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Sen. Michael Noland
Filed: 5/22/2008
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| AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1029
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| AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1029 by replacing |
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| everything after the enacting clause with the following:
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| "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the |
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| Illinois Plain Language Task Force Act.
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| Section 5. Purpose. The mission of the Illinois Plain |
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| Language Task Force is to conduct a study on, and to propose |
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| legislative measures designed to realize: |
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| (1) the potential benefits of incorporating plain |
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| language in State government documents, statutes, and |
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| contracts into which the State enters; and
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| (2) how plain language principles might be |
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| incorporated into the statutes governing contracts among |
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| private parties so as to provide additional protections to |
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| Illinois consumer, to reduce litigation between private |
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| parties over the meaning of contractual terms, and to |
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| foster judicial economy.
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| Section 10. Definition. As used in this Act: |
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| "Plain language" has the same meaning ascribed to it in the |
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| Executive Memorandum of President William J. Clinton, |
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| mandating that Federal Agencies and Federal Administrative |
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| Rules employ plain language, issued June 1, 1998, namely that |
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| "plain language" documents have logical organization, |
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| easy-to-read design features, and use: (i) common, everyday |
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| words, except for necessary technical terms; (ii) "you" and |
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| other pronouns; (iii) the active voice; and (iv) short |
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| sentences.
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| Section 15. Task Force. |
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| (a) The Illinois Plain Language Task Force is hereby |
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| created. The Illinois Plain Language Task Force shall be |
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| chaired by the Lieutenant Governor or his or her designee and |
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| shall consist of the following members: one member appointed by |
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| the Illinois Attorney General; one member appointed by the |
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| Senate President; one member appointed by the Minority Leader |
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| of the Senate; one member appointed by the Speaker of the |
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| House; one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the |
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| House; and one member who specializes in consumer protection |
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| appointed by the Governor.
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| (b) Members of the Task Force must be appointed no later |
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| than 90 days after the effective date of this Act.
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| (c) If a vacancy occurs on the Task Force, it shall be |
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| filled according to the guidelines of the initial appointment.
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| (d) At the discretion of the chair, additional individuals |
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| may participate as non-voting members in the meetings of the |
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| Task Force.
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| (e) Members of the Illinois Plain Language Task Force shall |
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| serve without compensation. The Office of the Lieutenant |
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| Governor shall provide staff and administrative services to the |
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| Task Force.
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| Section 20. Duties. Once all members have been appointed, |
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| the Task Force shall meet not less than once every 2-month |
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| period in a 12-month period following the effective date of |
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| this Act to carry out the duties prescribed in this Act. A |
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| final report delineating the Task Force's findings, |
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| conclusions, and recommendations shall be submitted to the |
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| Illinois General Assembly no later than 15 months after the |
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| effective date of this Act.
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| Section 25. Guidance. The Task Force shall be guided in its |
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| discussions on the subject of plain language by the |
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| "Guidelines" for plain language drafting promulgated by |
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| President William J. Clinton on June 1, 1998, which accompanied |
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| his plain language Executive Memorandum issued on the same day.
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| Section 80. Repeal. This Act is repealed 2 years after its |