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| Public Act 099-0416 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning State 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 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||
Opportunities for At-Risk Women Act. | ||||
Section 5. Task Force. There is created within the | ||||
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity the Task Force | ||||
on Opportunities for At-Risk Women, composed of the following | ||||
members: | ||||
(1) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of | ||||
Representatives; | ||||
(2) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the | ||||
House of Representatives; | ||||
(3) one member appointed by the President of the Senate; | ||||
(4) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the | ||||
Senate; | ||||
(5) the Secretary of State, or his or her designee; | ||||
(6) the Executive Director of the Criminal Justice | ||||
Information Authority, or his or her designee; | ||||
(7) the Director of the Department of Children and Family | ||||
Services, or his or her designee; | ||||
(8) the Director of the Department of Commerce and Economic | ||||
Opportunity, or his or her designee; | ||||
(9) the Director of the Department of Employment Security, | ||
or his or her designee; | ||
(10) the Director of the Department of Healthcare and | ||
Family Services, or his or her designee; | ||
(11) the Executive Director of the Community College Board, | ||
or his or her designee; | ||
(12) the Superintendent of the State Board of Education, or | ||
his or her designee; and | ||
(13) such other members as the Governor may appoint, who | ||
shall be experts with the following backgrounds: educators, | ||
prison officials, 21st Century programmers or other after | ||
school tutoring programs that are implemented in other counties | ||
throughout Illinois, community organization service providers, | ||
local college personnel, healthcare personnel, housing | ||
authority personnel, and addiction and recovery personnel. | ||
Members shall serve for 4-year terms and may be | ||
reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled by the respective | ||
appointing authorities for the remainder of the current term. | ||
Members shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed | ||
for reasonable expenses from funds appropriated for that | ||
purpose. | ||
Members shall elect from their number a chairperson, and | ||
such other officers as they may choose, for a 2-year term. The | ||
Task Force shall meet at the call of the chair, but not less | ||
than twice per year. The Department of Commerce and Economic | ||
Opportunity shall provide administrative support, technical | ||
assistance, meeting space, and funding to the Task Force. | ||
Section 10. Duties of the Task Force. | ||
(a) The Task Force shall strategize and design a plan for | ||
the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to partner | ||
and outsource with State and local governmental agencies, | ||
companies, and organizations that aid in helping at-risk women | ||
and their families become successful productive citizens. | ||
(b) This partnership will include material distribution of | ||
available resources offered in their communities as well as | ||
referrals to organizations and companies that provide | ||
necessary services to aide in their success. The following are | ||
targeted areas of assistance and outsourcing: housing | ||
assistance; educational information on enhancement and | ||
advancement; parenting and family bonding classes; financial | ||
education and literacy, including budgeting; quality | ||
afterschool programming, including tutoring; self-esteem and | ||
empowerment classes; healthy relationships classes for the | ||
entire family, including warning signs and appropriate | ||
handling of bullying; integrity classes; social etiquette | ||
classes; job preparedness workshops; temperament behavior | ||
classes, including anger management; addiction and recovery | ||
clinics, including referrals; health education classes; job | ||
training opportunities; and the expansion of Redeploy Illinois | ||
into Cook County. | ||
(c) For the purposes of this Act, "at-risk women" means | ||
women who are at increased risk of incarceration because of | ||
poverty, abuse, addiction, financial challenges, illiteracy, | ||
or other causes. The term "at-risk women" may include, but | ||
shall not be limited to, women who have previously been | ||
incarcerated. | ||
Section 15. Annual report. The Task Force shall report | ||
annually to the Governor and the General Assembly on its | ||
activities and shall include any recommendations for | ||
legislation or rulemaking to facilitate its work in the | ||
targeted areas of assistance and outsourcing.
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