(305 ILCS 70/95-501)

Sec. 95-501. The Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security.

(a) Establishment. The Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security is established.

(b) Purpose. The purpose of the Commission is to:

(1) Inform the public policy making process by:

(i) Improving policymakers' understanding of the root causes of poverty and economic insecurity, including contributing social, economic, and cultural factors and the reasons that poverty and economic insecurity persist in this State.

(ii) Expanding policymakers' understanding of poverty by distinguishing a standard that measures a level of freedom from deprivation from a standard that measures economic security provided by a living wage and access to a livable standard of living.

(iii) Educating policymakers on the impact poverty has on other measures of economic stability and economic outcomes, including educational attainment, rates of incarceration, lifetime earnings, access to health care, health care outcomes, and access to housing.

(2) Support governmental efforts to ensure that residents of this State have equal opportunity to achieve economic security.

(3) Reduce and ultimately eliminate poverty in this State by making policy and other recommendations to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of this State.

(c) Membership. The Commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) Four members of the General Assembly, one each appointed by the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representative.

(2) Two members of the judiciary who shall be appointed by the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.

(3) Twenty members of the public appointed under subsection (d) representing stakeholders as follows:

(i) Two representatives, one of whom shall represent an organization that focuses on rural poverty and one of whom shall represent an organization that focuses on urban and suburban poverty.

(ii) Two individuals who have experienced deep poverty.

(iii) One representative of an organization that advocates for health care access, affordability, and availability.

(iv) One representative of an organization that advocated for individuals with mental illness.

(v) One representative of an organization that advocates for children and youth.

(vi) One representative of an organization that advocates for equity and equality in education.

(vii) One representative of an organization that advocates for individuals who are homeless.

(viii) One representative of a Statewide antihunger organization.

(ix) One representative of an organization that advocates for military veterans.

(x) One representative of an organization that advocates for individuals with disabilities.

(xi) One representative of an organization that advocates for immigrants.

(xii) One representative of a Statewide faith-based organization that provides direct social services in this State.

(xiii) One representative of an organization that advocates for economic security for women.

(xiv) One representative of an organization that advocates for older adults.

(xv) One representative of a labor organization that represents primarily low-wage and middle-wage earners.

(xvi) One representative of school districts in this State.

(xvii) One representative of county governments in this State.

(xviii) One representative of municipal corporation governments in this State.

(4) The members of the workgroup shall serve as nonvoting ex officio members of the Commission.

(d) Appointment. The following shall apply:

(1) The public members of the Commission under paragraph (3) of subsection (c) shall be appointed as follows:

(i) Four shall be appointed by the Governor.

(ii) Four shall be appointed by the President of the Senate.

(iii) Four shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(iv) Four shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(v) Four shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(2) It shall be determined by lot which appointing authority appoints which public members to the Commission.

(3) The appointed members shall reflect the racial, gender, and geographic diversity of this State and shall include representation from regions of this State experiencing economic insecurity and the highest rates of deep poverty.

(4) Public members of the Commission shall be selected for service on the Commission within 45 days after the effective date of this Act.

(e) Qualifications. Each member of the Commission must have been a resident of this State for a period of at least one year immediately preceding appointment and must continue residence in this State during the member's tenure of service on the Commission.

(f) Organizational meeting. The organizational meeting of the Commission shall take place after all members are appointed but no later than 60 days after the effective date of this Act.

(g) Compensation. Members shall serve without compensation, but public members may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary travel expenses connected to Commission business.

(h) Commission chairperson. The representatives of the antipoverty organizations appointed under subparagraph (i) of paragraph (3) of subsection (c) shall serve as cochairs of the Commission.

(i) Committees. The Commission may establish subcommittees to address specific issues or populations and may collaborate with individuals with relevant expertise who are not members of the Commission to assist the subcommittee in carrying out its duties.

(j) Meetings. The full Commission shall meet at least once annually.

(k) Quorum. A majority plus one of the voting members shall constitute a quorum.

(l) Voting. All actions of the Commission and any subcommittees established by the Commission shall be approved by a majority vote of the Commission or subcommittee as applicable.

(m) Open meetings. The meetings of the Commission shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 of the Open Meetings Act.

(n) Administrative support. The Department of Human Services shall provide staff and administrative support to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties.

(Source: P.A. 101-636, eff. 6-10-20; 102-90, eff. 7-9-21.)