce Illiteracy Advisory Commission for
19literacy grants under Section of the Reduce Illiteracy Advisory
20Commission Act.
21(Source: P.A. 88-78.)
 
22    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23becoming law.