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| Public Act 102-0361 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act is | ||||
amended by adding Section 23 as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 3305/23 new) | ||||
Sec. 23. Access and Functional Needs Advisory Committee. | ||||
(a) In this Section, "Advisory Committee" means the Access | ||||
and Functional Needs Advisory Committee. | ||||
(b) The Access and Functional Needs Advisory Committee is | ||||
created. | ||||
(c) The Advisory Committee shall: | ||||
(1) Coordinate meetings occurring, at a minimum, 6 | ||||
times each year, in addition to emergency meetings called | ||||
by the chairperson of the Advisory Committee. | ||||
(2) Research and provide recommendations for | ||||
identifying and effectively responding to the needs of | ||||
persons with access and functional needs before, during, | ||||
and after a disaster using an intersectional lens for | ||||
equity. | ||||
(3) Provide recommendations to the Illinois Emergency | ||||
Management Agency regarding how to ensure that persons | ||||
with a disability are included in disaster strategies and | ||||
emergency management plans, including updates and | ||
implementation of disaster strategies and emergency | ||
management plans. | ||
(4) Review and provide recommendations for the | ||
Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and all relevant | ||
State agencies that are involved in drafting and | ||
implementing the Illinois Emergency Operation Plan, to | ||
integrate access and functional needs into State and local | ||
emergency plans. | ||
(d) The Advisory Committee shall be composed of the | ||
Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency or his or | ||
her designee, the Attorney General or his or her designee, the | ||
Secretary of Human Services or his or her designee, the | ||
Director on Aging or his or her designee, and the Director of | ||
Public Health or his or her designee, together with the | ||
following members appointed by the Governor on or before | ||
January 1, 2022: | ||
(1) Two members, either from a municipal or | ||
county-level emergency agency or a local emergency | ||
management coordinator. | ||
(2) Nine members from the community of persons with a | ||
disability who represent persons with different types of | ||
disabilities, including, but not limited to, individuals | ||
with mobility and physical disabilities, hearing and | ||
visual disabilities, deafness or who are hard of hearing, | ||
blindness or who have low vision, mental health | ||
disabilities, and intellectual or developmental | ||
disabilities. Members appointed under this paragraph shall | ||
reflect a diversity of age, gender, race, and ethnic | ||
background. | ||
(3) Four members who represent first responders from | ||
different geographical regions around the State. | ||
(e) Of those members appointed by the Governor, the | ||
initial appointments of 6 members shall be for terms of 2 years | ||
and the initial appointments of 5 members shall be for terms of | ||
4 years. Thereafter, members shall be appointed for terms of 4 | ||
years. A member shall serve until his or her successor is | ||
appointed and qualified. If a vacancy occurs in the Advisory | ||
Committee membership, the vacancy shall be filled in the same | ||
manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the | ||
unexpired term. | ||
(f) After all the members are appointed, and annually | ||
thereafter, they shall elect a chairperson from among the | ||
members appointed under paragraph (2) of subsection (d). | ||
(g) The initial meeting of the Advisory Committee shall be | ||
convened by the Director of the Illinois Emergency Management | ||
Agency no later than February 1, 2022. | ||
(h) Advisory Committee members shall serve without | ||
compensation. | ||
(i) The Illinois Emergency Management Agency shall provide | ||
administrative support to the Advisory Committee. | ||
(j) The Advisory Committee shall prepare and deliver a | ||
report to the General Assembly, the Governor's Office, and the | ||
Illinois Emergency Management Agency by July 1, 2022, and | ||
annually thereafter. The report shall include the following: | ||
(1) Identification of core emergency management | ||
services that need to be updated or changed to ensure the | ||
needs of persons with a disability are met, and shall | ||
include disaster strategies in State and local emergency | ||
plans. | ||
(2) Any proposed changes in State policies, laws, | ||
rules, or regulations necessary to fulfill the purposes of | ||
this Act. | ||
(3) Recommendations on improving the accessibility and | ||
effectiveness of disaster and emergency communication. | ||
(4) Recommendations on comprehensive training for | ||
first responders and other frontline workers when working | ||
with persons with a disability during emergency situations | ||
or disasters, as defined in Section 4 of the Illinois | ||
Emergency Management Agency Act. | ||
(5) Any additional recommendations regarding emergency | ||
management and persons with a disability that the Advisory | ||
Committee deems necessary. | ||
(k) The annual report prepared and delivered under | ||
subsection (j) shall be annually considered by the Illinois | ||
Emergency Management Agency when developing new State and | ||
local emergency plans or updating existing State and local | ||
emergency plans. | ||
(l) The Advisory Committee is dissolved and this Section | ||
is repealed on January 1, 2032.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. | ||