103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB2906 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 30 ILCS 575/2 Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that certain economically disadvantaged persons, among other specified individuals, are considered minority persons under the Act. Provides additional requirements concerning qualification as a socially disadvantaged person. Defines "economically disadvantaged person". Provides requirements concerning qualification as an economically disadvantaged person. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2023. LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB2906 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 30 ILCS 575/2 30 ILCS 575/2 Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that certain economically disadvantaged persons, among other specified individuals, are considered minority persons under the Act. Provides additional requirements concerning qualification as a socially disadvantaged person. Defines "economically disadvantaged person". Provides requirements concerning qualification as an economically disadvantaged person. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2023. LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB2906 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 30 ILCS 575/2 30 ILCS 575/2 30 ILCS 575/2 Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that certain economically disadvantaged persons, among other specified individuals, are considered minority persons under the Act. Provides additional requirements concerning qualification as a socially disadvantaged person. Defines "economically disadvantaged person". Provides requirements concerning qualification as an economically disadvantaged person. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2023. LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b A BILL FOR HB2906LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 AN ACT concerning finance. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, 5 and Persons with Disabilities Act is amended by changing 6 Section 2 as follows: 7 (30 ILCS 575/2) 8 (Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2024) 9 Sec. 2. Definitions. 10 (A) For the purpose of this Act, the following terms shall 11 have the following definitions: 12 (1) "Minority person" shall mean a person who is a 13 citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States 14 and who is any of the following: 15 (a) American Indian or Alaska Native (a person 16 having origins in any of the original peoples of North 17 and South America, including Central America, and who 18 maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment). 19 (b) Asian (a person having origins in any of the 20 original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or 21 the Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited 22 to, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, 23 Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB2906 Introduced , by Rep. Kevin John Olickal SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 30 ILCS 575/2 30 ILCS 575/2 30 ILCS 575/2 Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides that certain economically disadvantaged persons, among other specified individuals, are considered minority persons under the Act. Provides additional requirements concerning qualification as a socially disadvantaged person. Defines "economically disadvantaged person". Provides requirements concerning qualification as an economically disadvantaged person. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2023. LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b A BILL FOR 30 ILCS 575/2 LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 2 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 2 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 2 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 Vietnam). 2 (c) Black or African American (a person having 3 origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa). 4 (d) Hispanic or Latino (a person of Cuban, 5 Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or 6 other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race). 7 (e) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (a 8 person having origins in any of the original peoples 9 of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands). 10 (f) A person who qualifies as a socially 11 disadvantaged person. 12 (g) A person who qualifies as an economically 13 disadvantaged person. 14 (2) "Woman" shall mean a person who is a citizen or 15 lawful permanent resident of the United States and who is 16 of the female gender. 17 (2.05) "Person with a disability" means a person who 18 is a citizen or lawful resident of the United States and is 19 a person qualifying as a person with a disability under 20 subdivision (2.1) of this subsection (A). 21 (2.1) "Person with a disability" means a person with a 22 severe physical or mental disability that: 23 (a) results from: 24 amputation, 25 arthritis, 26 autism, HB2906 - 2 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 3 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 3 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 3 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 blindness, 2 burn injury, 3 cancer, 4 cerebral palsy, 5 Crohn's disease, 6 cystic fibrosis, 7 deafness, 8 head injury, 9 heart disease, 10 hemiplegia, 11 hemophilia, 12 respiratory or pulmonary dysfunction, 13 an intellectual disability, 14 mental illness, 15 multiple sclerosis, 16 muscular dystrophy, 17 musculoskeletal disorders, 18 neurological disorders, including stroke and 19 epilepsy, 20 paraplegia, 21 quadriplegia and other spinal cord conditions, 22 sickle cell anemia, 23 ulcerative colitis, 24 specific learning disabilities, or 25 end stage renal failure disease; and 26 (b) substantially limits one or more of the HB2906 - 3 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 4 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 4 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 4 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 person's major life activities. 2 Another disability or combination of disabilities may 3 also be considered as a severe disability for the purposes 4 of item (a) of this subdivision (2.1) if it is determined 5 by an evaluation of rehabilitation potential to cause a 6 comparable degree of substantial functional limitation 7 similar to the specific list of disabilities listed in 8 item (a) of this subdivision (2.1). 9 (3) "Minority-owned business" means a business which 10 is at least 51% owned by one or more minority persons, or 11 in the case of a corporation, at least 51% of the stock in 12 which is owned by one or more minority persons; and the 13 management and daily business operations of which are 14 controlled by one or more of the minority individuals who 15 own it. 16 (4) "Women-owned business" means a business which is 17 at least 51% owned by one or more women, or, in the case of 18 a corporation, at least 51% of the stock in which is owned 19 by one or more women; and the management and daily 20 business operations of which are controlled by one or more 21 of the women who own it. 22 (4.1) "Business owned by a person with a disability" 23 means a business that is at least 51% owned by one or more 24 persons with a disability and the management and daily 25 business operations of which are controlled by one or more 26 of the persons with disabilities who own it. A HB2906 - 4 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 5 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 5 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 5 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 not-for-profit agency for persons with disabilities that 2 is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the Internal 3 Revenue Code of 1986 is also considered a "business owned 4 by a person with a disability". 5 (4.2) "Council" means the Business Enterprise Council 6 for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities 7 created under Section 5 of this Act. 8 (4.3) "Commission" means, unless the context clearly 9 indicates otherwise, the Commission on Equity and 10 Inclusion created under the Commission on Equity and 11 Inclusion Act. 12 (5) "State contracts" means all contracts entered into 13 by the State, any agency or department thereof, or any 14 public institution of higher education, including 15 community college districts, regardless of the source of 16 the funds with which the contracts are paid, which are not 17 subject to federal reimbursement. "State contracts" does 18 not include contracts awarded by a retirement system, 19 pension fund, or investment board subject to Section 20 1-109.1 of the Illinois Pension Code. This definition 21 shall control over any existing definition under this Act 22 or applicable administrative rule. 23 "State construction contracts" means all State 24 contracts entered into by a State agency or public 25 institution of higher education for the repair, 26 remodeling, renovation or construction of a building or HB2906 - 5 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 6 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 6 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 6 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 structure, or for the construction or maintenance of a 2 highway defined in Article 2 of the Illinois Highway Code. 3 (6) "State agencies" shall mean all departments, 4 officers, boards, commissions, institutions and bodies 5 politic and corporate of the State, but does not include 6 the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, the 7 Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University, the 8 Board of Trustees of Chicago State University, the Board 9 of Trustees of Eastern Illinois University, the Board of 10 Trustees of Governors State University, the Board of 11 Trustees of Illinois State University, the Board of 12 Trustees of Northeastern Illinois University, the Board of 13 Trustees of Northern Illinois University, the Board of 14 Trustees of Western Illinois University, municipalities or 15 other local governmental units, or other State 16 constitutional officers. 17 (7) "Public institutions of higher education" means 18 the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, 19 Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, 20 Governors State University, Illinois State University, 21 Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois 22 University, Western Illinois University, the public 23 community colleges of the State, and any other public 24 universities, colleges, and community colleges now or 25 hereafter established or authorized by the General 26 Assembly. HB2906 - 6 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 7 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 7 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 7 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 (8) "Certification" means a determination made by the 2 Council or by one delegated authority from the Council to 3 make certifications, or by a State agency with statutory 4 authority to make such a certification, that a business 5 entity is a business owned by a minority, woman, or person 6 with a disability for whatever purpose. A business owned 7 and controlled by women shall be certified as a 8 "woman-owned business". A business owned and controlled by 9 women who are also minorities shall be certified as both a 10 "women-owned business" and a "minority-owned business". 11 (9) "Control" means the exclusive or ultimate and sole 12 control of the business including, but not limited to, 13 capital investment and all other financial matters, 14 property, acquisitions, contract negotiations, legal 15 matters, officer-director-employee selection and 16 comprehensive hiring, operating responsibilities, 17 cost-control matters, income and dividend matters, 18 financial transactions and rights of other shareholders or 19 joint partners. Control shall be real, substantial and 20 continuing, not pro forma. Control shall include the power 21 to direct or cause the direction of the management and 22 policies of the business and to make the day-to-day as 23 well as major decisions in matters of policy, management 24 and operations. Control shall be exemplified by possessing 25 the requisite knowledge and expertise to run the 26 particular business and control shall not include simple HB2906 - 7 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 8 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 8 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 8 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 majority or absentee ownership. 2 (10) "Business" means a business that has annual gross 3 sales of less than $150,000,000 as evidenced by the 4 federal income tax return of the business. A firm with 5 gross sales in excess of this cap may apply to the Council 6 for certification for a particular contract if the firm 7 can demonstrate that the contract would have significant 8 impact on businesses owned by minorities, women, or 9 persons with disabilities as suppliers or subcontractors 10 or in employment of minorities, women, or persons with 11 disabilities. Firms with gross sales in excess of this cap 12 that are granted certification by the Council shall be 13 granted certification for the life of the contract, 14 including available renewals. 15 (11) "Utilization plan" means a form and additional 16 documentations included in all bids or proposals that 17 demonstrates a vendor's proposed utilization of vendors 18 certified by the Business Enterprise Program to meet the 19 targeted goal. The utilization plan shall demonstrate that 20 the Vendor has either: (1) met the entire contract goal or 21 (2) requested a full or partial waiver and made good faith 22 efforts towards meeting the goal. 23 (12) "Business Enterprise Program" means the Business 24 Enterprise Program of the Commission on Equity and 25 Inclusion. 26 (13) "Socially disadvantaged person" means a person HB2906 - 8 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 9 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 9 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 9 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 individually certified by the Council as having been 2 subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias 3 within American society because of his or her identity as 4 a member of a group and without regard to his or her 5 individual qualities. 6 (a) Social disadvantage must include the 7 following: 8 (i) at least one objective distinguishing 9 feature that has contributed to social 10 disadvantage, such as race, ethnic origin, gender, 11 disability, long-term residence in an environment 12 isolated from the mainstream of American society, 13 or other similar causes not common to individuals 14 who are not socially disadvantaged; 15 (ii) personal experiences of substantial and 16 chronic social disadvantage in American society; 17 and 18 (iii) negative impact on entry into or 19 advancement in the business world because of the 20 disadvantage. The Business Enterprise Program will 21 consider any relevant evidence in assessing this 22 element, and in every case, as provided under 23 subparagraph (b), the Business Enterprise Program 24 will consider education, employment, and business 25 history, when applicable, to determine whether the 26 totality of circumstances shows disadvantage in HB2906 - 9 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 10 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 10 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 10 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 entering into or advancing in the business world. 2 (b) In determining whether a person qualifies as a 3 socially disadvantaged person, the Business Enterprise 4 Program will further consider the following: 5 (i) Education. Such factors as denial of equal 6 access to institutions of higher education and 7 vocational training, exclusion from social and 8 professional association with students or 9 teachers, denial of educational honors rightfully 10 earned, and social patterns or pressures which 11 discouraged the individual from pursuing a 12 professional or business education. 13 (ii) Employment. Such factors as unequal 14 treatment in hiring, promotions and other aspects 15 of professional advancement, pay and fringe 16 benefits, and other terms and conditions of 17 employment; retaliatory or discriminatory behavior 18 by an employer or labor union; and social patterns 19 or pressures which have channeled the individual 20 into non-professional or non-business fields. 21 (iii) Business history. Such factors as 22 unequal access to credit or capital, acquisition 23 of credit or capital under commercially 24 unfavorable circumstances, unequal treatment in 25 opportunities for government contracts or other 26 work, unequal treatment by potential customers and HB2906 - 10 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 11 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 11 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 11 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 business associates, and exclusion from business 2 or professional organizations. 3 (14) "Economically disadvantaged person" means a 4 socially disadvantaged person whose ability to compete in 5 the free enterprise system has been impaired due to 6 diminished capital and credit opportunities as compared to 7 others in the same or similar line of business who are not 8 socially disadvantaged. 9 (a) Each individual claiming economic disadvantage 10 must describe the conditions which are the basis for 11 the claim in a narrative statement, and must submit 12 personal financial information. If that individual is 13 married, he or she must also submit separate financial 14 information for his or her spouse, unless the 15 individual and the spouse are legally separated. 16 (b) In considering diminished capital and credit 17 opportunities, the Business Enterprise Program will 18 examine factors relating to the personal financial 19 condition of any individual claiming disadvantaged 20 status, including personal income for the preceding 2 21 years (including bonuses and the value of company 22 stock given in lieu of cash), personal net worth, and 23 the fair market value of all assets, whether 24 encumbered or not. The Business Enterprise Program 25 will also consider the financial condition of the 26 applicant compared to the financial profiles of small HB2906 - 11 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 12 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 12 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 12 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 businesses in the same primary industry 2 classification, or, if not available, in similar lines 3 of business, which are not owned and controlled by 4 socially and economically disadvantaged persons in 5 evaluating the individual's access to credit and 6 capital. The financial profiles that the Business 7 Enterprise Program will compare shall include total 8 assets, net sales, pre-tax profit, sales or working 9 capital ratio, and net worth. 10 (c) Asset transfers within 2 years. 11 (i) Except as set forth in item (ii) of this 12 subparagraph (c), the Business Enterprise Program 13 will attribute to an individual claiming 14 disadvantaged status any assets which that 15 individual has transferred to an immediate family 16 member, or to a trust, a beneficiary of which is an 17 immediate family member, for less than fair market 18 value, within 2 years prior to a concern's 19 application for participation in the Business 20 Enterprise Program, unless the individual claiming 21 disadvantaged status can demonstrate that the 22 transfer is to or on behalf of an immediate family 23 member for that individual's education, medical 24 expenses, or some other form of essential support. 25 (ii) The Business Enterprise Program will not 26 attribute to an individual claiming disadvantaged HB2906 - 12 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906- 13 -LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 13 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b HB2906 - 13 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b 1 status any assets transferred by that individual 2 to an immediate family member that are consistent 3 with the customary recognition of special 4 occasions, such as birthdays, graduations, 5 anniversaries, and retirements. 6 (iii) In determining an individual's access to 7 capital and credit, the Business Enterprise 8 Program may consider any assets that the 9 individual transferred within the 2-year period 10 described by item (i) of this subparagraph (c) 11 that are not considered in evaluating the 12 individual's assets and net worth, such as 13 transfers to charities. 14 (B) When a business is owned at least 51% by any 15 combination of minority persons, women, or persons with 16 disabilities, even though none of the 3 classes alone holds at 17 least a 51% interest, the ownership requirement for purposes 18 of this Act is considered to be met. The certification 19 category for the business is that of the class holding the 20 largest ownership interest in the business. If 2 or more 21 classes have equal ownership interests, the certification 22 category shall be determined by the business. 23 (Source: P.A. 101-601, eff. 1-1-20; 101-657, eff. 1-1-22; 24 102-29, eff. 6-25-21; 102-1119, eff. 1-23-23.) 25 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 26 1, 2023. HB2906 - 13 - LRB103 29428 DTM 55819 b