20 ILCS 2410/ Bureau for the Blind Act.

(20 ILCS 2410/1) (from Ch. 23, par. 3411)

Sec. 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the Bureau for the Blind Act.

(Source: P.A. 86-893.)

(20 ILCS 2410/2) (from Ch. 23, par. 3412)

Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act:

(a) Bureau means the Bureau for the Blind.

(b) Department means the Department of Human Services.

(c) Secretary means the Secretary of Human Services.

(d) Bureau Director means the Director of the Bureau for the Blind.

(e) Blind means any person whose central visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with corrective lenses or a visually impaired person whose vision with best correction is 20/60 in the better eye, or with a field restriction of 105 degrees if monocular vision; 140 degrees if binocular vision.

(f) Blind Services Planning Council or Council means that Council established pursuant to Section 7.

(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

(20 ILCS 2410/3) (from Ch. 23, par. 3413)

Sec. 3. Creation. A Bureau for the Blind shall be established within the division or other programmatic unit of the Department of Human Services that administers vocational rehabilitation services under the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. The Bureau shall be headed by a Bureau Director who shall be fully qualified by education, experience and demonstrated ability. If all other attributes are equal, preference shall be given to a blind person. The Bureau Director shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Department with full consideration given to a list of candidates recommended by the Blind Services Planning Council. The Bureau Director shall report to the Secretary and be fully responsible for administering the offices of the Bureau. The Bureau shall be staffed with an adequate number of professional people especially qualified to develop specialized services to blind people, with appropriate preference given in choosing staff to those who are blind.

(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

(20 ILCS 2410/4) (from Ch. 23, par. 3414)

Sec. 4. Purposes. The Bureau shall plan, develop, delineate and evaluate a wide range of services, including advocacy and outreach, to help those people in Illinois who are blind to achieve their fullest possible potential.

The Bureau shall foster "comprehensiveness of service" by entering into cooperative working agreements with other service providers.

The Bureau shall administer all programs for adults who are blind or visually impaired within the Department.

(Source: P.A. 86-893.)

(20 ILCS 2410/5) (from Ch. 23, par. 3415)

Sec. 5. Finances. The Department, with participation of the Bureau and the Blind Services Planning Council, shall prepare and submit, as part of the Department's total budget, an estimate of its financial needs for the coming year, including anticipated growth and development and new initiatives, which shall be clearly identified and become part of the public record.

The Department shall maintain complete records of all funds expended and received for the purpose of providing services to blind people, general revenue funds, donations, bequests, set-aside funds from the Department's vending facilities program, soft match, federal match, grants and any other funds.

(Source: P.A. 86-893.)

(20 ILCS 2410/6) (from Ch. 23, par. 3416)

Sec. 6. Administration. All evaluations of the quality of service providers to blind people shall be made by qualified persons assigned to the Bureau or consultants especially qualified to make such evaluations.

All support services not related to direct service to a blind person, such as legal services, data processing, printing, review for compliance with all State and federal regulations and office rental and maintenance, shall be provided as part of the agency-wide support system and included in the general budget for the Department.

The Bureau shall prepare an annual report summarizing its activities which shall be an identifiable part of the annual Department report.

Minutes of all meetings pertaining to policy and budget affecting the Bureau, upon request, shall be forwarded to each Council member and appropriate Department personnel.

(Source: P.A. 86-893.)

(20 ILCS 2410/7) (from Ch. 23, par. 3417)

Sec. 7. Council. There shall be created within the Department a Blind Services Planning Council which shall review the actions of the Bureau for the Blind and provide advice and consultation to the Secretary on services to blind people. The Council shall be composed of 11 members appointed by the Governor. All members shall be selected because of their ability to provide worthwhile consultation or services to the blind. No fewer than 6 members shall be blind. A relative balance between the number of males and females shall be maintained. Broad representation shall be sought by appointment, with 2 members from each of the major statewide consumer organizations of the blind and one member from a specific service area including, but not limited to, the Hadley School for the Blind, Chicago Lighthouse, Department-approved Low Vision Aides Clinics, Vending Facilities Operators, the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER), blind homemakers, outstanding competitive employers of blind people, providers and recipients of income maintenance programs, in-home care programs, subsidized housing, nursing homes and homes for the blind.

Initially, 4 members shall be appointed for terms of one year, 4 for terms of 2 years and 3 for terms of 3 years with a partial term of 18 months or more counting as a full term. Subsequent terms shall be 3 years each. No member shall serve more than 2 terms. No Department employee shall be a member of the Council.

Members shall be removed for cause including, but not limited to, demonstrated incompetence, unethical behavior and unwillingness or inability to serve.

Members shall serve without pay but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

Members shall be governed by appropriate and applicable State and federal statutes and regulations on matters such as ethics, confidentiality, freedom of information, travel and civil rights.

Department staff may attend meetings but shall not be a voting member of the Council. The Council shall elect a chairperson and a recording secretary from among its number. Sub-committees and ad hoc committees may be created to concentrate on specific program components or initiative areas.

The Council shall perform the following functions:

(a) facilitate communication and cooperative efforts between the Department and all agencies which have any responsibility to deliver services to blind and visually impaired persons.

(b) identify needs and problems related to blind and visually impaired persons, including children, adults, and seniors, and make recommendations to the Secretary, Bureau Director and Governor.

(c) recommend programmatic and fiscal priorities governing the provision of services and awarding of grants or contracts by the Department to any person or agency, public or private.

(d) conduct, encourage and advise independent research by qualified evaluators to improve services to blind and visually impaired persons, including those with multiple disabilities.

(e) participate in the development and review of proposed and amended rules and regulations of the Department relating to services for the blind and visually impaired.

(f) review and comment on all budgets (drafted and submitted) relating to services for blind and visually impaired persons.

(g) promote policies and programs to educate the public and elicit public support for services to blind and visually impaired persons.

(h) encourage creative and innovative programs to strengthen, expand and improve services for blind and visually impaired persons, including outreach services.

(i) perform such other duties as may be required by the Governor, Secretary, and Bureau Director.

The Council shall supersede and replace all advisory committees now functioning within the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, with the exception of federally mandated advisory groups.

(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(20 ILCS 2410/8) (from Ch. 23, par. 3418)

Sec. 8. Department Duties. In order that the Blind Services Planning Council may function efficiently and provide a meaningful service, the Department shall:

(a) provide adequate space for meetings in a convenient location;

(b) provide sufficient clerical service;

(c) provide adequate and secure storage for records;

(d) make all records pertaining to the Bureau available to the Council except those governed by confidentiality because of their being related to a specific client;

(e) select the Bureau Director with full consideration given to a list of candidates recommended by the Council;

(f) submit no budget without having involved the Council and having submitted the final draft for its review;

(g) institute no major policy or program changes affecting blind or visually impaired persons without first consulting the Council;

(h) reimburse expenses for members of the Council for Council meetings;

(i) reimburse Council members for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties;

(j) cooperate with the Council in generating recommendations for new program initiatives;

(k) reimburse expenses for members of sub-committees and ad hoc committees;

(l) support the Council in a strong advocacy and outreach role;

(m) give full faith and credit to the work and recommendations of the Council.

(Source: P.A. 86-893.)