“We know that disparities exist within the African-American community, preventing some from achieving their full potential,” Governor Quinn said. “In Illinois, we want everybody in, and nobody left out. We won’t shy away from examining the root causes of inequality, and working to correct them.”
The commission will be comprised of a bipartisan group of legislators from both houses of the General Assembly, the directors of the Departments of Human Services, Healthcare and Family Services, Children and Family Services, Public Health, Aging, Labor, Employment Security, Commerce and Economic Opportunity, State Board of Education, Board of Higher Education, Corrections, Juvenile Justice, or their designees.
It will also include the Executive Director of the Illinois African-American Family Commission, and up to 10 other individuals representing African-American communities around the state with backgrounds in the research areas. The president of the Illinois Senate and speaker of the Illinois House will name co-chairs for this Commission, and all members will serve without compensation.
Pat Quinn signed legislation Saturday creating a commission to research and report on disparities in the African-American community.
The commission will include Illinois lawmakers from both parties, non-elected state officials and representatives of African-American communities. It will study criminal justice, education, employment, health, housing and other issues.
"There's something wrong in America when we don't have everybody in, and nobody left out. When folks are left out, that's not the America that we believe in. That's not the America in our Constitution," Quinn said.
Commission members will serve without compensation. They are to report their findings and recommendations by the end of 2013.
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