Public Act 094-0285
 		





HB0383 Enrolled
LRB094 06620 RSP 36713 b






    AN ACT establishing the Amistad Commission.

 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:


 
    Section 5. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency Act is 
amended by adding Section 22 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 3405/22 new)

    Sec. 22. Amistad Commission.
    (a) Purpose. The General Assembly finds and declares that 
all people should know of and remember the human carnage and 
dehumanizing atrocities committed during the period of the 
African slave trade and slavery in America and of the vestiges 
of slavery in this country; and it is in fact vital to educate 
our citizens on these events, the legacy of slavery, the sad 
history of racism in this country, and the principles of human 
rights and dignity in a civilized society.
    It is the policy of the State of Illinois that the history 
of the African slave trade, slavery in America, the depth of 
their impact in our society, and the triumphs of 
African-Americans and their significant contributions to the 
development of this country is the proper concern of all 
people, particularly students enrolled in the schools of the 
State of Illinois.
    It is therefore desirable to create a Commission that, as 
an organized body and on a continuous basis, will survey, 
design, encourage, and promote the implementation of education 
and awareness programs in Illinois that are concerned with the 
African slave trade, slavery in America, the vestiges of 
slavery in this country, and the contributions of 
African-Americans in building our country; to develop 
workshops, institutes, seminars, and other teacher training 
activities designed to educate teachers on this subject matter; 
and that will be responsible for the coordination of events on 
a regular basis, throughout the State, that provide appropriate 
memorialization of the events concerning the enslavement of 
Africans and their descendants in America and their struggle 
for freedom, liberty, and equality.
    (b) Amistad Commission. The Amistad Commission is created  
within the Agency. The Commission is named to honor the group 
of  enslaved Africans transported in 1839 on a vessel named the 
Amistad who overthrew their captors and created an 
international incident that was eventually  argued before the 
Supreme Court and that shed a growing light on the evils of the 
slave trade and galvanized a growing abolitionist movement 
towards  demanding the end of slavery in the United States.
    (c) Membership. The Commission shall consist of 15 members, 
including 3 ex officio members: the State Superintendent of 
Education or
his or her designee, the Director of Commerce and 
Economic Opportunity or his or her designee,  and the Director 
of Historic Sites and Preservation or his or her designee; and 
12 public
members. Public members shall be appointed as 
follows:
        (i) 2 members appointed by the President of the Senate 
    and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
    Senate;

        (ii) 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
    Representatives and one member appointed by the Minority 
    Leader of the House of Representatives; and

        (iii) 6 members, no more than 4 of whom shall be of the 
    same political party, appointed by the Governor.

    The public members shall be residents of this State, chosen 
with due regard to broad geographic representation and ethnic 
diversity, who have served actively in organizations that 
educate the public on the history of the African slave trade, 
the contributions of African-Americans to our society, and 
civil rights issues.
    Each public member of the Commission shall serve for a term 
of 3 years, except that of the initial members so appointed: 
one member appointed by the President of the Senate, one member 
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 2 
members appointed by the Governor shall serve for terms of one 
year; the member appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
Senate, one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, and 2 members appointed by the Governor shall 
serve for terms of 2 years; and one member appointed by the 
President of the Senate, the member appointed by the Minority 
Leader of the House of Representatives, and 2 members appointed 
by the Governor shall serve for terms of 3 years. Public 
members shall be eligible for reappointment. They shall serve 
until their successors are appointed and qualified, and the 
term of the successor of any incumbent shall be calculated from 
the expiration of the term of that incumbent. A vacancy 
occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in 
the same manner as the original appointment, but for the 
unexpired term only.
    (d) Election of chairperson; meetings. At its first meeting 
and annually thereafter, the Commission shall elect from among 
its members a chairperson and other officers it considers 
necessary or appropriate. After its first meeting, the 
Commission shall meet at least quarterly, or more frequently at 
the call of the chairperson or if requested by 9 or more 
members.
    (e) Quorum. A majority of the members of the Commission 
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a 
meeting of the Commission. A majority of the members present 
and serving is required for official action of the Commission.
    (f) Public meeting. All business that the Commission is 
authorized to  perform shall be conducted at a public meeting of 
the Commission, held in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
    (g) Freedom of Information. A writing prepared, owned, 
used, in the possession of, or retained by the Commission in 
the performance of an official function is subject to the 
Freedom of Information Act.
    (h) Compensation. The members of the Commission shall serve 
without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement 
for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their 
official duties as members of the Commission from funds 
appropriated for that purpose.       Reimbursement for travel, 
meals, and lodging shall be in accordance with the rules of the 
Governor's Travel Control Board.
    (i) Duties. The Commission shall have the following 
responsibilities and duties:

        (1) To provide, based upon the collective interest of 
    the members and the knowledge and experience of the 
    members, assistance and advice to schools within the State 
    with respect to the implementation of education, awareness 
    programs, textbooks, and educational materials concerned 
    with the African slave trade, slavery in America, the 
    vestiges of slavery in this country, and the contributions 
    of African-Americans to our society.
        (2) To survey and catalog the extent and breadth of 
    education concerning the African slave trade, slavery in 
    America, the vestiges of slavery in this country, and the 
    contributions of African-Americans to our society 
    presently being incorporated into the curricula and 
    textbooks and taught in the school systems of the State; to 
    inventory those African slave trade, American slavery, or 
    relevant African-American history memorials, exhibits, and 
    resources that should be incorporated into courses of study 
    at educational institutions, schools, and various other 
    locations throughout the State; and to assist the State 
    Board of Education and
other State and educational agencies 
    in the development and implementation of African slave 
    trade, American slavery, and African-American history 
    education programs.
        (3) To act as a liaison with textbook publishers, 
    schools, public, private, and  nonprofit resource 
    organizations,
and members of the United States Senate and 
    House of
Representatives and the Illinois Senate and House 
    of Representatives in
order to facilitate the inclusion of 
    the history of African slavery and
of African-Americans in 
    this country in the curricula of public and
nonpublic 
    schools.
        (4) To compile a roster of individual volunteers who 
    are willing to share their knowledge and experience in 
    classrooms, seminars, and workshops with students and 
    teachers on the subject of the African slave trade, 
    American slavery,  the impact of slavery on our society 
    today, and the contributions of African-Americans to our 
    country.
        (5) To coordinate events memorializing the African 
    slave trade, American slavery, and the history of 
    African-Americans in this country that reflect the 
    contributions of African-Americans in overcoming the 
    burdens of slavery and its vestiges, and to seek volunteers 
    who are willing and able to participate in commemorative 
    events that will enhance student awareness of the 
    significance of the African slave trade, American slavery, 
    its historical impact, and the struggle for freedom.
        (6) To prepare reports for the Governor and the General 
    Assembly regarding its findings and recommendations on 
    facilitating the inclusion of the African slave trade, 
    American slavery studies, African-American history, and 
    special programs in the educational system of the State.

        (7) To develop, in consultation with the State Board of 
    Education, curriculum guidelines that will be made 
    available to every school board for the teaching of 
    information on the African slave trade, slavery in America, 
    the vestiges of slavery in this country, and the 
    contributions of African-Americans to our country.

        (8) To solicit, receive, and accept appropriations, 
    gifts, and donations for Commission operations and 
    programs authorized under this Section.

    (j) Commission requests for assistance. The Commission is 
authorized to call upon any department, office, division, or 
agency of the State, or of any county, municipality, or school 
district of the State, to supply such data, program reports, 
and other information, appropriate school personnel, and 
assistance as it deems necessary to discharge its 
responsibilities under this Act. These departments, offices, 
divisions, and agencies shall, to the extent possible and not 
inconsistent with any other law of this State, cooperate with 
the Commission and shall furnish it with such information, 
appropriate school personnel, and assistance as may be 
necessary or helpful to accomplish the purposes of this Act.

    (k) State Board of Education assistance. The State Board of 
Education shall:
        (1) Assist the  Amistad Commission in marketing and 
    distributing to educators, administrators, and school 
    districts in the State educational information and other 
    materials on the African slave trade, slavery in America, 
    the vestiges of slavery in this country, and the 
    contributions of African-Americans to our society.
        (2) Conduct at least one teacher workshop annually on 
    the African slave trade, slavery in America, the vestiges 
    of slavery in this country, and the contributions of 
    African-Americans to our society.
        (3) Assist the Amistad Commission in monitoring the 
    inclusion of slavery materials and curricula in the State's 
    educational system.
        (4) Consult with the Amistad Commission to determine 
    ways it may survey, catalog, and extend slave trade and 
    American slavery education presently being taught in the 
    State's educational system.
    The State Board of Education may, subject to the 
availability of appropriations, hire additional staff and 
consultants to carry out the duties and responsibilities 
provided within this subsection (k).
    (l) Report. The Commission shall report its activities and 
findings, as required under subsection (i), to the Governor and 
General Assembly on or before June 30, 2006, and biannually 
thereafter.

 
    Section 10. The School Code  is amended  by changing Section 
27-20.4 as follows:
 



    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.4)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.4)


    Sec. 27-20.4. Black History Study. Every public elementary 
school and
high school shall include in its curriculum a unit 
of instruction studying
the events of Black History, including 
the history of the African slave trade, slavery in America, and 
the vestiges of slavery in this country. These events shall 
include not only the
contributions made by individual 
African-Americans in government and in the
arts, humanities and 
sciences to the economic, cultural and political
development of 
the United States and Africa, but also the socio-economic

struggle which African-Americans experienced collectively in 
striving to
achieve fair and equal treatment under the laws of 
this nation. The
studying of this material shall constitute an 
affirmation by students of
their commitment to respect the 
dignity of all races and peoples and to
forever eschew every 
form of discrimination in their lives and careers.

    The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make 
available to
all school boards instructional materials, 
including those established by the Amistad Commission, which 
may be used as guidelines
for development of a unit of 
instruction under this Section; provided,
however, that each 
school board shall itself determine the minimum amount
of 
instruction time which shall qualify as a unit of instruction 
satisfying
the requirements of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 86-1256.)


 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.