Rep. Carol Ammons

Mourns the death of Fred Kummerow of Urbana.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a violation for an employer to impose as a condition of obtaining or retaining employment any term or condition that requires a person to violate or forgo a sincerely held practice of his or her religion including the wearing of any attire, clothing, or facial hair in accordance with the requirements of his or her religion. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to make application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by July 1, 2017 for a State plan amendment to implement the Community First Choice Option pursuant to the Social Security Act. Requires the Department, beginning on July 1, 2017, but no later than July 1, 2018, to submit applications to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for all Medicaid funding options available for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including a research and demonstration waiver application pursuant to the Social Security Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that when the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, or criminal sexual abuse may be commenced at any time regardless as to whether corroborating physical evidence is available or an individual who is required to report an alleged or suspected commission of any of these offenses under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act fails to do so. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that all of the institutions and facilities of the Department of Corrections shall permit every committed person to receive in-person visitors, except in case of abuse of the visiting privilege or when the chief administrative officer determines that such visiting would be harmful or dangerous to the security, safety or morale of the institution or facility. Provides that an institution or facility of the Department may not charge a fee to either a committed person or visitor for video visitation that results in a profit for the Department.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that August 4th of each year is designated as Barack Obama Day.

Amends the Personnel Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Deletes a provision that requires Department of Juvenile Justice personnel who are hired by the Department and who participate or assist in the rehabilitative and vocational training of delinquent youths, supervise the daily activities involving direct and continuing responsibility for the youth's security, welfare and development, or participate in the personal rehabilitation of delinquent youth by training, supervising, and assisting lower level personnel who perform these duties to have a bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in criminal justice, education, psychology, social work, or a closely related social science or other bachelor's or advanced degree with at least 2 years' experience in the field of juvenile matters. Requires those persons to only have any bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited college or university. Provides that the Department shall, by regular (rather than certified) mail and telephone or electronic message, notify the parent, guardian, or nearest relative of any person committed to the Department of his or her physical location and any change of his or her physical location. Amends the Illinois Pension Code to make conforming changes.

Creates the Statewide Task Force on Developing Opportunities for Youth and Young Adults Who Are Jobless and Out-of-School in order to examine and develop programs to address the growing numbers of out-of-school and jobless youth in Illinois, including those without a high school diploma, who are neither working nor in school, and low-attending jobless high school students.

Urges county sheriffs across Illinois to continue to implement standard medical protocols for monitoring and treatment of individuals experiencing withdrawal while incarcerated to mitigate pain and discomfort, and to reduce the risk of both serious medical incidents, including death, and wrongful death lawsuits.