Rep. Katie Stuart

Amends the Election Code. Provides that child care expenses for minor children of an officeholder or candidate are customary and reasonable expenses of an officeholder in connection with the performance of governmental and public service functions and that nothing in provisions concerning the use of political committee and other reporting organization funds prohibits the expenditure of funds of a political committee controlled by an officeholder or by a candidate to defray these expenses.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires perinatal doula services and evidence-based home visiting services to be covered under the medical assistance program for persons who are otherwise eligible for medical assistance. Provides that perinatal doula services include regular visits beginning in the prenatal period and continuing into the postnatal period, inclusive of continuous support during labor and delivery, that support healthy pregnancies and positive birth outcomes. Provides that perinatal doula services may be embedded in an existing program, such as evidence-based home visiting. Provides that perinatal doula services provided during the prenatal period may be provided weekly, services provided during the labor and delivery period may be provided for the entire duration of labor and the time immediately following birth, and services provided during the postpartum period may be provided up to 12 months postpartum. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to adopt rules. Requires the Department, during the rulemaking process, to consider the expertise of and consult with doula program experts, doula training providers, practicing doulas, and home visiting experts, along with State agencies implementing perinatal doula services and relevant bodies under the Illinois Early Learning Council. Requires the Department to seek any State plan amendments or waivers necessary to implement the amendatory Act and to secure federal financial participation for expenditures made by the Department for perinatal doula services and evidence-based home visiting services. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a State policeman under the Tier 2 provisions is entitled to an annuity calculated under the alternative retirement formula, in lieu of the regular or minimum retirement annuity, only if the person has withdrawn from service with not less than 20 years of eligible creditable service and has attained age 55 (instead of age 60), regardless of whether the attainment of age 55 (instead of age 60) occurs while the person is still in service. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective immediately.

Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that beginning with the first payroll of the 103rd General Assembly, the compensation to be paid per year to members of the General Assembly, including additional sums payable per year to officers of the General Assembly, shall be paid at least monthly or may be paid semi-monthly at a member's request as agreed to by the Comptroller. Provides that members who resign before completing the entire term in office shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Provides that members completing the term of a vacancy shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Removes references to General Assembly members from provisions concerning funding for salaries of General Assembly members, judges, and legislative operations. Effective immediately.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. With regard to licensure candidates being required to pass a teacher performance assessment, provides that a candidate may not be required to submit test materials by video or audio submission (rather than by video submission). Instead of a video or audio submission, provides that a candidate may submit a written letter approved and signed by (i) the principal of the school in which the candidate completed student teaching, (ii) the supervising licensed educator overseeing the candidate's classroom experience, and (iii) the candidate's academic advisor at the candidate's educator preparation program stating that the candidate meets the requirements to pass the teacher performance assessment. Provides that the submission of a written letter by a candidate does not waive the requirement that the candidate pass a teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of Education. Requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to develop a standard form to be used by a candidate in the submission of the written letter. Effective July 1, 2022.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Replaces language regarding the qualifications of Commissioners of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission with language requiring each Commissioner appointed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act to be authorized to practice law in this State. Provides that each Commissioner appointed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall receive an annual salary of 70% of a Circuit Court Judge in the Judicial Court constituted by the First Judicial District under the Salaries Act and the Chairman shall receive an annual salary of 5% more than the other Commissioners. Provides that the performance of arbitrators shall be reviewed by the Chairman every other year, or more often at the discretion of the Chairman (rather than on an annual basis). Provides that no arbitrator shall hear cases in any county, other than Cook County, for more than 4 years consecutively (rather than 2 years in each 3-year term). Provides that the Secretary and each arbitrator shall receive a per annum salary of 5% less than the per annum salary of members of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. Provides for the dissolution of the Self-Insurers Administration Fund and for the transfer of the moneys in that fund to the Self-Insurers Security Fund. Authorizes expenditures from the Self-Insurers Security Fund for the purposes that were authorized for the Self-Insurers Administration Fund. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 820 ILCS 305/4a-2 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-2 820 ILCS 305/4a-4 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-4 820 ILCS 305/4a-5 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-5 820 ILCS 305/4a-6.1 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-6.1 820 ILCS 305/4a-7 from Ch. 48, par. 138.4a-7 820 ILCS 305/13 from Ch. 48, par. 138.13 820 ILCS 305/14 from Ch. 48, par. 138.14 Adds reference to: 820 ILCS 115/13.5 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that, for all contracts entered into on or after July 1, 2022, a primary contractor making or taking a contract in the State for the erection, construction, alteration, or repair of a building, structure, or other private work in the State shall assume, and is liable for, any debt owed to a wage claimant incurred pursuant to the Act by a subcontractor at any tier acting under, by, or for the primary contractor for the wage claimant's performance of labor included in the subject of the contract between the primary contractor and the owner. Provides exemption from liability for a property owner who acts as a primary contractor related to the erection, construction, alteration, or repair of his or her primary residence where the aggregate costs of the project amounts to less than $100,000. Defines terms. Provides that the primary contractor's liability under the new provisions shall extend only to any unpaid wages, including interest owed and reasonable attorney's fees, but shall not extend to wage supplements, penalties, or liquidated damages. Provides that a primary contractor or any other person shall not evade or commit any act that negates the requirements of the new provisions. Provides that the obligations and remedies provided in the new provisions shall be in addition to any obligations and remedies otherwise provided by law, except that nothing in the new provisions shall be construed to impose liability on a primary contractor for anything other than unpaid wages, interest owed and reasonable attorney's fees. Provides that claims brought pursuant to the new provisions shall be done so in accordance with provisions concerning violations of the Act. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Makes various changes to the bill, as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1, with respect to terminology, the definition of "private work", a primary contractor's liability, and claims brought pursuant to the new provisions. Defines "construction" as building, altering, repairing, improving, or demolishing any structure or building, or making improvements of any kind to real property.

Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that for the purpose of making up any deficiency in the appropriation for the payment of claims directed pursuant to the Line of Duty Compensation Act, there is appropriated, on a continuing annual basis in each fiscal year, from the General Revenue Fund to the Court of Claims, the amount, if any, by which the total appropriation for the payment of claims directed pursuant to the Line of Duty Compensation Act for the fiscal year is less than the amount required for the payment of claims pursuant to the Line of Duty Compensation Act for that fiscal year. Provides that the amount of any continuing appropriation used by the Court of Claims under the amendatory Act for a given fiscal year shall be charged against the unexpended amount of any appropriation for line of duty awards to the Court of Claims for that fiscal year that subsequently becomes available. Requires the Court of Claims to report to the President and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget on any continuing appropriation that is used at the conclusion of a fiscal year. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Universities Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In provisions concerning mistakes in benefit calculation, provides that if the amount of the benefit was mistakenly set too high, the error was undiscovered for 3 years or longer, and the error was not the result of incorrect information supplied or information omitted (instead of incorrect information supplied) by the affected member or beneficiary, then upon discovery of the mistake the benefit shall be adjusted to the correct level, but the recipient of the benefit need not repay to the System the excess amounts received in error. Provides that regardless of the date an overpayment is discovered, if the System determines that the overpayment has occurred for specified reasons, the System may recover the overpayment from the recipient thereof or the recipient's estate, plus interest at the effective rate from the date of the overpayment to the date of recovery, either directly or by deducting such amount from the remaining benefits payable to the recipient or the recipient's estate, or by any other means available to the System. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. Provides that residents of this State may obtain a 5-year fishing license. Provides that the fee for a 5-year fishing license is $62.50. Provides that for residents age 65 or older, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a 5-year fishing license. Provides that for resident veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning from service abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a 5-year fishing license. Provides that residents of this State may obtain a 5-year sportsmen's combination license that shall entitle the holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as residents holding a license and to the same hunting privileges as residents holding a license to hunt all species under the Wildlife Code. Provides that the 5-year sportsmen's combination license fee shall be $112.50. Provides that a sportsmen's combination license shall not be issued to any individual who would be ineligible for either the fishing or hunting license separately. Provides that for residents age 65 or older, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a 5-year sportsmen's combination license. Provides that for resident veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning from service abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a 5-year sportsmen's combination license. Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that residents of this State may obtain a 5-year hunting license to hunt all species for $52. Provides that for residents age 65 or older and resident veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning from service abroad or mobilization by the President of the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for a 5-year hunting license.