(20 ILCS 4007/1)
Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Persons with Disabilities on State Agency Boards Act.
(Source: P.A. 87-977.)
(20 ILCS 4007/5)
Sec. 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly recognizes that many persons with disabilities and their families receive some level of support and services that are funded or administered by State human services agencies. The support and services are provided to persons with disabilities or their families, if appropriate, through arrangements with local community based vendors, organizations, or agencies. The General Assembly further recognizes that persons with disabilities who receive the services and support, directly or indirectly, are often not consulted for their perspectives, nor are their viewpoints sought regarding the efficiency, strengths, or weaknesses of the services and support. Various agencies in State government also promulgate standards that govern the administration or operation of the services and support. Seldom are persons with disabilities or their families involved in the development of standards that directly affect the quality of the services and support that they receive. In addition, there are legislative commissions that serve in an advisory capacity concerning the services provided to persons with disabilities and their families, whose membership does not include persons with disabilities and their families.
Therefore, the General Assembly finds that:
(a) Persons with disabilities and their families have a significant contribution to make in the decision making processes that shape the support and services they receive through State government.
(b) Persons with disabilities and their families should be provided with meaningful opportunities to contribute their perspectives through their experiences concerning issues relating to services, support, and standards that ultimately affect them.
(c) Services and support should be responsive and sensitive to the cultural, racial, age, language, and gender characteristics of persons with disabilities and their families.
(d) Meaningful opportunities to contribute their perspectives should provide adequate information, in a manner that facilitates and allows for participation by persons with disabilities and their families.
(Source: P.A. 87-977.)
(20 ILCS 4007/10)
Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context requires otherwise:
"Disability" means a physical or mental characteristic resulting from disease, injury, congenital condition of birth, or functional disorder, the history of such a characteristic, or the perception of such a characteristic, when the characteristic results in substantial functional limitations in 3 or more of the following areas of major life activity: self care, fine motor skills, mobility, vision, respiration, learning, work, receptive and expressive language (hearing and speaking), self direction, capacity for independent living, and economic sufficiency.
"State human services agency" means the following:
(Source: P.A. 100-866, eff. 8-14-18.)
(20 ILCS 4007/15)
Sec. 15. Membership on boards. To ensure opportunities for participation by persons with disabilities and their families in the development of policies, support, and services that affect them:
(a) Persons with one or more disabilities, or members of their families, who receive the services and support shall be included in the membership of every State human service agency's advisory boards, committees, commissions, task forces, or ad hoc committees.
(b) Persons with one or more disabilities, or members of their families, shall be included in the membership of local community based agency governing boards that receive funds from State human services agencies to provide services and support to persons with disabilities and their families.
(c) Persons with one or more disabilities, or members of their families, shall be included in the membership of legislative commissions, boards, and assemblies whose purpose is to serve an advisory function concerning services to persons with disabilities.
(d) Persons with one or more disabilities, or members of their families, shall be included in the membership of any advisory committee, board, or commission whose mission or purpose is to establish eligibility criteria for services and support for persons with disabilities or to develop standards that govern the services and support funded or administered by State human services agencies.
(Source: P.A. 87-977.)
(20 ILCS 4007/49)
Sec. 49. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.
(Source: P.A. 87-977.)