Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. In a provision requiring the Department on Aging to require an annual audit from all personal assistant and home care aide vendors contracting with the Department, provides that the annual audit shall assure that each audited vendor's procedures are in compliance with the Department's financial reporting guidelines requiring an 80% or higher employee wage and benefits cost split and an administrative cost split of no more than 20% (rather than an administrative and employee wage and benefits cost split as defined in administrative rules). Provides that subject to federal approval, on and after January 1, 2025, rates for homemaker services shall be increased to $32.75 to sustain a minimum wage of $20 per hour for direct service workers. Provides that rates in subsequent State fiscal years shall be no lower than $32.75 upon federal approval. Requires providers of in-home services to be required to certify to the Department that they remain in compliance with the mandated wage increase for direct service workers. Provides that fringe benefits, including, but not limited to, paid time off and payment for training, health insurance, travel, or transportation, shall not be reduced in relation to the rate increases. Provides that subject to federal approval, on and after January 1, 2025, the Department shall pay a rate add-on under the Community Care Program to those in-home service provider agencies that attest and document their direct service workers attend paid, quarterly, in-person training sessions to fulfill the in-service training requirements. Provides that the add-on shall be 1% of the homemaker services rate. Requires the Department to adopt rules.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that owners and operators of CCR surface impoundments at electric generating plants that are bordering Lake Michigan shall close the CCR surface impoundment by removal by off-site disposal, pursuant to specified provisions and requirements. In additional provisions, requires an owner or operator to remove from his or her site, for off-site disposal, all CCR generated by a facility that is not disposed of, treated, stored, or abandoned in a CCR surface impoundment, and remediate all soil and groundwater impacted by that CCR, in accordance with specified requirements. Requires owners or operators to submit specified plans and reports to the Environmental Protection Agency. Provides that an owner or operator shall post with the Agency a performance bond or other security for the purpose of ensuring removal and remediation in accordance with the provisions. Provides that the Agency may enter into such contracts and agreements as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the provisions. Provides that neither the State, nor the Director of the Agency, nor any State employee shall be liable for any damages or injuries arising out of or resulting from any action taken under the provisions. Contains other provisions. Contains a severability provision. Effective immediately.

Declares May 15, 2024 as Getting to Zero Illinois Day in the State of Illinois to recommit to a hopeful and achievable path toward virtually eliminating new HIV transmissions and improving overall health care access in Illinois so that all Illinoisans can thrive. Expresses support for the goals and priorities of the Getting to Zero Illinois (GTZ-IL) plan, including the recently updated Getting to Zero Illinois Plan 2.0, with the goal to achieve zero new HIV transmissions by 2030. Expresses support for continued funding for prevention, care, and treatment services for communities impacted by HIV and people living with HIV in Illinois. Expresses support for efforts to reduce health disparities and improve access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment in the Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities disproportionately impacted by HIV.

Declares October of 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and supports and commends the efforts of the people and organizations who work tirelessly to help victims break free of the devastating effects of domestic abuse.

Declares February 21, 2024 as John Lewis Day in the State of Illinois to honor the life and legacy of American hero and civil rights leader John Robert Lewis.

Supports the accreditation of the University of Illinois Cancer Center (UICC) as an additional NCI-designated cancer center in Illinois, which will be focused and driven to characterize and eliminate disparities in cancer outcomes.

Urges the State Board of Education to conduct a study on the number of schools, school districts, and other public school associations across the State that currently utilize Native American names, logos, and mascots. Urges the State Board of Education, through conversations with local schools and school districts, to collect findings on what the cost would be for these individual schools and districts to remove and change Native American names, mascots, and logos. Urges the State Board of Education to include its findings in a written report to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2024. Urges schools, school districts, and other public school associations to consider and plan for changing these harmful Native American names, mascots, and logos. Urges the State Board of Education to use all tools available to work towards the immediate end of the practice of using racial slurs as team names in Illinois schools.

Appropriates $578,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Corrections for costs and administrative expenses associated with the Creating Healing of Inside Community Educators program. Effective July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates February 18, 2024, as World Cholangiocarcinoma Day to raise awareness about bile duct cancer. It highlights the disease's rarity, low survival rates, and the lack of early detection methods, noting that approximately 12,000 Americans are diagnosed annually. The resolution aims to encourage advocacy, research, and education to improve patient outcomes and potential treatments.

Declares March 10-16, 2024 as "MS Awareness Week" in the State of Illinois and encourages all Illinoisans to learn more about multiple sclerosis and what they can do to support individuals with MS and their families. Recognizes the importance of finding the cause and cure of MS and expresses appreciation for the dedication that the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has shown toward creating a world free of MS.