Sen. Heather A. Steans

Filed: 3/22/2012

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 278

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 278 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Illinois Human Services Commission Act.
 
6    Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
7finds that:
8    (1) The State of Illinois depends upon public and private
9service providers to deliver many critical human services
10necessary to protect and enhance the welfare of its citizens,
11including its most vulnerable populations.
12    (2) The citizens of Illinois and their communities depend
13upon these services to protect public health, create individual
14and family well-being, improve public safety, revitalize local
15economies, and enhance learning.
16    (3) Human services play a vital role in every community and

 

 

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1legislative district across the State, providing jobs and
2revenue in addition to services and supports to children and
3youth, families, workers, the elderly, people with
4disabilities, and other vulnerable populations.
5    (4) A strong and well-managed network of public and private
6human services is integral to the achievement of other State
7goals in the areas of health and wellness, educational
8outcomes, workforce development, and an improved business
9climate.
10    (5) A lack of adequate appropriations, clear goals,
11spending priorities, and measurable outcomes along with delays
12in payments, inadequate rates, duplicative reporting
13requirements, and other systemic barriers prevent private
14entities from achieving the goal of a strong and effective
15network of well-managed public and private service providers.
16    (6) The maintenance of a strong and well-managed network of
17human services requires a joint planning process that brings
18together public and private experts in human services to
19identify best practices and strategies.
 
20    Section 10. Illinois Human Services Commission. The
21Illinois Human Services Commission is created to undertake a
22systematic review of human services programs with the goal of
23ensuring their consistent delivery in the State.
 
24    Section 15. Duties.

 

 

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1    (a) The Commission shall review all State human services
2programs and make recommendations for achieving a system that
3will provide for the efficient and effective delivery of high
4quality human services. These recommendations shall include
5the following elements:
6        (1) Ensuring adequate appropriations for the provision
7    of human services.
8        (2) Establishing processes for determining fair,
9    adequate, and timely reimbursement.
10        (3) Maintaining efficient management of
11    publicly-funded programs and services.
12        (4) Implementing best practices within the human
13    services field.
14        (5) Creating outcome measures and accountability
15    mechanisms.
16        (6) Developing projections for future human services
17    needs based on demographic trends and other related
18    variables.
19    (b) The Commission shall make best efforts to:
20        (1) Use existing reports, research, and planning
21    efforts and call for additional reports and research to
22    support its work.
23        (2) Seek input from existing advisory councils and task
24    forces that address human services delivery, as well as
25    other human services experts and the public-at-large
26    including one or more public hearings to take and consider

 

 

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1    public comment.
2        (3) Identify opportunities for increased efficiency or
3    cross-agency collaboration regarding human services
4    delivery.
 
5    Section 20. Membership; appointments; meetings; support.
6    (a) The Commission shall include representation from both
7public and private organizations, and its membership shall
8reflect regional, racial, and cultural diversity to ensure
9representation of the needs of all Illinois citizens.
10Commission members shall include one member appointed by the
11President of the Senate, one member appointed by the Minority
12Leader of the Senate, one member appointed by the Speaker of
13the House of Representatives, one member appointed by the
14Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and other
15members appointed by the Governor. The Governor's appointments
16shall include, without limitation, the following:
17        (1) A co-chair from the Office of the Governor and a
18    co-chair not employed by a governmental entity to represent
19    the interests of non-governmental organizations.
20        (2) Eight members of the General Assembly representing
21    each of the majority and minority caucuses of each chamber.
22        (3) The Directors or Secretaries of the following State
23    agencies or their designees:
24            (A) Department of Human Services.
25            (B) Department of Children and Family Services.

 

 

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1            (C) Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
2            (D) State Board of Education.
3            (E) Department on Aging.
4            (F) Department of Juvenile Justice.
5            (G) Department of Corrections.
6            (H) Department of Public Health.
7        (4) Local government stakeholders and nongovernmental
8    stakeholders with an interest in human services, including
9    representation among the following private-sector fields
10    and constituencies:
11            (A) Early childhood education and development.
12            (B) Child care.
13            (C) Child welfare.
14            (D) Youth services.
15            (E) Developmental disabilities.
16            (F) Mental health.
17            (H) Employment and training.
18            (I) Sexual and domestic violence.
19            (J) Alcohol and substance abuse.
20            (K) Local community collaborations among human
21        services programs.
22            (L) Immigrant services.
23            (M) Affordable housing.
24            (N) Re-entry.
25            (O) Food and nutrition.
26            (P) Homelessness.

 

 

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1            (Q) Older adults.
2            (R) Physical disabilities.
3            (S) Business.
4            (T) Philanthropy.
5            (U) Labor.
6            (V) Law enforcement.
7    (b) Members shall serve without compensation for the
8duration of the Commission.
9    (c) In the event of a vacancy, the appointment to fill the
10vacancy shall be made in the same manner as the original
11appointment.
12    (d) The Commission shall convene within 60 days after the
13effective date of this Act. The initial meeting of the
14Commission shall be convened by the co-chair selected by the
15Governor. Subsequent meetings shall convene at the call of the
16co-chairs. The Commission shall meet on a quarterly basis, or
17more often if necessary.
18    (e) The Department of Human Services shall provide
19administrative support to the Commission.
 
20    Section 25. Report. The Commission shall report to the
21Governor and the General Assembly on the Commission's progress
22toward its goals and objectives by June 30, 2013, and every
23June 30 thereafter.
 
24    Section 30. Transparency. In addition to whatever policies

 

 

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1or procedures it may adopt, all operations of the Commission
2shall be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of
3Information Act and the Open Meetings Act. This Section shall
4not be construed so as to preclude other State laws from
5applying to the Commission and its activities.".