Rep. Hoan Huynh

Amends the State Treasurer Act. In provisions concerning the College Savings Pool, provides that an account may be rolled over into a Roth IRA account, to the extent permitted by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. In provisions concerning the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program, provides that the definition of "eligible child" includes a child born or adopted after December 31, 2022, to a parent who is a resident of Illinois at the time of the birth or adoption, as evidenced by documentation received by the Treasurer from a parent or legal guardian of the child. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall require all school districts to undertake a ventilation verification assessment of all mechanical ventilation systems in the school district performed by a certified assessor or a mechanical engineer and shall be based on physical measurements made during the assessment. Provides that if an assessment is performed by a certified assessor, the assessment report shall be reviewed by a mechanical engineer. Provides that the ventilation verification assessment shall verify whether the existing mechanical ventilation system is operating in accordance with design parameters and meets the requirements of any applicable building codes. Provides that the ventilation verification assessment for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system shall follow specified standards. Provides that the verification assessment report from the mechanical engineer shall include appropriate corrective actions needed for the mechanical ventilation system or the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning infrastructure, including installation of appropriate filters, installation of carbon dioxide sensors and additional maintenance, repairs, upgrades, or replacement. Provides that the State Board shall require all school districts to make the appropriate corrective actions identified in the ventilation verification assessment. Sets forth requirements for corrective actions, standards, and verification of work.

Amends the Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971. Defines "sign" as any outdoor sign, display, device, notice, figure painting, drawing, message, placard, poster, billboard, or other thing, which is operated or owned by a person or entity where any person or entity is paying or earning remuneration directly or indirectly for (i) the existence or placement of the outdoor sign or (ii) the placement of the message on the outdoor sign (rather than any outdoor sign which is designated, intended, or used to advertise or inform, and of which any part of the existing or intended advertising or informative content) is capable of being visible from any place on the main-traveled way of any portion of any Interstate or primary highway and which is within 660 feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way of such highway. Provides that for purposes of the definition of "erect", attaching a vinyl substrate medium to a sign structure or wall surface shall constitute normal maintenance or repair of a sign or sign structure. Defines "remuneration". Removes the definitions of "on premise sign", "off premise sign", and "real estate sign". Removes language providing that registration must be made of each sign and shall be accompanied by a registration fee of $5. Removes provisions concerning directional and other official signs, real estate signs, on premise signs, off premise signs, and signs affixed by public utilities. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends state laws governing public libraries in Illinois to prohibit limiting access to or purchasing books based on their depiction of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or human rights activism. It directly affects public library boards, staff, and library systems by establishing new rules that prevent censorship of specific subject matters while allowing restrictions for public safety or age-appropriateness. The legislation ensures that library collections remain inclusive by explicitly forbidding bans on biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs that cover these topics.

Creates the Natural Organic Reduction Regulation Act. Provides that any person doing business in this State, or any cemetery, crematory, funeral establishment, corporation, partnership, joint venture, voluntary organization, or any other entity, may erect, maintain, and operate a natural organic reduction facility in the State and provide the necessary appliances and facilities for the natural organic reduction of human remains in accordance with the Act. Provides that an individual or a person, cemetery, crematory, funeral establishment, corporation, partnership, joint venture, voluntary organization, or other entity may reduce human remains only in a natural organic reduction facility operated by a disposition authority licensed for this purpose and only under the limitations provided in the Act. Provides for: grounds for denial or discipline; surrender of a license; license, display, transfer; authorizing agent; authorization for natural organic reduction; performance of natural organic reduction services, training; recordkeeping; natural organic reduction procedures; disposition of reduced human remains; limitation of liability; hazardous implants; penalties; failure to file an annual report; injunctive action, cease and desist order; service of notice; investigations, notice and hearing; compelling testimony; administrative review, venue, certification of record, costs; and preneed of natural organic reduction arrangements.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Early Childhood Education Act to establish a framework for early childhood education in Illinois. A specific provision within the legislation ensures that the rights, benefits, and employment status of state employees and their agencies remain unchanged by the new act. It explicitly states that the law does not affect existing personnel codes, labor relations, collective bargaining agreements, or pension plans. The bill was signed into law and became effective on June 25, 2024, with some provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Creative Economy Task Force within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create a strategic plan to improve the creative economy in the State. Provides that, within 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the task force shall collect and analyze data on the current state of the creative economy in the State and develop a strategic plan to improve the State's creative economy that can be rolled out in incremental phases to reach identified economic, social justice, and business development goals. Provides that the goal of the strategic plan shall be to ensure that the State is competitive with respect to attracting creative economy business, retaining talent within the State, and developing marketable content that can be exported for national and international consumption and monetization. Specifies requirements of the strategic plan. Provides that the task force shall submit its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2027. Sets forth provisions concerning task force membership; compensation; and administrative support. Repeals the provision on July 1, 2028.

Amends the Crimes Victim Compensation Act. Includes additional expenses and costs in the definition of "pecuniary loss". Removes language providing that: no compensation may be granted while the applicant or victim is held in a correctional institution; and a victim who has been convicted of a felony may apply for assistance at any time but no award of compensation may be considered until the applicant meets certain requirements. Requires the Attorney General to: provide an applicant with written notification of a drafted award determination; present the drafted award determination to the Court of Claims within 90 days of the application being submitted; make all applications and forms available electronically; translate all paper and electronic forms and applications into the 5 most common non-English languages in the State; maintain an online application system; and maintain a case-tracking system to track the status of an application. Allows a victim or applicant to obtain a law enforcement report and provide it to the Attorney General under certain circumstances. Removes time limit and law enforcement notification requirements for submitting an application for compensation. Provides that a victim of a crime who has presented oneself to a hospital for medical care or sexual assault evidence collection is not required to reveal the cause of the injuries or health needs. Provides that a victim of crime is not required to present oneself to a hospital for medical care or sexual assault evidence collection within a specified period of time. Provides that when submitting an application for compensation, the victim or applicant must provide to the Attorney General a sworn statement of the victim or applicant that attests to the victim's or applicant's experience of a crime of violence. Provides that cooperation with law enforcement is not required for a victim of certain offenses to submit an application. Provides that it is presumed that a crime victim or applicant did not provoke, incite, assist, attempt, or commit the criminal act that led to the victim's injury or death. Requires the Attorney General to create a process with forms and applications for applying for emergency awards, create a process for determining emergency awards within 48 hours of the filing of the application, and publicize the process on the Attorney General's website.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Removes a provision requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to impose a 4-prescription drug limit and prior authorization requirement under the medical assistance program.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. In a provision requiring the Department on Aging to require an annual audit from all personal assistant and home care aide vendors contracting with the Department, provides that the annual audit shall assure that each audited vendor's procedures are in compliance with the Department's financial reporting guidelines requiring an 80% or higher employee wage and benefits cost split and an administrative cost split of no more than 20% (rather than an administrative and employee wage and benefits cost split as defined in administrative rules). Provides that subject to federal approval, on and after January 1, 2025, rates for homemaker services shall be increased to $32.75 to sustain a minimum wage of $20 per hour for direct service workers. Provides that rates in subsequent State fiscal years shall be no lower than $32.75 upon federal approval. Requires providers of in-home services to be required to certify to the Department that they remain in compliance with the mandated wage increase for direct service workers. Provides that fringe benefits, including, but not limited to, paid time off and payment for training, health insurance, travel, or transportation, shall not be reduced in relation to the rate increases. Provides that subject to federal approval, on and after January 1, 2025, the Department shall pay a rate add-on under the Community Care Program to those in-home service provider agencies that attest and document their direct service workers attend paid, quarterly, in-person training sessions to fulfill the in-service training requirements. Provides that the add-on shall be 1% of the homemaker services rate. Requires the Department to adopt rules.