(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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(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.)
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