IL HR0042

Urges the Governor to create a commission composed of community stakeholders, state agency representatives, ministers, business leaders, and other stakeholders to address social and economic problems affecting African American communities in Illinois.

Commission is charged with finding innovative solutions to meet needs of the black community, designing plans to assist state agencies and local governments, analyzing successful programs in law enforcement, job retraining, education, economic opportunity, job creation, social services, and public health.

Requires the Governor to appoint commission members by August 1, 2017 and directs the commission to develop an action plan for improving existing programs without allocating additional tax dollars by reallocating existing resources.

Mandates the commission to hold public hearings and submit a written report of findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 30, 2018.

Documents disparities including unemployment rates for blacks in Illinois at 17.5% versus 8.2% for whites, 762 murders in Chicago in 2016 with 75% being black victims, and black teen birth rate of 77.9 per 1,000 teens versus 20.6 for whites.