Rep. Margaret Croke

Creates the Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act. Provides that all employees shall be entitled to use a maximum of 10 days of unpaid neonatal intensive care leave while a child of the employee is a patient in a neonatal intensive care unit. Provides that an employer shall not require that an employee use leave the employee is entitled to under the Family Medical Leave Act instead of leave the employee is entitled to under the Act. Sets forth provisions concerning unlawful employer practices; Department of Labor responsibilities; and enforcement. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Fund.

Amends the School Code. Provides that each school district must create, implement, and maintain an age-appropriate policy on race-related harassment and discrimination. In provisions concerning bullying prevention, provides that the required policy on bullying shall also include age-appropriate information about the definitions of harassment and sexual harassment, the procedures for reporting harassment, and the protections and relief available under Illinois Human Rights Act. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that harassment by an elementary, secondary, or higher education representative or the failure of an institution of elementary, secondary, or higher education to take remedial action or appropriate disciplinary action against a student or an elementary, secondary, or higher education representative employed by the institution (if the institution knows that the student or representative committed or engaged in harassment) is a civil rights violation. Provides that each institution of elementary, secondary, or higher education shall establish, implement, and maintain a continuing race-related discrimination and harassment program. Sets forth requirements concerning policies and procedures, a model training program, and reporting. Makes other changes. Effective August 1, 2024.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that the operating procedures of the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board may provide for the inclusion of nonvoting, ex officio members on the Board. With respect to a for-profit or not-for-profit entity being recognized as an educator preparation institution, provides that any for-profit or not-for-profit entity with a presence in this State must also be approved by the Board of Higher Education or the Illinois Community College Board (instead of providing that any for-profit or not-for-profit entity must also be approved by the Board of Higher Education).

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that a day care center may operate for 24 hours or longer and may provide care for a child for a period of up to 12 hours if the parent or guardian of the child is employed in a position that requires regularly scheduled shifts and a 10-hour period elapses between day care visits. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt rules necessary to implement and administer the provisions. Makes a conforming change.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Defines terms. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2025, a retail establishment may not sell or distribute in this State a disposable food service container that is composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam. Exempts specified entities from the prohibition until one year after the amendatory Act's effective date. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act. With regard to the pension funds and retirement systems established under the General Assembly, Chicago Police, Chicago Firefighter, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), Chicago Municipal, Chicago Laborers', State Employees, State Universities, Downstate Teachers, or Judges Article of the Code, prohibits investment of pension system assets in fossil fuel companies. Requires pension systems to adopt an update to its written investment policies if necessary. Requires pension systems to divest any holdings of stocks, securities, or other obligations of a fossil fuel company. Provides that, beginning one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the board of trustees of a pension system shall ensure that the pension system does not invest in any indirect investment vehicle unless the board of trustees is satisfied that the investment vehicle is unlikely to have more than 2% of its assets invested in coal, oil, or gas producers. Requires pension systems to post on its publicly accessible website information detailing all its holdings in the public market and private equity investments. Requires pension systems to annually issue a report reviewing its environmental, social, and governance investment policy. Sets forth definitions and other provisions. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Creates the Deforestation-Free Procurement Act. Prohibits the State and any governmental agency, political subdivision, or public benefit corporation of the State from purchasing or obtaining for any purpose any tropical hardwoods or tropical hardwood products. Prohibits a bid proposal or solicitation, request for bid or proposal, or contract for the construction of any public work, building maintenance, or improvement for or on behalf of the State and any government agency, political subdivision, or public benefit corporation of the State from requiring or permitting the use of any tropical hardwood or tropical wood product. Provides that every contract entered into by a State agency or authority that includes the procurement of any product comprised of a tropical forest-risk commodity shall require the contractor to confirm that the commodity furnished to the State under the contract was not extracted from, grown, derived, harvested, reared, or produced on land where tropical or boreal deforestation or primary forest degradation occurred on or after January 1, 2022. Sets forth forest policies that large contractors must adopt. Provides for sanctions against a contractor or subcontractor who violates the Act. Requires the Department of Central Management Services to adopt rules to implement the Act. Requires the Director of the Department to submit an assessment to the General Assembly regarding the details of all contracts certified under the Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to complete a study to determine whether the requirements of the Act shall apply to tropical forest-risk commodities originating in boreal forests. Requires the Director to issue a report every 2 years on the implementation of the Act. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $10,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Public Health for local health protection grants for health protection programs. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a nonpublic school may not engage in slapping or paddling a student, the prolonged maintenance of a student in a physically painful position, or the intentional infliction of bodily harm on a student.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that rules adopted by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation concerning light emitting devices for patient care or treatment shall not require a delegating physician to be present in person to supervise a laser hair removal consultation, examination, or procedure if the laser hair removal consultation, examination, or procedure is performed in an office or practice setting by a physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse and the delegating physician is available by two-way, real-time interactive communication.