Rep. Carol Ammons

Affirms the importance and targeted value of the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship in increasing diversity in the teacher workforce. Celebrates the support that the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship has offered to aspiring teachers to date and the scholarship's role in growing the diversity of teacher preparation in Illinois. Urges the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to continue to administer the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship in order to support aspiring teachers of color to enter the teaching profession. Urges the State of Illinois and its entities to continue to support efforts grounded in research and data that increase the diversity of the educator workforce in order to improve outcomes for all students in this State.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the month of October of each year is designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month to be observed throughout the State as a month set apart to promote awareness of domestic violence and to support advocacy activities that will reduce its prevalence in the State.

Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Defines "Ebony Alert" as a notification system designed to issue and coordinate alerts with respect to Black youth, including young women and girls, who are reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, who are reported missing and are at risk, who are reported missing and are developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired, or who have been abducted. Provides for procedures for law enforcement agencies to request activation of an Ebony Alert by the Illinois State Police if the law enforcement agency determines that an Ebony Alert would be an effective tool in the investigation of missing or abducted Black youth, including listing factors for the agency to consider. Allows use of a changeable message sign under specified circumstances. Provides that radio, television, cable, satellite, and social media systems are encouraged, but not required, to cooperate with disseminating the Ebony Alert or the information contained in an Ebony Alert. Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that the Illinois Gaming Board, in its discretion, may require video gaming terminals to display Amber Alert and Ebony Alert (rather than only Amber Alert) messages if the Board makes a finding that it would be economically and technically feasible and pose no risk to the integrity and security of the central communications system and video gaming terminals.

Creates the Warehouse Worker Protection Act. Provides that each employer shall provide to each employee, upon hire, or within 30 days after the effective date of the Act, whichever is later, a written description of each quota to which the employee is subject, including the quantified number of tasks to be performed or materials to be produced or handled, within a defined time period, and any potential adverse employment action that could result from failure to meet the quota. Provides that an employee shall not be required to meet a quota that prevents compliance with meal or rest periods or use of bathroom facilities, including reasonable travel time to and from bathroom facilities. Requires employers to post a notice of employees' rights under the Act and to comply with certain recordkeeping requirements. Establishes civil penalties for noncompliance with the Act. Provides for a private right of action. Sets forth provisions concerning definitions, employee's right to request records, enforcement, and severability. Effective 60 days after becoming law.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes changes to Tier 2 benefits, including changing the amount of the automatic annual increase to 3% of the originally granted retirement annuity or 3% of the retirement annuity then being paid for the General Assembly and Judges Articles, changing the limit on the amount of salary for annuity purposes to the Social Security wage base, changing the calculation of final average salary to the Tier 1 calculation for persons who are active members on or after January 1, 2025, and changing the retirement age. Establishes an accelerated pension benefit payment option for the General Assembly, Chicago Teachers, and Judges Articles of the Code. Provides that, with regard to persons subject to the Tier 2 provisions, a security employee of the Department of Human Services, a security employee of the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice, an investigator for the Department of the Lottery, or a State highway worker is entitled to an annuity calculated under the alternative retirement annuity provisions of the State Employee Article of the Code. Authorizes the conversion of service to eligible creditable service. Provides that the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act (Article 20 of the Code) is adopted and made a part of the Downstate Police, Downstate Firefighter, Chicago Police, and Chicago Firefighter Articles. Authorizes SLEP status under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund for a person who is a county correctional officer or probation officer and for a person who participates in IMRF and qualifies as a firefighter under the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. In the Downstate Firefighter Article, includes a de facto firefighter in the definition of "firefighter". Defines "de facto firefighter". Provides that the monthly pension of a firefighter who is receiving a disability pension shall be increased at the rate of 3% of the original monthly pension. Makes changes to the minimum retirement annuity payable to a firefighter with 20 or more years of creditable service, the minimum disability pension, and the minimum surviving spouse's pension. Makes other changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement by the State. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Department's powers and duties.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that "day care homes" means family homes which receive more than 3 and up to a maximum of 14 children (instead of 12) for less than 24 hours per day.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands access to religious dietary food options, specifically halal and kosher meals, for students in Illinois public schools and patients in state hospitals and prisons. It requires the State Board of Education to create statewide master contracts with vendors to supply prepackaged meals that meet federal nutritional standards and specific religious requirements without needing special kitchen equipment or staff. The legislation mandates that these meals be sold at no more than the federal reimbursement rate and establishes certification rules for vendors to ensure compliance with religious dietary laws. Additionally, the bill directs the University of Illinois Hospital to offer these options upon request and strengthens existing laws by adding penalties for vendors who falsely claim their products are halal or kosher.

Amends the Build Illinois Act. Provides that the amount of small business loans made to minority persons, veterans, females, or persons with a disability under the Act shall not exceed $2,000,000 (rather than $400,000) or 50% of the business project costs unless the Director of Commerce and Economic Development determines that a waiver of these limits is required to meet the purposes of the Act. Provides that eligible projects under those provisions include refinancing current debt if the loan will refinance a loan previously made by a lender that is unaffiliated with the financial intermediary making the new loan and the proceeds of the refinance transaction are not used to finance an extraordinary dividend or other distribution.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that every company authorized to do business in the State or accredited by the State with assets of at least $50,000,000 shall submit a report on its voluntary supplier diversity program, or the company's procurement program if there is no supplier diversity program, to the Department of Insurance. Provides that the voluntary supplier diversity report shall set forth specified information. Provides that each company is required to submit a report to the Department on or before April 1, 2024, and on or before April 1 every year thereafter. Provides that the Department shall publish the results of supplier diversity reports on its Internet website for 5 years after submission. Provides that the Department shall hold an annual insurance company supplier diversity workshop in July of 2024 and every July thereafter to discuss the reports with representatives of the companies and vendors. Provides that the Department shall prepare a one-page template for the voluntary supplier diversity reports. Provides that the Department may adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions. Makes conforming changes in the Dental Service Plan Act, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, and the Limited Health Service Organization Act.