Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Gender Violence Act. Defines "employee", "employer", "work environment", and "workplace". Changes the definition of "gender-related violence" to include domestic violence. Provides that an employer shall be liable only for gender-related violence committed in the work environment by an employee or agent of the employer. Provides specific instances in which an employer is liable for gender-related violence. Provides that no person shall have the power to waive any provisions of the Act as part of a dissolution of marriage agreement, dissolution of civil union agreement, dissolution of domestic partnership agreement, or custody agreement. Makes corresponding changes.

Amends the Private Business and Vocational Schools Act of 2012. Provides that the Board of Higher Education may issue a cease and desist order to any school operating without the required permit of approval and may impose a civil penalty. Sets forth various requirements for the cease and desist order and the penalty. Amends the Private College Act and the Academic Degree Act to make similar changes. Amends the Higher Education Housing and Opportunities Act. Provides that the definition of "institution of higher education" or "institution" means any publicly or privately operated university, college, community college, business, technical, or vocational school, or other educational institution in this State (rather than not specifying the location). Amends the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act. Provides that the Illinois Community College Board shall administer specified provisions with the Board of Higher Education (instead of only the Board of Higher Education). Provides that the Task Force on Campus Sexual Misconduct Climate Surveys is extended for an additional year. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the member of the Board representing public university governing boards and the member of the Board representing private college and university boards of trustees, who are appointed by the Governor but not subject to confirmation by the Senate, shall serve terms of 3 years (instead of one year). Makes other changes. Repeals a provision of the State Finance Act concerning the Private College Academic Quality Assurance Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Works Job Program Act. Provides that contractors or subcontractors may be eligible to earn bid credits for employing apprentices who have completed the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program (previously bid credits were available for public works contracted by the State). Provides that contractors and subcontractors can use bid credits toward future bids for public works projects contracted or funded by the State or an agency of the State in order to increase the likelihood that the contractor and the subcontractors are selected as the contractor for the public works project. Provides that, for contracts and grant agreements executed after the effective date of the amendatory Act, of a specified goal at least half of the labor hours of each prevailing wage classification performed by apprentices shall be performed by graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may grant a reduction or waiver upon a determination that the contractor or subcontractor has demonstrated that insufficient graduates of the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program are available to meet the requirements. Provides that contractors and subcontractors must submit a certification to the Department and the agency that is administering the contract, or the grant agreement funding the contract, demonstrating that the contractor or subcontractor has not complied with the labor hour goals and did not receive a reduction or waiver. Provides the penalties for failing to comply with the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Commission Article of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Removes language providing that: the Governor shall appoint a special temporary panel of commissioners comprised of 3 members; the members shall hold office until the Human Rights Commission determines that the caseload of requests for review has been reduced sufficiently to allow cases to proceed in a timely manner, or for a term of 18 months from the date of appointment by the Governor, whichever is earlier; each of the 3 members shall have only such rights and powers of a commissioner necessary to dispose of the cases assigned to the special panel; each of the 3 members appointed to the special panel shall receive the same salary as other commissioners for the duration of the panel; and the panel shall have the authority to hire and supervise a staff attorney who shall report to the panel of commissioners. Requires the Commission to appoint at the expense of the Commission a qualified interpreter (rather than a qualified sign language interpreter) whenever a hearing impaired individual or an individual who lacks proficiency in the English language is a party or witness in proceedings before the Commission (rather than at a public hearing).

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Includes time served in a county jail as part of the minimum of 60 days of the sentence that must be served before the Director of Corrections may award discretionary earned sentence credit.

Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice shall provide information to the Secretary of State of persons in its custody who will be discharged no later than 45 days after the submission of the identifying information in the mittimus to the Secretary of State. Provides that the Secretary of State shall issue a standard Illinois Identification Card in the name of the committed person who is to be discharged one week before the committed person's scheduled date of discharge. Provides that one week before the scheduled discharge of the committed person, the Department shall furnish the person with the standard Illinois Identification Card. Provides that neither the Secretary of State nor the Department shall charge a fee to the committed person for issuance of the Card.

Amends the Department of Employment Security Law. Directs the Department of Employment Security to work with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to identify employment opportunities in the State for persons who are in arrears in child support obligations.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the 15-day notification requirement to the State's Attorney and Sheriff of the county in which a work release facility is located that a committed person is being placed in a work release facility does not apply to individuals required to be housed outside the penitentiary system. Provides that for those individuals required to be housed outside the penitentiary system, the Department of Corrections as soon as reasonably practicable shall provide the State's Attorney and Sheriff of the county in which the work release center is located, relevant identifying information concerning the person to be placed in the work release facility. Provides that the information shall include, but is not limited to, such identifying information as name, age, physical description, photograph, the offense, and the sentence for which the person is serving time in the custody of the Department of Corrections, and similar information. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall, in addition, give written notice as soon as reasonably practicable to the State's Attorney of the county from which the individual was originally sentenced.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that the court shall not order any assessments, such as fees, fines, or administrative costs, except for assessments made in traffic, boating, or fish and game law, or municipal ordinance violations as provided in the Act, against a minor subject to the Minors Requiring Authoritative Intervention Article, Addicted Minors Article, or Delinquent Minors Article of the Act or against the minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Provides that, except for assessments made in traffic, boating, or fish and game law, or municipal ordinance violations as provided in the Act, any judgment, order, agreement, or other legally enforceable encumbrance directing a minor or his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian to pay assessments prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act is null, void, and not collectible if there remains a balance due, including interest, penalties, or collection fees. Provides that, if the court orders community service for the minor, community service shall not interfere with the school hours, school-related activities, or work commitments of the minor or the minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Provides that, one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts shall report to the General Assembly: (1) the number of judgments, orders, agreements, or other legally enforceable encumbrances vacated pursuant to this provision in each judicial district; and (2) the total balances of fees, fines, and administrative costs vacated in each judicial district. Makes other changes. Amends various other Acts to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.