Rep. Lisa Hernandez

Amends the School Code. Provides that every public elementary school shall include in its 6th, 7th, or 8th grade curriculum, beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, at least one semester of civics education; specifies course content requirements and requires the education to be in accordance with Illinois Learning Standards for social science. Allows school districts to consult with civics education stakeholders, as deemed appropriate by the State Board of Education. Allows school districts to utilize private funding available for the purposes of offering civics education. Effective July 1, 2019. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year (rather than the 2019-2020 school year), every public elementary school shall include in its 6th, 7th, or 8th grade curriculum at least one semester of civics education. Changes the effective date of the Act to July 1, 2020 (rather than July 1, 2019).

Creates the Limited Cooperative Association Act. Authorizes the organization of a limited cooperative association, as an entity distinct from its members, for any lawful purpose, whether or not for profit. Provides that a limited cooperative association may be a collective worker cooperative in which there is only one class of members consisting of worker-members who manage all of the affairs of the limited cooperative association or a worker cooperative or employment cooperative that includes a class of worker-members who are natural persons whose patronage consists of labor contributed to or other work performed for the limited cooperative association. Contains provisions regarding: findings; formation; articles of organization; organization; bylaws; members; community investors; voting; a board of directors; an assembly; dissolution; conversion; and applicability of securities laws. Amends the Co-operative Act and the Illinois Securities Law of 1953 to make conforming changes. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Changes the short title of the new Act to the Limited Worker Cooperative Association Act. Authorizes the establishment of limited worker cooperative associations rather than limited cooperative associations. Eliminates patron members as a form of membership. Provides for multi-stakeholder cooperatives. Changes the effective date to January 1, 2020.

Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning rules. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 115 ILCS 5/9 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 110/3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act to require the instruction on mental health and illness to evaluate the multiple dimensions of health by reviewing the relationship between physical and mental health so as to enhance student understanding, attitudes, and behaviors that promote health, well-being, and human dignity.

Amends the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act. Provides that training requirements for permanent employment as a fire fighter shall include training in the history of the fire service labor movement using curriculum and instructors provided by a statewide organization representing professional union firefighter in the State. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act. Provides that training for firefighters hired under the Illinois Municipal Code and the Fire Protection District Act shall include the history of the fire service labor movement using curriculum provided by a statewide organization representing professional union firefighters in the State. Provides that the organization may also provide instructors. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (State Fire Marshal) This bill will have no fiscal impact on the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal. State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does create a State mandate. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 50 ILCS 740/8 Adds reference to: 50 ILCS 740/12.7 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act. Provides that the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall distribute via its website or other electronic format an educational program for fire fighters in the history of the fire service labor movement provided by a statewide organization representing professional union fire fighters in the State. Provides that entities responsible for the training of fire fighters may request that the training program be presented in person by a statewide organization representing professional union fire fighters by contacting the organization. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 50 ILCS 740/12.7 new Adds reference to: 50 ILCS 740/12.6 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act. Provides that the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall maintain on its website a link to an educational program or literature for fire fighters in the history of the fire service labor movement. Provides that the training shall be completed by each fire fighter. Provides that entities responsible for the training of fire fighters may request that such educational program be presented in person by a statewide organization representing professional union fire fighters in the State. Defines "fire fighter". Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. With regard to the textbook block grant program, provides that the textbooks authorized to be purchased must include the roles and contributions of all people protected under the Illinois Human Rights Act and must be non-discriminatory as to any of the characteristics under the Act. Provides that textbooks purchased with grant funds must be non-discriminatory. Provides that in public schools only, the teaching of history of the United States shall include a study of the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State. Effective July 1, 2020. Balanced Budget Note (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to House Bill 246, as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. Correctional Note (Dept of Corrections) There is no fiscal or population impact on the Department of Corrections. Land Conveyance Appraisal Note (Dept. of Transportation) No land conveyances are included in House Bill 246; therefore, there are no appraisals to be filed. State Debt Impact Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) This bill would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued or State-supported bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Judicial Note (Admin Office of the Illinois Courts) This bill would neither increase nor decrease the number of judges needed in the State of Illinois. Pension Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) This bill does not impact any public pension fund or retirement system in Illinois. Housing Affordability Impact Note (Housing Development Authority) This bill will have no effect on the cost of constructing, purchasing, owning, or selling a single-family residence. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate. Home Rule Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not pre-empt home rule authority. Fiscal Note (IL State Board of Education) This bill will not have a fiscal impact on the State Board of Education.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer an adult vocational community college scholarship program. Provides that beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for scholarships to community colleges for people over the age of 30 who have been unemployed and are actively searching for employment and who can identify the specific training certificate, credential, or associate degree that he or she is seeking to obtain. Allows applicants to re-apply for the scholarship if they can demonstrate continual progress toward the desired certificate, credential, or degree. Provides that scholarships shall not exceed $2,000 per recipient per academic year. Allows the Commission to establish appropriate applications and forms. Requires the Commission to adopt all necessary and proper rules to implement the program. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 820 ILCS 405/1900 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following change. Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act to require the Director of Employment Security to make information available, upon request, to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for the purpose of determining eligibility for the adult vocational community college scholarship program under the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides that if funds appropriated for the adult vocational community college scholarship program are insufficient to provide grants to each eligible applicant, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission may prioritize the distribution of grants based on factors that include an applicant's financial need, duration of unemployment, prior level of educational attainment, or date of application.

Amends the Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families Act. Increases the membership of the Task Force on Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families to include 2 persons who each serve as a chief executive officer or chief administrator of a private sector child welfare provider. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services (rather than the Children and Family Research Center of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) to provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Requires the Department to engage the services of the Children and Family Research Center to aid in the collection, cataloguing, and analysis of child welfare data. Extends the deadline date by which the Task Force must submit certain reports to the Governor and the General Assembly concerning the State's child welfare workforce. Changes the date the Task Force is dissolved from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2022. Changes the date the Act is repealed from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2022. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that the Task Force on Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families shall include the following members: (i) one person appointed by the Governor who represents a non-profit, statewide organization that represents private sector child welfare providers (rather than a person representing a non-profit, statewide organization that represents private sector child welfare providers); and (ii) 2 persons appointed by the Governor who each serve as a chief executive officer or chief administrator of a private sector child welfare provider (rather than 2 persons who each serve as a chief executive officer or chief administrator of a private sector child welfare provider).

Amends the Survivor Support and Trafficking Prevention Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Repeals a provision making the Article inoperative on and after June 30, 2019. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 305 ILCS 5/16-7 rep. Adds reference to: 305 ILCS 5/16-7 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Survivor Support and Trafficking Prevention Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the provisions of the Article are inoperative on and after June 30, 2022 (rather than June 30, 2019). Effective immediately.

Amends the Equitable Restrooms Act. Provides that all restrooms that are open and accessible to the public in a public building shall be equipped with baby changing facilities that are physically safe, sanitary, and usable for that purpose. Provides that the requirement is in addition to any accommodations that may be made for individuals in accordance with any local, State, or federal laws regarding access for persons with disabilities and to existing fire, health, and safety codes or standards. Defines "public building". Makes a conforming change. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 410 ILCS 35/20 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Equitable Restrooms Act. Requires every public building with restrooms open and accessible to the public to have at least one safe, sanitary, convenient, and publicly accessible baby diaper changing station that is accessible to women entering a restroom provided for use by women and one that is accessible to men entering a restroom provided for use by men, or at least one such baby diaper changing station that is accessible to both men and women. Provides exceptions to the requirement for: industrial buildings, nightclubs, or bars that do not permit anyone who is under 18 years of age to enter the premises; restrooms located in a health facility, if the restroom is intended for the use of one patient or resident at a time; and renovations, if a local building permitting entity or building inspector determines that the installation of a baby diaper changing station is not feasible or would result in a failure to comply with applicable building standards governing the right of access for persons with disabilities. Requires a public restroom that is open and accessible to the public and includes a baby diaper changing station to include signage at or near the entrance to the baby changing station indicating the location of the baby diaper changing station. Provides that the requirements are not enforceable by a private right of action.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that it is an aggravating factor in sentencing for first degree murder that the murdered individual was a member of a congregation engaged in prayer or other religious activities at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship. Provides that assault and battery committed in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship are enhanced to aggravated assault or aggravated battery. Provides that the penalty for aggravated assault under this provision is a Class A misdemeanor. Provides that aggravated battery under this provision is a Class 1 felony when the person causes great bodily harm or permanent disability to an individual whom the person knows to be a member of a congregation engaged in prayer or other religious activities at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship. Provides that a person also commits the offense of unlawful use of weapons when the person knowingly carries or possesses with intent to use the same unlawfully against another, any firearm, knife, or other dangerous weapon, in any school church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship. Provides that a violation is a Class 2 felony. Makes technical changes. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill, except: (1) provides that aggravated battery committed by knowingly causing great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement is a Class 2 felony (rather than a Class 1 felony in the engrossed bill) when the person causes great bodily harm or permanent disability to an individual whom the person knows to be a member of a congregation engaged in prayer or other religious activities at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship; and (2) provides that the offense of unlawful use of weapons also includes carrying or possessing with intent to use the same unlawfully against another, any firearm (rather than any firearm, knife, or other dangerous weapon in the engrossed bill) in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other building, structure, or place used for religious worship (deletes school).