Rep. Curtis Tarver

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a memorial resolution honoring Evangelist Sammie M. Turner, who recently passed away. It formally records the Illinois House of Representatives' condolences to her family and friends while acknowledging her life as a community leader, educator, and church member. The document outlines her career with the Chicago Park District and her extensive service in Baptist churches, noting her roles as a Bible teacher and mission worker. Upon adoption, the resolution directs that a copy be presented to her family as an official expression of sympathy.

Encourages the utilization of small, diverse, and veteran-owned firms, as M/WBE and DBE programs have demonstrated success in promoting economic opportunity, equity and access. Supports federal DBE standards and programs to ensure the success of the Illinois Department of Transportation's DBE Program. Urges Congress to take action to protect the USDOT DBE program and M/WBE and DBE programs overall.

Urges the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to continue taking appropriate action to facilitate equitable access to adolescent and adult vaccinations, including establishing appropriate programs and initiatives to raise public awareness on the importance of adolescent and adult vaccinations. Urges the IDPH to continue working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in-state healthcare providers, and patients to implement an effective and actionable state immunization strategy that includes adult immunizations. Urges the IDPH to continue increasing community resilience to communicable and other emerging disease threats. Urges the IDPH to continue determining goals on which to center the immunization plan. Urges the IDPH to continue exploring federal funding opportunities and partnerships to support vaccine awareness and access programs aligned with the goals established in the state immunization strategy.

Amends the Court of Claims Act. Deletes language regarding the amount a court shall award to a person for time unjustly served in prison when the person imprisoned received a pardon on the ground of innocence of the crime for which he or she was imprisoned or he or she received a certificate of innocence. Provides instead that the court shall award $50,000 per year during which the person was wrongfully imprisoned and shall prorate that amount for a fraction of a year that the person was wrongfully imprisoned, including the number of years the person was awaiting trial. Provides that the court shall award attorney's fees in an amount not to exceed 25% of the award granted. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to all claims pending or filed on or after the effective date. Effective immediately.

Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Provides for a uniform standard of contract goals for State agencies, public institutions of higher education, and other departments. Specifies further requirements concerning the uniform standard of contract goals. Provides that the Secretary of the Business Enterprise Council for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities shall have the duty to establish an enforcement procedure whereby the Council may recommend to the appropriate State legal officer that the State exercise its legal remedies which shall include, among other legal remedies, the imposition of a penalty in the amount of the discrepancy between the commitment contained in a utilization plan, as such amount may be amended over the term of the contract, and the qualifying payments made to the eligible certified vendors listed in the utilization plan. Provides that the terms of every contract entered into by a State agency or public institution of higher education for purposes of the Act shall include a provision requiring vendors who fail to comply with a utilization plan to return all funds paid to that vendor with an expectation of compliance. Provides that the Council may (rather than shall) grant a waiver when the contractor demonstrates that there has been a good faith effort to comply with the goals for participation by businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Makes conforming and other changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. In provisions allowing a person in lawful possession or control of private property to employ a commercial relocator to remove a vehicle that obstructs the person's ability to enter or exit the property if written notice is posted at the property, removes language providing that the provisions shall not be construed as prohibiting any unit of local government from imposing additional or greater notice requirements. Provides that a home rule unit may not regulate the removal of an unauthorized vehicle by an owner or other person in lawful possession or control of private property in a manner inconsistent with the provisions.

Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Provides that an electrical corporation which operates in the State shall upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems in order to achieve the State's decarbonization standards. Provides that an electrical corporation shall be adequately staffed and recruit, train, and retain further staff as needed. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall establish reasonable average and maximum target energization time periods. Provides that the Commission shall establish requirements for an electrical corporation to report to the Commission, at least annually, to track and improve electrical corporation performance. Provides that the Commission shall require an electrical corporation to establish a dedicated electrification team. Sets forth requirements for an electrical corporation to consider when engaging in the annual distribution planning process. Provides that, in its site evaluation and design process, the Commission shall require an electrical corporation to consider flexible interconnection to defer or mitigate energization-related grid upgrades, but, if the solutions cannot defer or mitigate an upgrade, the corporation may evaluate traditional system upgrades. Provides that an electrical corporation may recover costs. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $4,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for a grant to an organization that manages a state-wide coordinated strategy that includes, but is not limited to, the following services: data analytics, multi-channel marketing, live professional coaching, and a platform-based user experience to re-enroll State residents with some college and no credential into public higher education, apprenticeship, and workforce training programs. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that no contributory fault may be attributed to a plaintiff bringing an action for damages for personal injury based on childhood sexual abuse as defined. Effective immediately.