Rep. Jen Gong-Gershowitz

Amends the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Provides that a licensee under the Act shall not knowing carry a firearm into a campground, aquatic center, grounds of an aquatic center, boat launch, boating center, athletic venue, picnic grove, nature center, grounds of a nature center, pavilion, grounds of a pavilion, golf course, golf course parking lot, driving range, adventure course, grounds of an adventure course, zipline building, grounds of a zipline, equestrian center, grounds of an equestrian center, exercise venue, grounds of an exercise venue, any Illinois Nature Preserve, Land and Water Reserve, or any public or private gathering or special event conducted on property that requires the issuance of a permit under the control of the Cook County Forest Preserve District (rather than real property under the control of the Cook County Forest Preserve District). Provides that a licensee under the Act shall not knowingly carry a firearm in any public park, athletic area, or athletic facility under the control of a forest preserve district or any building, real property, or parking area under the control of a botanic garden. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces language concerning the property of the Cook County Forest Preserve District with language providing that a concealed carry licensee shall not knowingly carry a firearm on any adventure course or zipline, aquatic center, campground, equestrian center, nature center grounds, picnic grove, playground, sledding hill, sledding hill grounds, and any parking area of any of the aforementioned under the control of the Cook County Forest Preserve District, and any public or private gathering or special event conducted on property that requires the issuance of a permit by the Cook County Forest Preserve District.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that of the federal funds received by the State for purposes related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, 25% of any such funds shall be allocated as grants to businesses with less than 50 employees. Provides eligibility requirements for businesses seeking to receive such grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall award grants in the amount of $5,000 to eligible businesses. Provides that a business shall only be eligible for one such grant. Requires the Department to publish the names of the businesses that are awarded grants on its Internet website. Provides for the adoption of rules.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the methodologies for reimbursement under the managed care medical assistance program shall not be applicable to facilities licensed under the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013. Provides that covered services provided by facilities licensed under the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013 shall be reimbursed at the rates paid under the Illinois Medicaid fee-for-service methodology.

Creates the Right to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Act. Establishes the Task Force on Counsel in Immigration Proceedings. Provides for members, compensation, and support staff. Provides that the Task Force shall investigate the implementation of universal representation for covered individuals in immigration removal proceedings. Provides that the Task Force shall submit a report of its findings in the investigation and its recommendations for how to fully provide legal representation for covered individuals facing immigration proceedings no later than July 1, 2022. Repeals the Act July 1, 2023. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes the list of members of the Task Force on Counsel in Immigration Proceedings. Provides instead that the Governor shall appoint the 7 members of the Task Force with the advice and consent of the Senate, in consultation with the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Human Services.

Amends the School Code. Makes changes in the School Boards Article relating to policies addressing sexual abuse. In the Courses of Study Article, repeals the sex education, family life, and instruction on diseases provisions. Instead, sets forth comprehensive sex education requirements for course materials and instruction, requires the State Board of Education to post on its website comprehensive sex education resources for use in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade, provides for school disclosure, parental requests, and notice, allows a school district to collaborate with a local public health department to identify and designate a qualified employee of the local public health department as the school district's point of contact for the purposes of responding to inquiries and comments about course instruction and materials, requires the State Board to develop, maintain, and make publicly available State standards, and provides for rulemaking. Makes changes in the Chicago School District Article concerning AIDS training. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Makes changes in the School Boards Article relating to policies addressing sexual abuse. In the Courses of Study Article, repeals the sex education, family life, and instruction on diseases provisions. Instead, sets forth comprehensive personal health and safety education requirements for course materials and instruction, requires the State Board of Education to post on its website personal health and safety education resources for use in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade, provides for school disclosure, parental requests, and notice, allows a school district to collaborate with a local public health department to identify and designate a qualified employee of the local public health department as the school district's point of contact for the purposes of responding to inquiries and comments about course instruction and materials, requires the State Board to develop, maintain, and make publicly available State standards, and provides for rulemaking. Makes changes in the Chicago School District Article concerning AIDS training. Effective immediately. State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) HB 1736 (H-AM 1) does not create a State Mandate. Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (State Board of Education) HB 1736 (H-AM 1) includes new requirements for the State Board of Education (Board) and school districts that will have a fiscal impact. This fiscal impact estimate only addresses known or estimated costs for the Board and not PreK-12 public school districts, other State agencies or other entities impacted by the amendments. The Board is tasked with adopting sex education standards by July 1, 2022, develop and maintain sex education resources, and provide technical assistance to school district as needed. ISBE anticipates needing to hire additional staff to implement the requirements of HB 1736 (H-AM 1). ISBE estimates the cost of implementing this amendment will be $1.45m in years 1 and 2 and $100,000 in future years.

Amends the Pawnbroker Regulation Act. Clarifies that it shall be unlawful for any pawnbroker to charge or collect a greater benefit or percentage upon money advanced, and for the use and forbearance thereof, than permitted under the Predatory Loan Prevention Act. Amends the Predatory Loan Prevention Act. Provides that the definition of "loan" includes transactions subject to the Pawnbroker Regulation Act. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for any person or entity to solicit, broker, or otherwise engage in any other activity intended to facilitate or result in, or that in fact facilitates or results in, the origination of a loan that violates the Act. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for any person or entity to advertise or cause to be advertised a loan that violates the Act. Provides that a violation of the Act by a person or entity licensed under the Pawnbroker Regulation Act shall subject the person or entity to discipline in accordance with that Act. Makes other changes. Effective June 1, 2023.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is the public policy of the State to secure from all individuals within the State the freedom from discrimination against any individual because of the individual's family responsibilities. Defines "family responsibilities" as an employee's actual or perceived provision of care to a family member, whether in the past, present, or future. Makes a corresponding change in the definition of "unlawful discrimination". House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 775 ILCS 5/1-102 from Ch. 68, par. 1-102 775 ILCS 5/1-103 from Ch. 68, par. 1-103 Adds reference to: 775 ILCS 5/2-101 775 ILCS 5/2-102 from Ch. 68, par. 2-102 775 ILCS 5/2-103.2 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Employment Article of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Defines "family responsibilities" as an employee's actual or perceived provision of personal care to a family member. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for: any employer to refuse to hire, to segregate, to engage in harassment, or to act with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of family responsibilities; any employment agency to fail or refuse to classify properly, accept applications and register for employment referral or apprenticeship referral, refer for employment, or refer for apprenticeship on the basis of family responsibilities; and any labor organization to limit, segregate or classify its membership, or to limit employment opportunities, selection and training for apprenticeship in any trade or craft, or otherwise to take, or fail to take, any action which affects adversely any person's status as an employee or as an applicant for employment or as an apprentice, or as an applicant for apprenticeships, or wages, tenure, hours of employment or apprenticeship conditions on the basis of family responsibilities. Provides that the right to be free of family responsibilities discrimination is in addition to any other rights or remedies afforded by contract or under other provisions of law.

Amends the School Visitation Rights Act. Provides that an employer that terminates an employee for absences to attend school conferences is liable in a civil action for damages resulting to the employee. Imposes upon the employer the burden of proof to demonstrate that termination is not related to an employee's absence for attendance at a school conference, behavioral meeting, or academic meeting. Effective August 1, 2021.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall encourage the owners of structures to eliminate nonflashing (steady burning) L-810 lights by January 1, 2024. Provides that the owners of structures constructed on or after March 1, 2022 that are located within migratory flyways, or in ecologically sensitive areas, or are within one mile of a forest preserve or federal or State park or wildlife area shall turn off all lights not required for safety or maintenance between 12:00 a.m. through 7:00 a.m. during migratory seasons. Provides the Department of Natural Resources with rulemaking authority. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: New Act Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Creates the Bird Conservation Commission Act. Creates the Bird Conservation Commission for the purpose of promoting bird conservation and providing education and awareness on issues concerning bird conservation. Adds provisions concerning the membership, duties, powers, and reporting requirements of the Commission. In provisions amending the Wildlife Code, provides that the owners of structures with a height over 50 feet above ground level constructed on or after March 1, 2022 that are located in ecologically sensitive areas, or are within one-half mile of a forest preserve or federal or State park or wildlife area shall turn off all lights not required for safety or maintenance between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. during migratory seasons (instead of requiring owners of structures constructed on or after March 1, 2022 that are located within migratory flyways, or in ecologically sensitive areas, or are within one mile of a forest preserve or federal or State park or Wildlife area to turn off all lights not required for safety or maintenance between 12:00 a.m. through 7:00 a.m. during migratory seasons). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that in a county having a population of 3,000,000 or more, the county sheriff shall establish with other law enforcement agencies a vehicle theft hotline to facilitate the location of stolen vehicles via their installed existing global positioning systems, collaborate with vehicle manufacturers and dealers to provide information and assistance to law enforcement officers in the investigation of vehicle theft, and ensure that consumers are provided with information concerning the hotline and any new or used vehicle manufactured with a global positioning system by publishing the information in a conspicuous location on the county sheriff's website. Provides that the manufacturer of any vehicle sold in this State shall establish a hotline available to State, county, and local law enforcement agencies exclusively for the purposes of law enforcement information sharing and the electronic tracking of vehicles stolen in vehicular hijacking incidents or that have been used in the commission of kidnapping, aggravated battery with a firearm, attempted homicide, or homicide. Provides that the manufacturer's hotline shall relay vehicle location information, including real-time vehicle location information whenever possible, to the 9-1-1 call center or designated dispatch center for the responding agency, to the best of the manufacturer's technical capability. Requires State, county, and local law enforcement agencies to use their respective 9-1-1 system call centers or designated dispatch centers for the purpose of verification of law enforcement officers' identities and bona fide incident report numbers related to incidents. Requires manufacturers to prepare written statements detailing tracking and disabling system capabilities and make them available to State, county, and local law enforcement agencies upon request. Requires that, if a vehicle is not subscribed to the manufacturer's tracking service, the manufacturer of any vehicle sold in this State shall waive all fees associated with initiating, renewing, reestablishing, or maintaining the location, disabling, or alert service with which the vehicle is equipped during a law enforcement response or investigation of specified offenses.