Rep. Katie Stuart

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to submit the necessary application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to amend the State's home and community-based services waiver programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities to provide coverage under the Home-Based Services Program for any therapeutic recreation programs offered by park districts, health clubs, and community colleges.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Establishes the Nonprofit Clinical Supervision Grant Program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall provide grants to eligible nonprofit associations to provide grants to nonprofit associations to hire licensed clinical social workers and to administer programs for group clinical supervision to assist social workers in fulfilling their supervised clinical experience requirements for licensure. Sets forth eligibility requirements for nonprofit associations. Sets forth requirements regarding the use of grant funds. Describes annual reporting requirements for grant recipients. Allows the Department of Human Services to adopt rules needed to implement the Nonprofit Clinical Supervision Grant Program. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Changes the name of the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program to the School and Municipal/County Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Increases the maximum amount of grants that may be awarded through the School and Municipal/County Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Allows a recipient to apply for additional grant funding in subsequent years only if the recipient verifies that the grant amount allocated in the prior year has been applied to reduce the balance of the recipient's educational loan.

Amends the Comprehensive Healthcare Workforce Planning Act. Requires the State Healthcare Workforce Council to coordinate the State's health workforce education and training to develop a health workforce that meets the State's health care needs. Requires the Council to work with graduate medical education and training programs, health professions, and consumer representatives to address specified issues. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish a program to provide: (1) funding for medical residency positions that are not funded by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or other established funding source; (2) technical assistance for entities that wish to establish a residency program; and (3) startup funding for entities that wish to establish a residency program. Sets forth provisions concerning the application process and priority. Requires the Board to establish an application process for an entity seeking funding. Provides that the State Healthcare Workforce Council shall provide information annually to the Board related to workforce shortages to assist in the development of the application and shall be responsible for reviewing applications and making recommendations to the Board regarding funding recipients. Creates the Medical Residency Education Fund to expand graduate medical education opportunities in the State and maximize the delivery of medical care and physician services to specific areas of the State where there is a recognized unmet priority need for medical care and physician services. Makes other changes. Makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act.

Declares June 13, 2025 as SURS Retiree Appreciation Day in the State of Illinois to honor and recognize the ongoing contributions and value of SURS retirees across the State.

Maddy summarySJR 24 declares May 7, 2025, as Illinois Bacon Day. It invites all Illinoisans to observe the day by enjoying bacon and thanking pig farmers.

Declares September 2, 2025 as National Board Certified Teachers Recognition Day in the State of Illinois in celebration of the 25th anniversary of National Board Certification in Illinois and in recognition of the contributions and accomplishments of National Board Certified Teachers across the State.

States that the new Department of Early Childhood and its planning process should prioritize appropriate attention to the facilities needs of our State's mixed-delivery system of early care and education. Additionally states that the State should move expeditiously to award its remaining Early Childhood Construction Grant monies to qualified applicants, to assist providers of critical birth-to-five programs in meeting their growing building-and-repair demands. Finally states that the State should also move as quickly as feasible to replenish Early Childhood Construction Grant resources to help Illinois achieve the long-term vision of the bipartisan Funding Commission for making services "simpler, better, fairer" for young children, their families, and communities statewide.

Creates the University Library & Professional Librarian Access & Transparency Task Force to examine the current state of libraries and professional librarianship on Illinois public university campuses and present a recommendation to the General Assembly to ensure that public academic libraries and the educational services provided by professional librarian faculty remains a viable and healthy benefit to Illinois students.

Declares February 7, 2025 as Wear Red Day in the State of Illinois. Urges all residents of Illinois to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in women, and to show their support for women and the fight against heart disease by wearing the color red to commemorate this day.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that any program of study at a public institution of higher education that improves employability shall be considered equivalent to an acceptable SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) program component, unless prohibited by federal law. Defines "public institution of higher education". Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt any rules necessary to implement the amendatory Act. Provides that rulemaking shall not delay full implementation of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.