§ 4A

(a) "Person with a disability" as used in this Act means any person who is, and who is expected to indefinitely continue to be, subject to any of the following five types of disabilities: Type One: Physical disability. A physical disability is a physical impairment, disease, or loss, which is of a permanent nature, and which substantially limits physical ability or motor skills. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this provision necessary to determine the presence of a physical disability. Type Two: Developmental disability. Developmental disability means "developmental disability" as defined in Section 1-106 of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this provision necessary to determine the presence of a developmental disability. Type Three: Visual disability. A visual disability is blindness, and the term "blindness" means central vision acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens. An eye that is accompanied by a limitation in the fields of vision so that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees shall be considered as having a central vision acuity of 20/200 or less. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this Section necessary to determine the presence of a visual disability. Type Four: Hearing disability. A hearing disability is a disability resulting in complete absence of hearing, or hearing that with sound enhancing or magnifying equipment is so impaired as to require the use of sensory input other than hearing as the principal means of receiving spoken language. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this Section necessary to determine the presence of a hearing disability. Type Five: Mental Disability. A mental disability is a significant impairment of an individual's cognitive, affective, or relational abilities that may require intervention and may be a recognized, medically diagnosable illness or disorder. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this provision necessary to determine the presence of a mental disability. (b) For purposes of this Act, a disability shall be classified as follows: Class 1 disability: A Class 1 disability is any type disability which does not render a person unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity or which does not impair his ability to live independently or to perform labor or services for which he is qualified. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this Section necessary to determine the presence of a Class 1 disability. Class 1A disability: A Class 1A disability is a Class 1 disability which renders a person unable to walk 200 feet or more unassisted by another person or without the aid of a walker, crutches, braces, prosthetic device or a wheelchair or without great difficulty or discomfort due to the following impairments: neurologic, orthopedic, oncological, respiratory, cardiac, arthritic disorder, blindness, or the loss of function or absence of a limb or limbs. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this Section necessary to determine the presence of a Class 1A disability. Class 2 disability: A Class 2 disability is any type disability which renders a person unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity, which substantially impairs his ability to live independently without supervision or in-home support services, or which substantially impairs his ability to perform labor or services for which he is qualified or significantly restricts the labor or services which he is able to perform. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this Section necessary to determine the presence of a Class 2 disability. Class 2A disability: A Class 2A disability is a Class 2 disability which renders a person unable to walk 200 feet or more unassisted by another person or without the aid of a walker, crutches, braces, prosthetic device or a wheelchair or without great difficulty or discomfort due to the following impairments: neurologic, orthopedic, oncological, respiratory, cardiac, arthritic disorder, blindness, or the loss of function or absence of a limb or limbs. The Secretary of State shall establish standards not inconsistent with this Section necessary to determine the presence of a Class 2A disability.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 102-972, eff. 1-1-23 .)