IDPH-COMMUNITY BELONGING STUDY

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4970

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HB4970 - 104th General Assembly

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4970

Introduced , by Rep. Nicolle Grasse

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 2310/2310-726 new

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Establishes the Office for
Community Belonging and Connection in the Department of Public Health for
certain purposes and with specified duties. Requires the Office to
establish a 3-year pilot program to collect data on the epidemic of
loneliness. Requires each State agency that coordinates with the Office to
designate a Community Belonging Liaison to represent the agency in an
interagency group. Describes the duties of the interagency group. Grants
rulemaking powers to the Department. Effective January 1, 2027.
LRB104 20203 BDA 33654 b

A BILL FOR

HB4970
LRB104 20203 BDA 33654 b
1

AN ACT concerning State government.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 1.
References to Act.
This Act may be referred to
5
as the Community Belonging and Connection Act.

6

Section 5.
The Department of Public Health Powers and
7
Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
8
amended by adding Section 2310-726 as follows:

9

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-726 new)
10

Sec. 2310-726.
Office for Community Belonging and
11
Connection.

12

(a) In this Section, "epidemic of loneliness" means a
13
public health crisis that is characterized by widespread
14
social disconnection and insufficient relationships and that
15
was declared an epidemic by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2023
16
due to its scale and serious health risks, including, without
17
limitation, risks of heart disease, dementia, depression,
18
anxiety, and premature death.
19

(b) For the purpose of addressing the epidemic of
20
loneliness, the Office for Community Belonging and Connection
21
is established in the Department. Requirements for officers
22
and staff and other requirements for the Office for Community

HB4970
- 2 -
LRB104 20203 BDA 33654 b
1
Belonging and Connection shall be established by rule adopted
2
by the Department, consistent with the provisions of this
3
Section.
4

(c) The Office for Community Belonging and Connection
5
shall, at a minimum:
6

(1) develop and implement evidence-informed
7

initiatives that strengthen community belonging and reduce
8

social isolation;
9

(2) coordinate interagency efforts across State
10

agencies in the fields of health, aging, transportation,
11

housing, education, veterans, and human services;
12

(3) administer Community Belonging and Connection
13

Grants, subject to appropriation, to local entities
14

demonstrating measurable outcomes; and
15

(4) submit an annual public report to the General
16

Assembly detailing actions taken and outcomes achieved, as
17

well as including data and analysis regarding:
18

(A) the economic impact of loneliness within
19

communities and for local businesses in the State; and
20

(B) the correlation between community well-being
21

and the prevalence of crime in communities in the
22

State.

23

(d) The Office for Community Belonging and Connection
24
shall establish a 3-year pilot program in 3 regions in the
25
State representing rural, suburban, and urban communities. The
26
pilot program shall collect data on the epidemic of loneliness

HB4970
- 3 -
LRB104 20203 BDA 33654 b
1
and initiatives intended to address the epidemic of
2
loneliness. This data shall include, without limitation, data
3
on participation, reported loneliness, health outcomes, and
4
civic engagement. The pilot program may implement initiatives
5
intended to address the epidemic of loneliness. The results of
6
the pilot program shall be used to inform recommendations
7
regarding continuation, expansion, or modification of the
8
pilot program and may be used for any other purpose under this
9
Section. The Department, in consultation with the Office for
10
Community Belonging and Connection, shall adopt rules
11
implementing the pilot program under this subsection (d).
12

(e) Each State agency that coordinates with the Office for
13
Community Belonging and Connection under paragraph (2) of
14
subsection (c) or for any other purpose under this Section
15
shall designate a Community Belonging Liaison to represent the
16
State agency in an interagency group established in the Office
17
for Community Belonging and Connection. The Community
18
Belonging Liaisons from State agencies shall meet quarterly as
19
an interagency group to coordinate implementation of any
20
provision under this Section or rules adopted under this
21
Section, as well as to share best practices regarding
22
addressing the epidemic of loneliness in the State. This
23
interagency group shall submit an annual report to the General
24
Assembly detailing expenditures, programs, and outcomes for
25
each participating State agency. The interagency group, in
26
consultation with the Office for Community Belonging and

HB4970
- 4 -
LRB104 20203 BDA 33654 b
1
Connection, shall establish and publicly publish annual
2
benchmarks for State government regarding the purposes under
3
this Section. If an annual benchmark has not been met, as
4
determined by the interagency group, the interagency group
5
shall publicly publish a corrective action plan. The
6
Department, in consultation with the Office for Community
7
Belonging and Connection, the Department on Aging, the
8
Department of Transportation, the Illinois Housing Development
9
Authority, the Department of Natural Resources, the State
10
Board of Education, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and
11
the Department of Human Services, shall adopt rules
12
implementing this subsection (e).
13

(f) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to carry
14
out the purposes of this Section.

15

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect January
16
1, 2027.

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