Rep. Katie Stuart

Amends the School Code. Provides that on or before the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year, each school board and charter school shall adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy. Establishes exceptions for the use of a wireless communication device during school time. Prohibits a school district or charter school from enforcing the wireless communication device policy through fees, fines, suspensions, expulsions, or the deployment of a school resource officer or local law enforcement officer. Sets forth how the policy shall be developed. Requires each school district and charter school to ensure all school personnel and substitute teachers are informed of the tenets of the policy, the roles and responsibilities of staff members, the importance of uniform enforcement, and the handling of implementation in a trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate manner. Provides that a school board and any school personnel, including charter school personnel, shall be immune from any liability resulting from damage to a wireless communication device when the device is stored in good faith and in accordance with the school board's wireless communication device policy. Provides that the wireless communication device policy shall be posted on the school district's or charter school's existing, publicly accessible Internet website and included in the student handbook. Requires, by September 1, 2026, the State Board of Education to post on its website a template for a model wireless communication device policy. Provides that if a school district or charter school has an existing wireless communication device policy in place before the effective date of the amendatory Act that limits wireless communication devices during a majority of or the entirety of the school day, the district or charter school may keep its existing policy in place until the 2030-2031 school year, at which point the district or charter school must adopt a wireless communication device policy meeting the requirements the amendatory Act. Makes other and conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall conduct a Grooming Awareness Public Educational and Outreach Program, which is a public education and outreach program concerning the grooming of children, including, but not limited to, grooming behaviors and how to recognize, prevent, and report grooming behaviors. Provides that the Department of Public Health may work with other organizations to help conduct the Program which may include, but is not limited to, the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) or the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE). Provides that the Department of Public Health may adopt rules that are necessary to conduct the Program. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Creates the offense of failure to report grooming of a child. Provides that a person 18 years of age or older commits the offense when he or she personally observes the grooming between a person whom he or she knows is 18 years of age or older and a person he or she knows is a child under 17 years of age, and knowingly fails to report the grooming to law enforcement. Provides that the offense does not apply to a person who makes timely and reasonable efforts to stop the sex offense or unlawful sexual conduct by reporting the grooming or sexual conduct in conformance with the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act or by reporting the sex offense or causing a report to be made, to medical or law enforcement authorities or anyone who is a mandated reporter under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that a person who commits failure to report grooming of a child is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for the first violation and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to allow prosecution of a person who personally observes the act of grooming and assists with an investigation and any subsequent prosecution of the offender.

Amends the School Code. Provides that all mandated categorical programs under the Code and the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act shall be funded at 100% of their required levels as calculated by the State Board of Education, without proration. Provides that, beginning with Fiscal Year 2027, the General Assembly shall appropriate funds for each fiscal year sufficient to fully reimburse school districts for all services and costs under mandated categorical programs, as required under the Code. Requires the State Board to annually provide to the General Assembly, no later than May 1 of each year, the appropriation levels needed to fully fund mandated categorical grant funding for the upcoming fiscal year. With respect to the evidence-based funding formula, provides that the State shall increase annual new State funds to ensure full funding of the formula beginning with Fiscal Year 2027. Requires the State Board to annually determine and report the amount necessary to bring all Tier 1 and Tier 2 organizational units to 100% of their adequacy targets, and requires the General Assembly to appropriate sufficient funds to meet this requirement no later than Fiscal Year 2027. Provides that no organizational unit may receive less than the amount determined under the formula in any fiscal year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Board of Higher Education to create a school counselor stipend program. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students and eligible cooperating school counselors who qualify for the stipend program. Sets forth requirements for the disbursement of stipend funds under the program. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student from participating in the stipend program or from receiving a stipend from the stipend program. Requires an eligible cooperating school counselor who receives a stipend to complete specific training. Requires the Board to issue a report, in collaboration with the State Board of Education, evaluating the impact of the stipend program. Permits the Board to adopt emergency rules regarding the administration of the stipend program in certain circumstances. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Operating Room Patient Safety Act. Provides that each surgical technologist hired or contracted by a health care facility on or after January 1, 2028 shall meet specified educational, certification, or experiential requirements. Provides that health care facilities located in a Health Professional Shortage Area or Medically Underserved Area, as determined by the federal government, shall be exempt as provided but shall have a hiring preference for surgical technologists who graduated from nationally accredited surgical technology programs and are certified through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or the National Center for Competency Testing. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits a person licensed in the State under any other Act from engaging in the practice for which the person is licensed, including, but not limited to, a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, a physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse, or a nurse performing surgery-related tasks within the scope of the nurse's license or registration; or a student or intern from performing surgical technology services under direct supervision, as defined in the Registered Surgical Assistant and Registered Surgical Technologist Title Protection Act.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that any person who is harmed by the unlawful sale, distribution, promotion, or exhibition of obscene material may bring a civil action against the individual or entity responsible for the violation. Provides that the prevailing plaintiff in a civil action under this provision may be entitled to compensatory damages for actual damages suffered as a result of the obscenity violation. Provides that a civil action for obscenity violations under this provision must be brought within 5 years of the discovery of the violation or the harm caused by the violation. Provides that, in any successful civil action, the plaintiff may be entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees in addition to the damages awarded. Provides that a court may grant injunctive relief to prevent further violations of this provision, including the cessation of the sale, distribution, or exhibition of obscene material by the defendant. Provides that the civil action may be brought in the county where the defendant resides, where the unlawful sale, distribution, promotion, or exhibition occurred, or where the plaintiff resides, if applicable.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, in Fiscal Year 2027 and thereafter, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a grant from the Local Tourism Fund that requires matching funds shall provide matching funds equal to no less than 25% of the grant amount (currently, no less than 40% of the grant amount). Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority Act. Makes changes concerning the distribution of moneys under those Acts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction for any amounts paid by the taxpayer's employer on behalf of the taxpayer as part of an educational assistance program. Creates an income tax deduction for any amounts paid by the taxpayer on behalf of an employee of the taxpayer as part of an educational assistance program. Provides that the deductions are limited to the first $5,250 of such assistance so furnished to any individual. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules establishing, implementing, and administering the Illinois Down Payment Assistant Grant Program to offer up to $20,000 grants for eligible applicants purchasing their first farms that are eligible farm purchases. Provides that, if more eligible applicants apply than grants are available, then the recipients shall be chosen with a random lottery process determined by the Department, with priority given to priority applicants. Defines terms.

Amends the School Code. Allows a school board association to offer and provide scholarships or other reimbursements to school board members and a school board member to receive a scholarship or other reimbursement from the association for reasonable travel and lodging expenses to attend meetings or other events hosted by the association that are reasonably related to the school board member's duties and will contribute to the professional development of the school board member. Effective immediately.