(20 ILCS 3405/20)
Sec. 20. Freedom Trail Commission.
(a) Creation. The Freedom Trail Commission is created within the Agency. The budgeting, procurement, and related functions of the commission and administrative responsibilities for the staff of the commission shall be performed under the direction and supervision of the Agency.
(b) Membership. The commission shall consist of 16 members, appointed as soon as possible after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. The members shall be appointed as follows:
(1) one member appointed by the President of the
Senate;
(2) one member appointed by the Senate Minority
Leader;
(3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House;
(4) one member appointed by the House Minority Leader;
(5) 9 members appointed by the Governor as follows:
(i) 3 members from the academic community who are
knowledgeable concerning African-American history;
(ii) one public member who is actively involved
in civil rights issues;
(iii) one public member who is knowledgeable in
the field of historic preservation;
(iv) one public member who represents local
communities in which the underground railroad had a significant presence; and
(v) 3 members at large, one of whom shall be a
representative of the DuSable Museum and one of whom shall be a representative of the Chicago Historical Society;
(6) the Director of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity, ex officio, or a designee of the Director;
(7) the State Librarian, ex officio, or a designee of
the State Library; and
(8) the Director of the Historic Preservation Agency,
ex officio, or a designee of that Agency.
Appointed members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
(c) Election of chairperson; meetings. At its first meeting, the commission shall elect from among its members a chairperson and other officers it considers necessary or appropriate. After its first meeting, the commission shall meet at least quarterly, or more frequently at the call of the chairperson or if requested by 7 or more members.
(d) Quorum. A majority of the members of the commission constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of the commission. A majority of the members present and serving is required for official action of the commission.
(e) Public meeting. The business that the commission may perform shall be conducted at a public meeting of the commission held in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
(f) Freedom of information. A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the commission in the performance of an official function is subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
(g) Compensation. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation. However, members of the commission may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as members of the commission.
(h) Duties. The commission shall do the following:
(1) Prepare a master plan to promote and preserve the
history of the freedom trail and underground railroad in the State.
(2) Work in conjunction with State and federal
authorities to sponsor commemorations, linkages, seminars, and public forums on the freedom trail and underground railroad in the State and in neighboring states.
(3) Assist in and promote the making of applications
for inclusion in the national and State registers of historic places for significant historic places related to the freedom trail and the underground railroad in the State.
(4) Assist in developing and develop partnerships to
seek public and private funds to carry out activities to protect, preserve, and promote the legacy of the freedom trail and the underground railroad in the State.
(5) Work with the Illinois State Board of Education
to evaluate, conduct research concerning, and develop a curriculum for use in Illinois public schools regarding the underground railroad, with emphasis on the activities of the underground railroad within the State.
(i) Report. The commission shall report its activities and findings to the General Assembly by February 1, 2004.
(Source: P.A. 93-487, eff. 8-8-03; 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015