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Disability Services Committee
Filed: 5/6/2009
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| AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2045
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| AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2045 by replacing |
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| everything after the enacting clause with the following:
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| "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Blind |
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| Vendors Act. |
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| Section 5. Definitions.
As used in this Act: |
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| "Blind licensee" means a blind person licensed by the |
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| Department to operate a vending facility on State, federal, or |
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| other
property. |
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| "Blind person" means a person whose central visual acuity |
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| does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses |
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| or whose visual acuity, if better than 20/200, is accompanied |
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| by a limit to the field of vision in the better eye to such a |
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| degree that its widest diameter subtends an angle of no greater |
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| than 20 degrees. In determining whether an individual is blind, |
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| there shall be an examination by a physician skilled in |
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| diseases of the eye, or by an optometrist, whichever the |
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| individual shall select. |
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| "Building" means only the portion of a structure owned or |
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| leased by the State or any State agency. |
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| "Cafeteria" means a food dispensing facility capable of |
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| providing
a broad variety of prepared foods and beverages |
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| (including hot meals)
primarily through the use of a line where |
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| the customer serves himself
or herself from displayed |
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| selections. A cafeteria may be fully automatic or some
limited |
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| waiter or waitress service may be available and provided within
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| a cafeteria and table or booth seating facilities are always |
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| provided.
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| "Committee" means the Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors, |
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| an independent representative body for blind vendors |
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| established by the federal Randolph-Sheppard Act. |
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| "Department" means the Department of Human Services. |
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| "Director" means the Bureau Director of the Bureau for the |
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| Blind in the Department of Human Services. |
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| "Federal property" means any structure, land, or other real
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| property owned, leased, or occupied by any department, agency |
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| or
instrumentality of the United States (including the |
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| Department of
Defense and the U.S. Postal Service), or any |
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| other instrumentality
wholly owned by the United States, or by |
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| any department or agency of the
District of Columbia or any |
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| territory or possession of the United
States. |
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| "License" means a written instrument issued by the |
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| Department to a blind person, authorizing such person to |
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| operate a vending
facility on State, federal, or other |
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| property.
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| "Net proceeds" means the amount remaining from the sale of
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| articles or services of vending facilities, and any vending |
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| machine or
other income accruing to blind vendors after |
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| deducting the cost of such
sale and other expenses (excluding |
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| any set-aside charges required to be paid
by the blind |
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| vendors). |
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| "Normal working hours" means an 8 hour work period between |
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| the
approximate hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through |
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| Friday. |
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| "Other property" means property that is not State or |
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| federal property and
on which vending facilities are |
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| established or operated by the use of
any funds derived in |
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| whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the
operation of |
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| vending facilities on any State or federal property. |
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| "Priority" means the right of a blind person licensed by |
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| the Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation |
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| Services, to operate a vending facility on any and all State |
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| property in the State of Illinois, in the same manner and to |
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| the same extent as the priority is provided to blind licensees |
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| on Federal property under the Randolph-Sheppard Act, 20 U.S.C. |
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| 107, and Federal regulations, 34 C.F.R. 395.30. |
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| "Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services. |
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| "Set-aside funds" means funds that accrue to the Department |
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| from an assessment against the net income of each vending
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| facility in the State's vending facility program and any income |
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| from
vending machines on State or federal property that accrues |
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| to the Department. |
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| "State agency" means any department, board, commission, or |
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| agency created by the Constitution or Public Act, whether in |
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| the executive, legislative, or judicial branch. |
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| "State property" means all property owned, leased, or |
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| rented by any State agency. For purposes of this Act, "State |
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| property" does not include property owned or controlled by a |
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| unit of local government, a public school district, or a public |
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| university, college, or community college. |
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| "Vending facility" means automatic vending machines,
snack |
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| bars, cart service, counters, rest areas, and such other |
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| appropriate
auxiliary equipment that may be operated by blind |
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| vendors and that
is necessary for the sale of newspapers, |
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| periodicals, confections,
tobacco products, foods, beverages, |
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| and notions
dispensed automatically or manually and prepared on |
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| or off the premises
in accordance with all applicable health |
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| laws, and including the vending
and payment of any lottery |
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| tickets or shares authorized by State law and
conducted by a |
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| State agency within the State. "Vending facility" does not |
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| include cafeterias, restaurants, the Department of |
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| Corrections' non-vending machine commissaries, the Department |
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| of
Juvenile Justice's non-vending machine commissaries, or |
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| commissaries and employment programs of the Division of Mental |
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| Health or Division of Developmental Disabilities that are |
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| operated by residents or State employees. |
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| "Vending machine", for the purpose of assigning vending |
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| machine
income under this Act, means a coin, currency, or debit |
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| card operated machine that
dispenses articles or services, |
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| except that those machines operated by
the United States Postal |
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| Service for the sale of postage stamps or other
postal products |
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| and services, machines providing services of a
recreational |
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| nature, and telephones shall not be considered to be
vending |
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| machines. |
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| "Vending machine income" means the commissions or fees paid |
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| to the State from vending machine operations on State property |
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| where the machines are operated, serviced,
or maintained by, or |
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| with the approval of, a State agency by a commercial or |
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| not-for-profit vending concern that operates, services, and |
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| maintains vending machines.
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| "Vendor" means a blind licensee who is operating a vending
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| facility on State, federal, or other property.
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| Section 10. Business Enterprise Program for the Blind. |
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| (a) The Business Enterprise Program for the Blind is |
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| created for the purposes of providing blind persons with |
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| remunerative employment, enlarging the economic opportunities |
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| of the blind, and stimulating the blind to greater efforts in |
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| striving to make themselves self-supporting. In order to |
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| achieve these goals, blind persons licensed under this Act |
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| shall be authorized to operate vending facilities on any |
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| property within this State as provided by this Act. |
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| It is the intent of the General Assembly that the |
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| Randolph-Sheppard Act, 20 USC Sections 107-107f, and the |
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| federal regulations for its administration set forth in Part |
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| 395 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, shall serve |
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| as a model for minimum standards for the operation of the |
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| Business Enterprise Program for the Blind. The federal |
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| Randolph-Sheppard Act provides employment opportunities for |
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| individuals who are blind or visually impaired through the |
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| Business Enterprise Program for the Blind. Under the |
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| Randolph-Sheppard Act, all federal agencies are required to |
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| give priority to licensed blind vendors in the operation of |
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| vending facilities on federal property. It is the intent of |
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| this Act to provide the same priority to licensed blind vendors |
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| on State property by requiring State agencies to give priority |
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| to licensed blind vendors in the operation of vending |
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| facilities on State property and preference to licensed blind |
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| vendors in the operation of cafeteria facilities on State |
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| property. Furthermore it is the intent of this Act that all |
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| State agencies, particularly the Department of Central |
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| Management Services, promote and advocate for the Business |
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| Enterprise Program for the Blind. |
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| (b) The Secretary, through the Director, shall continue, |
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| maintain, and promote the Business Enterprise Program for the |
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| Blind. Some or all of the functions of the program may be |
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| provided by the Department of Human Services. The Business |
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| Enterprise Program for the Blind must provide that: |
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| (1) priority is given to blind vendors in the operation |
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| of vending facilities on State property; |
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| (2) tie bid preference is given to blind vendors in the |
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| operation of cafeterias on State property, unless the |
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| cafeteria operations are operated by employees of a State |
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| agency; |
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| (3) vending machine income from all vending machines on |
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| State property is assigned as provided for by Section 30 of |
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| this Act; |
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| (4) no State agency may impose any commission, service |
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| charge, rent, or utility charge on a licensed blind vendor |
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| who is operating a vending facility on State property |
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| unless
approved by the Department; |
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| (5) the Department shall approve a commission to the |
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| State agency from a blind vendor operating a vending |
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| facility on the State property of the Department of |
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| Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice in the |
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| amount of 10% of the net proceeds from vending machines |
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| servicing State employees and 25% of the net proceeds from |
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| vending machines servicing visitors on the State property; |
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| and |
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| (6) vending facilities operated by the Program use |
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| reasonable and necessary means and methods to maintain fair |
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| market pricing in relation to each facility's given |
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| demographic, geographic, and other circumstances. |
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| (c) With respect to vending facilities on federal property |
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| within this State, priority shall be given as provided in the |
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| federal Randolph-Sheppard Act, 20 USC Sections 107-107f, |
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| including any amendments thereto. This Act, as it applies to |
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| federal property, is intended to conform to the federal Act, |
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| and is to be of no force or effect if, and to the extent that, |
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| any provision of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act is |
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| in conflict with the federal Act. Nothing in this subsection |
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| shall be construed to impose limitations on the operation of |
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| vending facilities on State property, or property other than |
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| federal property, or to allow only those activities |
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| specifically enumerated in the Randolph-Sheppard Act. |
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| (d) The Secretary shall actively pursue all commissions |
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| from vending facilities not operated by blind vendors as |
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| provided in Section 30 of this Act, and shall propose new |
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| placements of vending facilities on State property where a |
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| facility is not yet in place. |
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| (e) Partnerships and teaming arrangements between blind |
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| vendors and private industry, including franchise operations, |
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| shall be fostered and encouraged by the Department. |
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| Section 15. Vending facilities on State property. |
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| (a) In order to ensure that priority is given to blind |
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| vendors in the operation of vending facilities on State |
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| property as provided in Section 10, the Secretary, directly or |
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| by delegation to the Director, and the Committee shall jointly |
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| develop rules to ensure the following: |
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| (1) That priority is given to blind persons licensed |
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| under this Act or under its predecessor Act (the Blind |
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| Persons Operating Vending Facilities Act, 20 ILCS 2420/), |
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| including the assignment of vending machine income as |
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| provided in this Act. |
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| (2) That one or more vending facilities shall be |
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| established on all State property to the extent feasible. |
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| Where a larger vending facility is determined by the |
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| Director and the Committee to be infeasible, every effort |
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| shall be made to place vending machines on the property |
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| whenever possible. The Director and the Committee shall |
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| take into account the following criteria when determining |
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| whether establishment of a vending facility is feasible: |
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| (A) the number of State employees, visitors, and |
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| other potential facility customers on the property in a |
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| given period; |
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| (B) the size, in square feet, of the area owned, |
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| leased, occupied, or otherwise controlled by the |
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| State; |
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| (C) the duration the property is expected to be |
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| leased or occupied by the State; |
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| (D) whether establishment of a vending facility |
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| would adversely affect the interests of the State; and |
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| (E) the likelihood that the vending facility would |
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| produce an adequate net income for a blind vendor as |
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| determined by the average income of all blind vendors |
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| in the State. |
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| (b) Any determination by the Director, or by the State |
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| agency controlling the property, that the placement or |
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| operation of a vending facility is not feasible, or that the |
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| placement or operation would adversely affect the interests of |
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| the State shall be in writing and shall be transmitted to the |
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| Committee for review and ratification or rejection. |
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| (c) The Secretary, through the Director, subject to the |
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| rules developed and adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this |
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| Section and the requirements of federal law and regulations, is |
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| authorized to select a location for a vending facility and the |
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| type of facility to be provided. |
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| (d) Beginning January 1, 2010, all State agencies that: |
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| (1) undertake to acquire any property, in whole or in |
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| part, by ownership, rent, or lease, or that undertake to |
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| relocate to any property, shall request a determination |
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| from the Director or his or her designee as to whether the |
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| new property includes a satisfactory site or sites for the |
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| location and operation of a blind vendor vending facility; |
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| or |
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| (2) undertake to occupy a building that is to be |
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| constructed, substantially altered, or renovated, or in |
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| the case of a building that is already occupied by the |
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| State agency, undertake to substantially alter or renovate |
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| that building for use by the State agency; |
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| shall request a determination from the Director or his or her |
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| designee as to whether that building includes a satisfactory |
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| site or sites for the location and operation of a blind vendor |
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| vending facility. |
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| Upon receiving a request for a determination under this |
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| subsection (d), the Director or his or her designee and the |
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| Committee shall have 10 days in which to notify that requesting |
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| State agency as to whether the new property or building is |
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| satisfactory or not satisfactory for the operation of a blind |
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| vendor vending facility. A site shall be deemed to be a |
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| satisfactory site by examining the potential customer base, |
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| including, but not limited to, State employees, State |
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| contractual employees, and the general public. The |
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| determination shall be based upon a site survey or any other |
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| reasonable means enabling an accurate assessment of the |
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| location. If the property has an existing private vendor, |
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| bottler, or vending machine operator, then the property shall |
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| be presumed to be a satisfactory site. If the Director, in |
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| consultation with the Committee, determines that the number of |
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| people using the location is or will be insufficient to support |
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| a vending facility, then the Director shall determine the |
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| property to be not satisfactory. |
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| Upon a determination by the Director or his or her designee |
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| and the Committee that the new property or building is |
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| satisfactory for the operation of a blind vendor vending |
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| facility, the Director, in consultation with the head of the |
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| State agency and in accordance with the rules developed |
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| pursuant to subsection (a), shall inform the agency to comply |
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| with the priority established for the operation of vending |
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| facilities by blind persons under this Act. |
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| (e) All State agencies shall fully cooperate with the |
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| Department to ensure that priority is given to blind vendors in |
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| the operation of vending facilities on State property. This |
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| includes notifying the Department prior to the expiration of |
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| existing contracts or agreements for vending facilities or when |
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| such contracts or agreements are considered for renewal |
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| options. The notification must be given, when feasible, no |
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| later than 6 months prior to the potential expiration or |
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| renewal of the existing vending facility contract or agreement. |
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| Section 25. Set-aside funds; Blind Vendors Trust Fund. |
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| (a) The Department may provide, by rule, for set-asides |
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| similar to those provided in Section 107d-3 of the |
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| Randolph-Sheppard Act. If any funds are set aside, or caused to |
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| be set aside, from the net proceeds of the operation of vending |
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| facilities by blind vendors, the funds shall be set aside only |
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| to the extent necessary in a percentage amount not to exceed |
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| that determined jointly by the Director and the Committee and |
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| published in State rule, and that these funds may be used only |
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| for the following purposes: (1) maintenance and replacement of |
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| equipment; (2) purchase of new equipment; (3) construction of |
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| new vending facilities; (4) funding the functions of the |
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| Committee, including legal and other professional services; |
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| and (5) retirement or pension funds, health insurance, paid |
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| sick leave, and vacation time for blind licensees, so long as |
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| these benefits are approved by a majority vote of all Illinois |
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| licensed blind vendors that occurs after the Department |
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| provides these vendors with information on all matters relevant |
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| to these purposes. |
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| (b) No set-aside funds shall be collected from a blind |
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| vendor when the monthly net proceeds of that vendor are less |
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| than $1,000. This amount may be adjusted annually by the |
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| Director and the Committee to reflect changes in the cost of |
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| living. |
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| (c) The Department shall establish, with full |
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| participation by the Committee, the Blind Vendors Trust Fund as |
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| a separate account managed by the Department for the State's |
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| blind vendors. |
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| (d) Set-aside funds collected from the operation of all |
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| vending facilities administered by the Business Enterprise |
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| Program for the Blind shall be placed in the Blind Vendors |
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| Trust Fund, which shall include set-aside funds from facilities |
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| on federal property. The Fund must provide separately |
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| identified sub-accounts for moneys from (i) federal and (ii) |
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| State and other facilities, as well as vending machine income |
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| generated pursuant to Section 30 of this Act. These funds shall |
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| be available until expended and shall not revert to the General |
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| Revenue Fund or to any other State account.
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| (e) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the |
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| expenditure of set-aside funds authorized by this Section shall |
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| be supplemental to any current appropriation or other moneys |
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| made available for these purposes and shall not constitute an |
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| offset of any previously existing appropriation or other |
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| funding source. In no way shall this imply that the |
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| appropriation for the Blind Vendors Program may never be |
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| decreased, rather that the new funds shall not be used as an |
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| offset. |
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| (f) An amount equal to 10% of the wages paid by a blind |
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| vendor to any employee who is blind or otherwise disabled shall |
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| be deducted from any set-aside charge paid by the vendor each |
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| month, in order to encourage vendors to employ blind and |
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| disabled workers and to set an example for industry and |
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| government. No deduction shall be made for any employee paid |
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| less than the State or federal minimum wage. |
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| Section 30. Vending machine income and compliance. |
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| (a) Except as provided in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), |
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| and (i) of this Section, after July 1, 2010, all vending |
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| machine income, as defined by this Act, from vending machines |
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| on State property shall accrue to (1) the blind vendor |
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| operating the vending facilities on the property or (2) in the |
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| event there is no blind vendor operating a facility on the |
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| property, the Blind Vendors Trust Fund for use exclusively as |
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| set forth in subsection (a) of Section 25 of this Act. |
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| (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of |
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| this Section, all State university cafeterias and vending |
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| machines are exempt from this Act. |
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| (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of |
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| this Section, all vending facilities at the Governor Samuel H. |
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| Shapiro Developmental Center in Kankakee are exempt from this |
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| Act. |
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| (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of |
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| this Section, in
the event there is no blind vendor operating a |
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| vending facility on the
State property, all vending machine |
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| income, as defined in this Act, from
vending machines on the |
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| State property of the Department of Corrections
and the |
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| Department of Juvenile Justice shall accrue to the State agency
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| and be allocated in accordance with the commissary provisions |
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| in the Unified Code of Corrections. |
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| (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of |
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| this Section, in the event a blind vendor is operating a |
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| vending facility on
the State property of the Department or |
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| Corrections or the Department of
Juvenile Justice, a commission |
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| shall be paid to the State agency equal to
10% of the net |
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| proceeds from vending machines servicing State employees
and |
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| 25% of the net proceeds from vending machines servicing |
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| visitors on
the State property. |
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| (f) The Secretary, directly or by delegation of authority, |
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| shall ensure compliance with this Section and Section 15 of |
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| this Act with respect to buildings, installations, facilities, |
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| roadside rest stops, and any other State property, and shall be |
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| responsible for the collection of, and accounting for, all |
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| vending machine income on this property. The Secretary shall |
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| enforce these provisions through litigation, arbitration, or |
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| any other legal means available to the State, and each State |
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| agency in control of this property shall be subject to the |
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| enforcement. State agencies or departments failing to comply |
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| with an order of the Department may be held in contempt in any |
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| court of general jurisdiction. |
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| (g) Any limitation on the placement or operation of a |
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| vending machine by a State agency based on a determination that |
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| such placement or operation would adversely affect the |
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| interests of the State must be explained in writing to the |
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| Secretary. The Secretary shall promptly determine whether the |
16 |
| limitation is justified. If the Secretary determines that the |
17 |
| limitation is not justified, the State agency seeking the |
18 |
| limitation shall immediately remove the limitation. |
19 |
| (h) The amount of vending machine income accruing from |
20 |
| vending machines on State property that may be used for the |
21 |
| functions of the Committee shall be determined annually by a |
22 |
| two-thirds vote of the Committee, except that no more than 25% |
23 |
| of the annual vending machine income may be used by the |
24 |
| Committee for this purpose, based upon the income accruing to |
25 |
| the Blind Vendors Trust Fund in the preceding year. The |
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| Committee may establish its budget and expend funds through |
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| contract or otherwise without the approval of the Department. |
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| (i) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of |
3 |
| this Section, with respect to vending machines located on any |
4 |
| facility or property controlled or operated by the Division of |
5 |
| Mental Health or the Division of Developmental Disabilities |
6 |
| within the Department of Human Services: |
7 |
| (1) Any written contract in place as of the effective date |
8 |
| of this Act between the Division and the Business Enterprise |
9 |
| Program for the Blind shall be maintained and fully adhered to |
10 |
| including any moneys paid to the individual facilities. |
11 |
| (2) With respect to existing vending machines with no |
12 |
| written contract or agreement in place as of the effective date |
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| of this Act between the Division and a private vendor, bottler, |
14 |
| or vending machine supplier, the Business Enterprise Program |
15 |
| for the Blind has the right to provide the vending services as |
16 |
| provided in this Act, provided that the blind vendor must |
17 |
| provide 10% of gross sales from those machines to the |
18 |
| individual facilities.
|
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| Section 40. Licenses. |
20 |
| (a) Licenses shall be issued only to blind persons who are |
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| qualified to operate vending facilities. The continuing |
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| eligibility of a vendor as a blind person shall be reviewed |
23 |
| biennially for partially sighted individuals or whenever the |
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| Director has information indicating the vendor is no longer |
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| blind as defined under this Act. |
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| (b) Following agreement by the Secretary, the Director, and |
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| the Committee, the Secretary shall adopt and publish rules |
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| providing for (1) the requirements for licensure as a blind |
4 |
| vendor; (2) a curriculum for training, in-service training, and |
5 |
| upward mobility training for blind vendors; and (3) a regular |
6 |
| schedule for offering the training, classes to be offered at |
7 |
| least once per year. |
8 |
| (c) Each license issued pursuant to this Section shall be |
9 |
| for an indefinite period as described by rule. The license of a |
10 |
| blind vendor may be terminated or suspended for good cause, but |
11 |
| only after affording the licensee an opportunity for a full and |
12 |
| fair hearing in accordance with the provisions of this Act. |
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| Section 45. Committee of Blind Vendors. |
14 |
| (a) The Secretary, through the Director, shall provide for |
15 |
| the biennial election of the Committee, which shall be fully |
16 |
| representative of all blind licensees in the State. There shall |
17 |
| be no fewer than one Committee member for each 15 licensed |
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| blind vendors in the State. |
19 |
| (b) The Committee is empowered to hire staff; contract for |
20 |
| consultants including, but not limited to, legal counsel; set |
21 |
| agendas and call meetings; create a constitution and bylaws, |
22 |
| subcommittees, and budgets; and do any other thing a |
23 |
| not-for-profit organization may do through the use of the Blind |
24 |
| Vendors Trust Fund. At the discretion of the Committee major |
25 |
| issues may be referred for initial consideration to a |
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| subcommittee, or to all blind vendors in order to ascertain |
2 |
| their views. |
3 |
| (c) The Secretary shall ensure that the Committee jointly |
4 |
| participates with the State in the development and |
5 |
| implementation of all policies, plans, program development, |
6 |
| and major administrative and management decisions affecting |
7 |
| the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind. The Secretary, |
8 |
| through the Director, shall provide to the Committee all |
9 |
| relevant financial information and data, including quarterly |
10 |
| and annual financial reports, on the operation of the vending |
11 |
| facility program in order that the Committee may fully |
12 |
| participate in budget development and formulation, the |
13 |
| establishment of set-aside levels, and other program |
14 |
| requirements. A copy of all completed audits, reports, and |
15 |
| investigations affecting the Business Enterprise Program for |
16 |
| the Blind shall be distributed to the Committee in a timely |
17 |
| manner. Any implementation of changes in administrative policy |
18 |
| or program development that are within the discretion of the |
19 |
| Department shall occur only after Committee review. |
20 |
| Section 50. Hearings; arbitration. |
21 |
| (a) Any blind vendor dissatisfied with any act or omission |
22 |
| arising from the operation or administration of the vending |
23 |
| facility program may submit to the Secretary a request for a |
24 |
| full evidentiary hearing. This hearing shall be provided in a |
25 |
| timely manner by the Department. Damages, including |
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| compensatory damages, attorney's fees, and expenses, must be |
2 |
| paid to any operator who prevails in the full evidentiary |
3 |
| hearing; however, payment of damages may not be paid from any |
4 |
| program funds, the Blind Vendors Trust Fund, or federal |
5 |
| rehabilitation funds. If the blind vendor is dissatisfied with |
6 |
| any action taken or decision rendered as a result of the |
7 |
| hearing, that vendor may file a complaint for arbitration with |
8 |
| the Secretary. |
9 |
| (b) If the Secretary determines that any State agency has |
10 |
| failed to comply with the requirements of this Act, the |
11 |
| Secretary must establish a panel to arbitrate the dispute and |
12 |
| the decision of the panel shall be final and binding on the |
13 |
| parties. Any arbitration panel convened by the Secretary shall |
14 |
| be composed of 3 members, appointed as follows: |
15 |
| (1) one individual appointed by the Secretary; |
16 |
| (2) one individual appointed by the State agency |
17 |
| determined by the Secretary to be in noncompliance with the |
18 |
| Act; and |
19 |
| (3) one individual, who shall serve as chairperson, |
20 |
| jointly designated by the members appointed under items (1) |
21 |
| and (2); provided that, if within 30 days following the |
22 |
| Secretary's determination of noncompliance either party |
23 |
| fails to appoint a panel member, or if the parties are |
24 |
| unable to agree on the appointment of the chairperson, the |
25 |
| Secretary shall select the final panel member or may |
26 |
| designate a hearing officer of the Department who shall |
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| preside. |
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| (c) The Secretary may issue a letter of reprimand to a |
3 |
| blind vendor who violates program rules or policy. Depending |
4 |
| upon the seriousness of the alleged violation, the letter of |
5 |
| reprimand may indicate the intention to suspend or terminate |
6 |
| the license of the vendor. All reprimand letters shall be sent |
7 |
| in a medium accessible by the vendor, and shall be sent by |
8 |
| certified mail, return receipt requested. The Secretary must |
9 |
| make every reasonable effort to assist the subject vendor to |
10 |
| correct the problem for which the vendor is reprimanded. No |
11 |
| process to suspend or terminate a license shall be initiated |
12 |
| before the vendor is accorded the opportunity for a full |
13 |
| evidentiary hearing as provided under subsection (a). A vendor |
14 |
| may be summarily removed from a facility only in an emergency. |
15 |
| Section 60. General provisions. |
16 |
| (a) Blind vendors operating vending facilities are subject |
17 |
| to the applicable license or permit requirements of the county |
18 |
| or municipality in which the facility is located necessary for |
19 |
| the conduct of their business. |
20 |
| (b) Vendors licensed pursuant to this Act are authorized to |
21 |
| keep guide animals with them while operating vending facilities |
22 |
| subject to public health laws and rules. |
23 |
| (c) The Secretary, the Director, and the Committee shall |
24 |
| cooperate in the development of rules to be promulgated by the |
25 |
| Department regarding life standards for vending facility |
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| equipment. Such rules shall include, but are not limited to, |
2 |
| the life expectancy of equipment; time periods within which |
3 |
| equipment should be replaced; exceptions to the replacement |
4 |
| time periods for equipment with no service problem history; and |
5 |
| replacement schedules for equipment subject to excessive |
6 |
| failures not the fault of the vendor. |
7 |
| (d) The Secretary, through the Director, shall assign |
8 |
| adequate personnel to carry out duties related to the |
9 |
| administration and management of this Act. In selecting |
10 |
| personnel to fill any program position under this subsection, |
11 |
| the Secretary shall ensure that the Committee has full advance |
12 |
| opportunity to review the selections, to submit comments |
13 |
| thereon, and to assess the adequacy of staffing levels for the |
14 |
| program. |
15 |
| (e) The Secretary shall provide each vendor access to: all |
16 |
| financial information, his or her performance ratings, and all |
17 |
| other individual personnel documents and data maintained by the |
18 |
| Department. This includes providing each vendor a written copy |
19 |
| of all rules and policies adopted pursuant to this Act. Upon |
20 |
| request, the information shall be furnished in the medium most |
21 |
| accessible by the vendor. |
22 |
| (f) The surviving spouse of a current Illinois licensed |
23 |
| blind vendor who dies may continue to operate the facility for |
24 |
| a period of 6 months following the death of the vendor, |
25 |
| provided that the surviving spouse is qualified by experience |
26 |
| or training to manage the facility. |
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| (g) The Secretary shall, by rule, require licensed blind |
2 |
| vendors to obtain additional training to operate a blind |
3 |
| vending facility for State property determined by a State |
4 |
| agency to be high security property. |
5 |
| Section 65. Program rules. |
6 |
| (a) The Secretary shall promulgate and adopt necessary |
7 |
| rules, and do all things necessary and proper to carry out this |
8 |
| Act. The Secretary by delegation shall review these rules with |
9 |
| the Committee at least every 3 years. |
10 |
| (b) The rules shall include, but are not limited to, the |
11 |
| following: (1) uniform procedures for vendor licensing and |
12 |
| termination; (2) criteria and standards for selecting vendors |
13 |
| and matching them to facilities to ensure that the most |
14 |
| qualified person is selected; (3) equipment life standards and |
15 |
| service standards for the inventory, repair, and purchase of |
16 |
| equipment; (4) minimum requirements for the establishment of a |
17 |
| vending facility; (5) standards for training, in-service |
18 |
| training, and upward mobility; and (6) policies and procedures |
19 |
| for the collection, deposit, reimbursement, and use of all |
20 |
| program income, including vending machine income. |
21 |
| Section 70. Property Survey and Report. |
22 |
| (a) The Department shall survey and report on State |
23 |
| property and vending facilities not later than December 31, |
24 |
| 2010. The report shall contain the following information: |
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| (1) A list of all State property or other property |
2 |
| within the State that does or reasonably could accommodate |
3 |
| a vending facility as provided for in this Act or as |
4 |
| provided for in the federal Randolph-Sheppard Act. |
5 |
| (2) For the buildings or locations that have vending |
6 |
| facilities or vending machines in place, an indication of |
7 |
| the facilities operated by licensed blind vendors under the |
8 |
| Business Enterprise Program for the Blind and an indication |
9 |
| of the facilities operated by private entities. |
10 |
| (3) For the vending facilities or vending machines |
11 |
| operated by private entities, an indication of the |
12 |
| facilities from which commissions for the Business |
13 |
| Enterprise Program for the Blind have been or are being |
14 |
| collected. |
15 |
| (4) For the buildings or other property that do not |
16 |
| have vending facilities in place, an indication of the |
17 |
| locations where a vending facility could appropriately be |
18 |
| placed, or the reasons why a vending facility is not |
19 |
| feasible in the building or property. |
20 |
| (b) The Department shall obtain all available information |
21 |
| and conduct a survey, before June 30 of every odd-numbered year |
22 |
| after the effective date of this Act. This survey shall |
23 |
| identify but not be limited to the following information: |
24 |
| (1) The number and identity of the buildings owned, |
25 |
| leased, acquired, or occupied by the State. |
26 |
| (2) The number and identity of the State buildings |
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| where vending facilities or vending machines are located. |
2 |
| (3) The number of employees located in or visiting |
3 |
| these buildings during normal working hours. |
4 |
| (4) The usable interior square footage of the building; |
5 |
| and |
6 |
| (5) Any other information the Department may determine |
7 |
| to be useful in expanding the Business Enterprise Program |
8 |
| for the Blind to the maximum extent feasible consistent |
9 |
| with the purposes of this Act. |
10 |
| (c) All State agencies controlling State property or parts |
11 |
| thereof where vending machines or vending facilities are |
12 |
| located must cooperate with the Department by providing |
13 |
| information on the vending machines or facilities at those |
14 |
| locations. This information shall include, but is not limited |
15 |
| to, the terms of contracts for vending, including financial |
16 |
| terms, and the disbursement practices for vending machine |
17 |
| income. The Department shall incorporate this information in |
18 |
| its reports and updates. |
19 |
| (d) The Department shall use the reports and updates |
20 |
| mandated by this Section to develop greater opportunities for |
21 |
| the placement of blind vendors, to increase vending machine |
22 |
| income to the program, and to aid in establishing vending |
23 |
| machines and facilities on State property. |
24 |
| (e) The reports and surveys prepared pursuant to this |
25 |
| Section shall be provided to the Committee and to the |
26 |
| appropriate committees of the General Assembly.
|