Rep. Jen Gong-Gershowitz

Creates the Right to Read Act. Provides that the State Board of Education shall offer support: to each public school district to select evidence-based core reading instruction programs and implement them using structured literacy instruction; and to each early childhood, elementary, and special education teacher, reading specialist, literacy coach, and administrator to complete evidence-based training in teaching reading. Requires the State Board of Education to annually compile and post on its website information on the steps it has undertaken to support school districts to deliver high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction, including a list of any Early Literacy Grant recipients, documentation of how the recipient allocated the funding to support improved literacy, and what evidence-based literacy curricula the recipient is utilizing. Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning educator testing, requires applicants seeking specified licenses to pass a test in reading foundations, which shall include assessment of the applicant's understanding of phonological and phonemic awareness, concepts of print and the alphabetic principle, the role of phonics in promoting reading development, word analysis skills and strategies, vocabulary development, application of reading comprehension skills and strategies, and methods for assessing reading development. In provisions concerning minimum requirements for educators trained in other states or countries, provides that an applicant who has successfully completed a reading foundations test of at least comparable rigor to the Illinois reading foundations test is not required to complete a reading foundations test. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that a petitioner may petition the circuit court to expunge the records of his or her arrests and charges not initiated by arrest when each arrest or charge not initiated by arrest sought to be expunged resulted in: (1) an order of misdemeanor diversion under the Unified Code of Corrections, and the diversion program was successfully completed by the petitioner; or (2) a conviction for possession of certain specified amounts of a controlled substance; (3) a conviction for possessing less than 5 grams of methamphetamine; or (4) a conviction where the statutory penalty changed as a result of a resentencing hearing under the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Changes the penalties for the manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, or possession of a controlled substance. Amends the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act. Changes the penalties for methamphetamine delivery or possession. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that a person serving a sentence, including a sentence of probation, for an offense for which the statutory penalty has been subsequently reduced under the amendatory Act to petition the trial court that entered the judgment of conviction to request resentencing in accordance with the statutory penalty in effect at the time of the filing of the petition. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to create a Misdemeanor Diversion Program. Fiscal Note (Admin Office of the Illinois Courts) HB3447 amends the Criminal Identification Act regarding expungements. Based on a review of the bill, it has been determined that the proposed legislation would have no fiscal impact on the state appropriation to the judicial branch. It is not possible to determine what fiscal impact, if any, the bill would have on local judicial budgets.

Repeals the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995. Makes corresponding changes in the Counties Code, the Medical Practice Act of 1987, and the Consent by Minors to Health Care Services Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall provide coverage for aesthetic services and restorative care provided for the treatment of physical injuries to victims of domestic violence when medically necessary as determined by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches. Defines "domestic violence". Makes a conforming change in the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Deletes language providing that "employee" does not include members of the immediate personal staffs of elected public officials.

Amends the Life Care Facilities Act. Provides that a resident is entitled to be represented by at least one resident voting member on the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the resident's provider. Requires a provider with more than one facility to seat as a member on the provider's board of directors or equivalent governing body at least one resident from each of the provider's facilities in the State. Provides that a resident has the right to self-organization. Prohibits reprisal by a provider in response to specified activities. Requires a provider's board of directors or equivalent governing body to (1) hold quarterly meetings to discuss specified subjects and (2) consult and discuss with a facility's residents or the representatives of a facility's residents any proposed action that might significantly affect the well-being of the facility's residents or the financial stability of the facility before taking the proposed action. Requires the Department of Public Health to ensure that providers comply with the provisions by instituting a penalty for noncompliance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for an employer who hires a qualified employee to work at a location in the State. Sets forth the amount of the credit. Provides that the credit shall be increased if (i) the qualified employee is hired to work at a location in a disproportionately impacted area or (ii) on the date the qualified employee is hired, the qualified employee resides in a disproportionately impacted area. Limits the total amount of income tax credits that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may issue over the duration of the program. Provides that the term "qualified employee" means a resident of the State who is hired by the taxpayer to fill a full-time net new job and was unemployed as a result of COVID-19 prior to the date he or she was hired by the taxpayer. Provides that the term "qualified employee" does not include an individual who was furloughed by the taxpayer. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits sexual assault by deception if the person commits an act of sexual penetration and the person submits under the belief that the person committing the act is someone known to the victim other than the accused, and this belief is induced by pretense or concealment by the accused with the intent to induce that belief. Sexual assault by deception is a Class 3 felony.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2022, a store may not sell or distribute in this State a disposable food service container that is composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt rules to implement the amendatory Act's provisions. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 415 ILCS 5/52.10 new Adds reference to: 415 ILCS 5/52.11 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that the prohibition regarding polystyrene foam food service containers shall not apply to specified entities until one year after the amendatory Act's effective date. Removes language requiring the Agency to adopt rules to implement the provisions. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Prohibits contests or competitions with the objective of taking any fur-bearing mammal. Provides an exception for field trials. Provides that a person who violates the new provisions is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and subject to a fine of no less than $500 and no more than $5,000 in addition to other statutory penalties.