Rep. Amy Elik

Amends the School Code. Requires a non-public school to perform a check of the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database (in addition to the Statewide Sex Offender Database) of applicants and once every 5 years and persons employed by the school to determine whether the applicant has been adjudicated a sex offender, of a sex offense, or of a murder or other violent crime against youth. Extends the grants for preschool educational programs 2028-2029 school year (rather than the 2023-2024 school year). Provides that a school district may adopt a policy to waive tuition costs for a non-resident pupil if the pupil is a child of a district employee. Provides that, until June 30, 2028 (rather than June 30, 2023), applicants may apply to the State Board of Education for issuance of a 5-year Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Makes conforming changes. Modifies the Alternative Educator Licensure Program by removing the requirement for a second year of residency (changing to only if recommended by the principal and program coordinator). Provides that, if the residency period is to be less than 2-years in length, the partner school districts must provide assurances that the district will provide intensive mentoring and supports through at least the end of the second full year of teaching for educators who completed the Program in less than 2 years. Effective immediately.

Amends the Rescue Squad Districts Act. Provides that a rescue squad district may fix, charge, and collect fees for rescue squad services and ambulance services within or outside of the rescue squad district not exceeding the reasonable cost of the service. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a prosecution for any offense based upon fraudulent activity connected to COVID-19-related relief programs, to include the Paycheck Protection Program, COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, and the Unemployment Benefit Programs shall be commenced within one year after discovery of the offense by a person having a legal duty to report such offense, or in the absence of such discovery, within one year after the proper prosecuting officer becomes aware of the offense. Provides that in no such case is the period of limitation so extended more than 3 years beyond the expiration of the period otherwise applicable.

Amends the State Comptroller Act. Deletes a provision that requires the Comptroller's list of State employees to describe the counties in which employees reside. Provides that an itemized voucher for under $5 that is presented to the Comptroller for payment may be paid through electronic funds transfer. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that, when any special fund in the State Treasury has been inactive for 18 months or longer, the Comptroller may (rather than shall) terminate the fund. Provides that any rule adopted by the Comptroller for the use of purchasing cards by State agencies to pay for purchases that otherwise may be paid out of the agency's petty cash fund shall impose a single transaction limit not greater than $1000 (previously $500).

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that, as part of transition planning, a school district shall provide a student and the parent or guardian of the student (instead of just the student) with information about the district's career and technical education opportunities. Provides that a student and the parent or guardian of the student shall be provided with information about dual credit courses offered by the school district. Provides that if the student is enrolled in a dual credit course for dual credit or for high school credit only, the student's participation in the course shall be included as part of the student's transition Individualized Education Program activities. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that Constitution Day (September 17) shall also be a commemorative holiday. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a member may establish optional credit for up to 2 years of service as a teacher or administrator employed by a private school recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education, provided that the teacher (i) was certified under the law governing the certification of teachers at the time the service was rendered, (ii) applies in writing on or before June 30, 2028 (instead of June 30, 2023), (iii) supplies satisfactory evidence of the employment, (iv) completes at least 10 years of contributing service as a teacher, and (v) pays the required contribution. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Adds duties to various Divisions of the Illinois State Police. Amends the State Finance Act. Abolishes the State Police Streetgang-Related Crime Fund. Provides for, on the effective date of the amendatory Act, or as soon thereafter as practical, the transfer of the remaining balance from the State Police Streetgang-Related Crime Fund to the State Police Operations Assistance Fund. Amends the Intergovernmental Missing Child Recovery Act of 1984. Provides that the Illinois State Police's quality control program shall assess (rather than monitor) the timeliness of entries of missing children reports into LEADS and conduct performance audits of all entering agencies. Amends the School Code. Provides that, upon receipt of any written, electronic, or verbal report from any school personnel regarding a verified incident involving a firearm in a school or on school owned or leased property, including any conveyance owned, leased, or used by the school for the transport of students or school personnel, the local law enforcement authorities shall report all such firearm-related incidents occurring in a school or on school property to the Illinois State Police (rather than the superintendent or his or her designee reporting to the Illinois State Police) in a form, manner, and frequency as prescribed by the Illinois State Police. Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Provides for, on the effective date of the amendatory Act, or as soon thereafter as practical, the transfer of the remaining balance from the Sex Offender Investigation Fund to the Offender Registration Fund. Provides that upon completion of the transfers, the Sex Offender Investigation Fund is dissolved, and any future deposits into the Sex Offender Investigation Fund and any outstanding obligations or liabilities of the Sex Offender Investigation Fund pass to the Offender Registration Fund. Effective January 1, 2024, with some provisions concerning funds transfers effective immediately.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires every driver who applies for employment with a transportation provider under contract with the Department of Children and Family Services to have his or her fingerprints submitted to the Illinois State Police in an electronic format that complies with the form and manner for requesting and furnishing criminal history record information as prescribed by the Illinois State Police. Provides that such fingerprints shall be transmitted through a live scan fingerprint vendor licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and shall be checked against the fingerprint records filed in the Illinois State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history records databases, including, but not limited to, civil, criminal, and latent fingerprint databases. Requires the Illinois State Police to charge a fee for conducting the criminal history records check that does not exceed the actual cost of the records check. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall furnish, pursuant to positive identification, records of Illinois convictions and shall forward the national criminal history record information to the Department of Children and Family Services. Requires every driver to submit, as a condition of employment, a signed written statement certifying that he or she has consented to and completed a fingerprint-based criminal history records check in accordance with the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. In provisions concerning firemen's continuance privilege, changes the definition of "fireman" and "firemen" to include any person who is not eligible to participate in a pension fund established under the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code and is employed on a full-time basis by a participating municipality or fire protection district to perform duties as a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or advanced emergency medical technician.