Amends the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. Provides that caseworkers employed by the Department of Children and Family Services are covered by the provisions of the Act. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act shall apply retroactively to one year before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 820 ILCS 320/3 820 ILCS 320/10 820 ILCS 320/15 820 ILCS 320/17 820 ILCS 320/20 820 ILCS 320/25 new Adds reference to: 5 ILCS 375/3 from Ch. 127, par. 523 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that in the case of a survivor who is entitled to occupational death benefits pursuant to the deceased employee's applicable retirement system, and first becomes a survivor on or after January 1, 2022, the survivor is eligible for group health insurance benefits regardless of the deceased employee's minimum vesting requirements under the applicable retirement system, with a State contribution rate of 100%, until an unmarried child dependent reaches the age of 18, or age 22 if the dependent child is a full-time student, or the adult survivor becomes eligible for benefits under the federal Medicare health insurance program. Provides that in the case of a survivor currently receiving occupational death benefits pursuant to the deceased employee's applicable retirement system, and who first became a survivor prior to January 1, 2022, the survivor is eligible for group health insurance benefits regardless of the deceased employee's minimum vesting requirements under the applicable retirement system, with a State contribution rate of 100%, until an unmarried child dependent reaches the age of 18, or age 22 if the dependent child is a full-time student, or the adult survivor becomes eligible for benefits under the federal Medicare health insurance program. Provides that the changes for survivors who first became survivors prior to January 1, 2022 shall be applicable upon request of the survivor following the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Further amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that in the case of a survivor who is entitled to occupational death benefits pursuant to the deceased employee's applicable retirement system or death benefits pursuant to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, and first becomes a survivor on or after January 1, 2022, the survivor is eligible for group health insurance benefits regardless of the deceased employee's minimum vesting requirements under the applicable retirement system, with a State contribution rate of 100%, until an unmarried child dependent reaches the age of 18, or age 22 if the dependent child is a full-time student, or the adult survivor becomes eligible for benefits under the federal Medicare health insurance program. Provides that in the case of a survivor currently receiving occupational death benefits pursuant to the deceased employee's applicable retirement system or death benefits pursuant to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, and who first became a survivor prior to January 1, 2022, the survivor is eligible for group health insurance benefits regardless of the deceased employee's minimum vesting requirements under the applicable retirement system or death benefits pursuant to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, with a State contribution rate of 100%, until an unmarried child dependent reaches the age of 18, or age 22 if the dependent child is a full-time student, or the adult survivor becomes eligible for benefits under the federal Medicare health insurance program. Makes conforming changes.
Amends the School Code. Provides that a substitute teacher may teach up to 120 (instead of 90) school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that substitute teachers may teach up to 120 school days beginning with the 2021-2022 school year through the 2022-2023 school year.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to issue a substitute teaching license to those individuals enrolled in a regionally accredited institution of higher education who have earned at least 60 credits and are enrolled in an Illinois-approved educator preparation program. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Instead of requiring an applicant for a Substitute Teaching License to hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, allows an applicant to be enrolled in an approved educator preparation program in this State and have earned at least 90 credit hours.
Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In the Downstate Teacher Article, provides that beginning July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, to assist with addressing the substitute teacher shortage that has been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic and public health emergency, an annuitant may accept employment as a teacher without impairing his or her retirement status if that employment is not within the school year during which service was terminated and does not exceed 140 paid days (rather than 120 paid days) or 700 paid hours (rather than 600 paid hours) in each school year, but not more than 100 paid days in the same classroom. In the Chicago Teacher Article, provides that the service retirement pension shall not be cancelled in the case of a service retirement pensioner who is re-employed as a teacher or administrator (rather than a teacher) on a temporary and non-annual basis or on an hourly basis, so long as the person (1) does not work as a teacher or administrator (rather than a teacher) for compensation on more than 120 days in a school year or (2) in the case of a person who retires with at least 5 years of service as a principal or administrator, does not work as a teacher or administrator for compensation on more than 140 days in a school year. Removes a limitation on the amount of gross compensation a service retirement pensioner may receive for such re-employment without having the service retirement pension cancelled. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 4 Deletes reference to: 40 ILCS 5/17-149 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that during the period between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022, an additional 20 paid days or 100 paid hours shall be added to a provision that authorizes an annuitant to accept employment for a certain number of paid days or paid hours as a teacher without impairing his or her retirement status. Effective immediately.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who is at least 18 years of age and will be using the Educator License with Stipulations exclusively for elementary education. Makes a corresponding change. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill, but allows a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations to be issued to an applicant who is at least 18 years of age only until the individual reaches the age of 19 years and otherwise meets the criteria for a paraprofessional educator endorsement.
Amends the School Code. Provides that an individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may teach up to 15 (instead of 5) consecutive days per licensed teacher who is under contract. Provides that a school district may hire an individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License for teacher absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who is under contract, if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency. Effective immediately.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the reinstatement of a lapsed Professional Educator License upon the payment by the applicant of a $50 penalty (rather than a $500 penalty). Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Provides that licensees who are retired and qualify for benefits from a State of Illinois retirement system shall be listed as retired (instead of shall notify the State Board of Education using the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS)). Provides that if a licensee retires during a renewal cycle, the license status must be updated using ELIS indicating that the licensee wishes to maintain the license in retired status (instead of requiring the licensee to notify the State Board of Education using ELIS that the licensee wishes to maintain the license in retired status). Provides that an individual with a license in retired status shall not be required to complete professional development activities (rather than shall not be required to complete professional development activities or pay registration fees) until returning to a position that requires educator licensure. Provides that upon returning to work in a position that requires a Professional Educator License, the license status shall immediately be updated using ELIS (instead of the licensee shall immediately pay a registration fee). Provides that a retired teacher, even if returning to a position that requires educator licensure, shall not be required to pay registration fees.
Amends the Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act. In provisions concerning a requirement that a health care plan shall apply any third-party payments, financial assistance, discount, product vouchers, or any other reduction in out-of-pocket expenses made by or on behalf of an insured for prescription drugs toward a covered individual's deductible, copay, cost-sharing responsibility, or out-of-pocket maximum associated with the individual's health insurance, provides that if application of that requirement would result in ineligibility of a health savings account under federal law, the requirement applies to health savings account-qualified high deductible health plans with respect to the deductible of a plan after the enrollee has satisfied a specified minimum deductible, except with respect to specified items or services, in which case the requirement applies regardless of whether the minimum deductible has been satisfied. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. With respect to the removal or dismissal of teachers and principals, removes a provision that specifies that if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, pre-hearing and hearing requirements are paused and do not begin to toll until the proclamation is no longer in effect. Requires any teacher or principal who has been charged with engaging in acts of corporal punishment, physical abuse, grooming, or sexual misconduct and who previously paused pre-hearing procedures or a hearing pursuant to Public Act 101-643 to proceed with the selection of a hearing officer or hearing date; allows the parties to mutually waive timelines. Provides that all timelines in cases concerning corporal punishment, physical abuse, grooming, or sexual misconduct shall be reset to begin the day after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that any teacher or principal charged with engaging in acts of corporal punishment, physical abuse, grooming, or sexual misconduct on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act may not pause pre-hearing procedures or a hearing. Effective immediately.
Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Allows a child's individualized education program (IEP) team to determine whether the special education program of a school district is unable to meet the needs of a child with a disability. Provides that the financial responsibility and reimbursement of the resident district of a child with a disability applies to both nonpublic special education facilities that are approved by the State Board of Education and nonpublic special education facilities that are not approved by the State Board of Education. Requires that a nonpublic special education facility providing services to demonstrate proof to the State Board of Education of (i) appropriate certification of teachers for the student population, (ii) age-appropriate curriculum, (iii) enrollment and attendance data, and (iv) the ability to implement the child's IEP. Sets forth provisions concerning requests for approval by the State Board of Education of a nonpublic special education facility. Provides that the Community and Residential Service Authority has the power to make final determinations regarding the approval of nonpublic special education facilities. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/14-7.05 105 ILCS 5/14-15.01 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Allows a student's (instead of child's) individualized education program (IEP) team to determine whether the special education program of a school district is unable to meet the needs of a child with a disability. Provides that the financial responsibility and reimbursement of the resident district of a child with a disability applies to emergency placements in nonpublic special education facilities that are not approved by the State Board of Education. Provides that a school district may place a student in a nonpublic special education facility providing educational services within the facility, but not approved by the State Board of Education, under specified circumstances. Removes provisions that provide that a school district has no obligation to pay a residential facility unless and until specified proof is provided to the satisfaction of the State Board of Education. Removes provisions that provide that if the State Board of Education denies approval in writing or does not respond to a facility's or resident district's request for approval within 10 days after the request is submitted to the State Board of Education, the matter shall be referred to the Community and Residential Services Authority, which shall make the determination and notify the facility or resident district and the State Board of Education within 10 days after the Authority receives the referral. Provides that emergency placement in an approved facility may continue so long as (i) the student's IEP team determines annually that such placement continues to be appropriate to meet the student's needs and (ii) at least every 3 years following the student's placement, the IEP team reviews appropriate placements approved by the State Board of Education. Removes changes to provisions concerning placement in a residential facility and payment of educational costs and provisions concerning the Community and Residential Services Authority. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a violation for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesman to otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling because of unlawful discrimination, familial status, or an arrest record. Allows a plaintiff or defendant to demand a trial by jury for specified civil actions. Allows a circuit court or jury to award any remedy set forth under a provision regarding a hearing on a complaint upon the finding of a civil rights violation. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 775 ILCS 5/3-102 from Ch. 68, par. 3-102 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill, and makes the following change: Removes language providing that it is a civil rights violation for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or salesman to otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling because of unlawful discrimination, familial status, or an arrest record. Effective immediately.
Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Provides that citations and notice of violations may be sent to an employer by email to an email address previously designated by the employer for purposes of receiving notice. Provides that a public employer that intentionally violates specified provisions may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 per violation (rather than $10,000). Provides that a person may not discharge or in any way discriminate against an employee because the employee has discussed health or safety concerns with a co-worker or authorized employee representative. Provides that in discrimination actions the Department of Labor shall be represented by the Attorney General. Makes changes in provisions concerning occupational safety and health standards; employers' records; informal review; and hearings. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: In provisions concerning discrimination against employees, provides that a person may not discharge or in any way discriminate against an employee because the employee has reported potential violations of the Act to a member of management with authority to address the concerns (rather than discussed health or safety concerns with a co-worker or authorized employee representative). House Floor Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 820 ILCS 112/11 Amends the Equal Pay Act. In provisions concerning equal pay registration certificate requirements, provides that the term "business" means any private employer who has 100 or more employees (rather than more than 100 employees) in the State of Illinois and is required to file an Annual Employer Information Report EEO-1 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Makes the changes made to the Equal Pay Act of 2003 effective immediately.
