Rep. Theresa Mah

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for purposes of determining eligibility and the amount of assistance under the Code, the Department of Human Services and local governmental units shall exclude from consideration, for a period of no more than 60 months, any financial assistance, including wages, cash transfers, or gifts, that is provided to a person who is enrolled in a program or research project that is not funded with general revenue funds and that is intended to investigate the impacts of policies or programs designed to reduce poverty, promote social mobility, or increase financial stability for Illinois residents if there is an explicit plan to collect data and evaluate the program or initiative that is developed prior to participants in the study being enrolled in the program and if a research team has been identified to oversee the evaluation. Requires the Department to seek all necessary federal approvals or waivers to implement the provisions of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the Asian American Family Commission Act. Creates the Asian American Family Commission. Provides for the appointment of members to the Commission and terms of membership. Provides that members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for Commission-related expenses. Provides for the appointment of liaisons from specified State agencies to serve as ex officio members of the Commission. Provides that the Office of the Governor, in cooperation with the State agencies appointing liaisons to the Commission, shall provide administrative support to the Commission. Provides for funding to the Commission. Requires the Commission to annually report to the Governor and the General Assembly.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that the Environmental Protection Agency shall provide notice when a permit for a new facility is required.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the conditions of every parole and mandatory supervised release include that the subject: (1) not knowingly frequent (rather than frequent) places where controlled substances are illegally sold, used, distributed, or administered; and (2) except when the association described in (2)(A) or (2)(B) involves activities related to community programs, worship services, volunteering, engaging families, or some other pro-social activity in which there is no evidence of criminal intent: (A) not knowingly associate with other persons on parole or mandatory supervised release without prior written permission of his or her parole agent; or (B) not knowingly associate with persons who are members of an organized gang as that term is defined in the Illinois Streetgang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act. Effective immediately. Correctional Note (Dept of Corrections) There is no fiscal or population impact on the department.

Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Provides that the term "student" within the definition of "educational employee" or "employee" as used in the Act excludes (rather than includes) graduate students who are research assistants primarily performing duties that involve research, graduate assistants primarily performing duties that are pre-professional, graduate students who are teaching assistants primarily performing duties that involve the delivery and support of instruction, or any other graduate assistants. Effective immediately. Correctional Note (Dept of Corrections) There is no fiscal or population impact on the department. Judicial Note (Admin Office of the Illinois Courts) This legislation would neither increase nor decrease the number of judges needed in the State of Illinois. Pension Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 253 amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act in a way that does not affect any pension system. 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. Fiscal Note (Dept of Labor) This legislation has no fiscal impact on the Department of Labor. Land Conveyance Appraisal Note (Dept. of Transportation) No land conveyances are included in this bill; therefore, there are no appraisals to be filed. 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. Balanced Budget Note (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to this bill, 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. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Changes the effective date of the Act to January 1, 2020 (rather than effective immediately).

Amends the Homelessness Prevention Act. Changes certain types of assistance grantees shall offer households to prevent homelessness as follows: (1) payment of a rent or mortgage arrearage (rather than payment of a rent or mortgage arrearage in an amount established as necessary to defeat the eviction or foreclosure, but shall in no event be greater than 3 months of rental or mortgage arrears); (2) payment of a security deposit (rather than payment of a rent deposit or security deposit and payment of not more than 2 months rent or mortgage payments); and (3) payment of rent or mortgage. Provides that in no case shall the total assistance for a household be greater than the equivalent of 6 months of rent or mortgage payments. Provides that, on an annual basis, a grantee's administrative costs and case management expenses shall not exceed 15% of the grant amount it receives.

Amends the University of Illinois Trustees Act. Provides that in order to determine residency status of a potential or current student trustee, the student must provide evidence of the student's Illinois domicile for at least the previous 6 months and either (i) evidence of the student's current, valid Illinois driver's license or Illinois Identification Card or (ii) evidence of the student's valid Illinois voter registration (instead of having evidence of the student's Illinois domicile, Illinois driver's license, and Illinois voter registration positively demonstrate residency). Effective January 1, 2020.

Amends the Chicago Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. For school years beginning on or after July 1, 2019, increases to 120 days (instead of 100 days) the amount of days a service retirement pensioner who is re-employed as a teacher may work without having his or her pension cancelled. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Jury Act. Provides that except as otherwise specifically provided by statute, no person who is qualified and able to serve as a juror may be excluded from jury service in any court of this State on the basis of, among other things, sexual orientation.

Amends the Veterans' and Military Discount Program Act. Provides that veterans, military personnel, and those spouses and dependents of veterans and military personnel who have been issued valid Military ID or Military Dependent ID cards (rather than only veterans and military personnel) may receive a discount on goods and services from participating merchants, or another appropriate money-saving promotion of a merchant's choice, under the Veterans' and Military Discount Program. Effective immediately.