Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities and community colleges in Illinois. For non-tenured and adjunct faculty, requires the governing board of each public university and community college district to provide the following: (i) a minimum per class salary for non-tenured track faculty that is at least equal to the equivalent percentage salary of full-time faculty, (ii) a minimum per class salary for adjunct faculty that is at least equal to the equivalent percentage salary of a starting full-time, non-tenured track faculty member at the institution, and (iii) State benefits, including health insurance and pension, for any adjunct faculty teaching a combined 50% workload at any combination of public higher education institutions. Amends the State Mandates Act requiring implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Provides that a legislator shall declare a conflict of interest before taking official action on a legislative matter, and shall request to be excused from voting on the matter, if the legislator or a member of the legislator's immediate family has a financial interest in a business, investment, real property, lease, or other enterprise, and if the interest is substantial and the effect on that interest of the action to be voted on is greater than the effect on the general public of the State. Provides that the Legislative Ethics Commission may impose a fine of not more than $1,000 upon a member of the General Assembly for each violation of the provision. Repeals previous provisions concerning legislator conflict situations.

Amends the School Code. Requires school districts to provide contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and for the Crisis Text Line on the back of each student identification card issued by the school district. Provides that if the school district does not issue student identification cards to its students or to all of its students, the school district must publish this information on its website. Effective July 1, 2020.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the counting of ballots for the election of employee and annuitant trustees shall be open to observers from associations that represent participating municipalities and instrumentalities and labor organizations that represent employees from participating municipalities and instrumentalities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Blind Vendors Act. Renames the Act the Vending Facilities Act. Provides that priority shall be given to blind vendors in the operation of 50% of the vending facilities on State property (rather than priority shall be given to blind vendors in the operation of vending facilities on State property). Requires each State agency controlling State property or parts thereof where vending machines or vending facilities are located to implement an aspirational goal of awarding contracts representing 50% of the vending machines or vending facilities under its control to minority-owned or women-owned businesses. Provides that each State-operated facility that has 6 or more vending machines under its control shall award at least 2 contracts for vending, where practical. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act apply to written contracts or agreements entered into on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act; and that any written contract or agreement in place prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act between a State agency and the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind shall be maintained and fully adhered to including any moneys paid to individual vending facilities. Defines terms. Provides that to ensure adequate competition and to encourage new participants, all written contracts or agreements for vending machines or vending facilities shall be limited to a 5-year term. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Contains a declaration of policy and intent. Requires the Department of Human Services, in partnership with specified State agencies, to develop and implement a plan to phase out, by July 1, 2024, authorizations under the Minimum Wage Law to pay an employee with a disability less than the minimum wage. Requires the Department to consult with specified organizations when implementing the phase-out plan. Requires the Secretary of Human Services to submit reports to the Governor and the General Assembly on the benchmarks and status of achieving the outcomes included in the phase-out plan and recommendations for funding levels or other resources necessary to implement the phase-out plan. Amends the Department of Labor Law. Prohibits the Director of Labor from authorizing a work activities center or other sheltered workshop to pay an employee who has a disability less than the minimum wage unless certain requirements are met. Amends the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities Law. Requires the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities to commission an independent study of the phase-out plan; determine whether the plans are having their intended effects; and make recommendations for possible changes in State law or policy regarding the employment of individuals with disabilities. Requires the Council to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by July 1, 2023. Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Provides that the State of Illinois shall not fund any entity that pays individuals less than the minimum wage under a certificate issued by the United States Department of Labor that authorizes Community Rehabilitation Programs to pay individuals less than the wage otherwise required for the individuals under federal law. Effective immediately, except that the provisions amending the Minimum Wage Law take effect July 1, 2024.

Creates the Military Service Members Parking Space Act. Provides that each State agency and constitutional office shall, at each location, designate at least one parking space on its property, as near to the front entrance as possible, for use by military service members only. Provides that no person shall park in the designated parking space unless the person is a veteran, active duty member, or member of a reserve component of a branch of the United States Armed Forces. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police and Chicago Police Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that for a person who first becomes a police officer on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, none of the benefits provided in those Articles shall be paid to any person who is convicted of any felony (instead of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with his or her service as a police officer). Provides that none of the benefits provided for in those Articles shall be paid to any person who otherwise would receive a survivor benefit who is convicted of any felony (instead of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with his or her service as a police officer) if the benefit results from the service of a police officer who first becomes a police officer on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.

Urges legislators, municipalities, law enforcement officials, judicial system decision makers, legal professionals, school systems, and key stakeholders to achieve more fair, just, equitable, and effective outcomes by embracing a developmental approach to the treatment of children and emerging adults in the justice system.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a home rule municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000 may restructure the rates of an existing real estate transfer tax to specified amounts. Provides that if the municipality increases the real estate transfer tax rates as provided in this subsection, then of the entire proceeds received from the real estate transfer tax, 75% shall be dedicated to the city's general budget and 25% shall be dedicated to housing and services to combat homelessness.