Rep. Kam Buckner

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a voucher program to promote the use of electric vehicles by offering, subject to appropriation, a voucher in specified amounts per electric vehicle purchased or leased. Requires vouchers to be (1) made available for electric vehicles that are registered in Illinois or recognized under the International Registration Plan, (2) issued only to applicants who have a primary residence in Illinois, and (3) made available for direct purchases, purchases through third-party bulk orders, and leasing of electric vehicles. Provides that an applicant shall submit a proof of purchase, lease, or other binding contract regarding the electric vehicle in order to be awarded the voucher. Contains other requirements. Defines "electric vehicle". Contains other provisions.

Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Provides that school personnel may not refer a student to any other local public entity, school public resource officer, or peace officer for the purpose of a local public entity issuing the child a fine or a fee for an incident or behavior that has been or can be pursued through the school district's available disciplinary interventions and consequences. Amends the School Board and Compulsory Attendance Articles of the School Code to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "digitized driver's license" and provides that a person may drive a motor vehicle if in possession of a digitized driver's license. Provides that a person shall not be issued a citation for driving a motor vehicle without a physical driver's license in his or her possession if the person presents a digitized driver's license to a law enforcement officer in connection with a traffic stop or checkpoint. Provides that the display of a digitized driver's license shall not serve as consent or authorization for a law enforcement officer, or any other person, to search, view, or access any other data or application on the mobile device, and that the fee to install the application to display a digitized driver's license shall not exceed $6. Effective immediately.

Creates the Second Chance Public Health and Safety Act and amends the Freedom of Information Act, the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, and the Unified Code of Corrections. Contains declarations and findings. Creates the Department of Returning Resident Affairs and sets forth its powers in relation to returning residents (residents who have been detained, are defendants in criminal prosecutions, are incarcerated, or have been incarcerated) and other matters. Provides that the Department shall develop and administer the Second Chance State Program for returning residents and provides for the establishment of hub sites to provide specified services to eligible individuals and other elements of the Program. Provides for the appointment of a Director of Returning Resident Affairs who has experience working with or for a community-based organization and was incarcerated in an Illinois Department of Corrections facility for not less than one year, as well as an Assistant Director and a General Counsel. Contains provisions regarding other matters. Provides that the provisions of the Act are severable. Effective immediately.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Large Event Waste Law. Amends the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act. Provides that, on and after January 1, 2025, an owner or operator of an event facility that has a maximum legal capacity or occupancy of at least 3,000 persons and that receives funding from the State of Illinois shall participate in the recycling program established by the county in which the event facility is located and shall send recyclable materials to a recycling center. Defines "event facility".

Amends the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. Provides that a day and temporary labor service agency must provide an application receipt to applicants who seek a work assignment. Provides that a day or temporary laborer has the right to refuse an assignment to a place where a strike, a lockout, or other labor trouble exists. Provides that a day or temporary laborer who is assigned to work at a third party client for more than one week shall be paid not less than the average rate of pay and equivalent benefits as directly hired employees of the third party client performing the same or substantially similar work. Provides for a right of action by interested parties for civil penalties against a day and temporary labor service agency. Provides for protections against abusive contracts. Makes changes in provisions concerning recordkeeping; wage payment and notices; work restrictions; registration; violations; enforcement; penalties; third party clients; retaliation; and private rights of action. Defines terms. Effective July 1, 2023.

Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that for any person applying a pesticide that results in exposure to the pesticide by a human, the penalty shall be $2,500. Provides that an additional penalty of $1,000 shall be assessed for each individual human exposed to the pesticide. Effective immediately.

Amends the Early Childhood Workforce Act. Creates the Early Childhood Workforce Standards Board (Board). Provides that Board members must be appointed within 60 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Sets forth the Board's membership. Provides that for State Fiscal Year 2025, and for each state fiscal year thereafter, the Board shall: (1) determine an hourly wage floor, and salaried equivalent, for workers in State-funded early childhood programs which the Board believes will serve to recruit and retain early childhood workers; and (2) determine minimum increments above the wage floor as may be necessary to retain workers in State-funded early childhood programs such as for years of experience or job title. Provides that subject to appropriation, beginning in State Fiscal Year 2025 the Department of Human Services shall implement and administer a program making grants to early childhood worker training programs that value experience, inclusion, equity, and racial justice; and center worker voices and needs such as mentorship, apprenticeships, and peer-led learning. Amends the School Code. Provides that in order to ensure the quality and continuity of services, within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, all grant agreements shall require each child care center to (i) comply with the wage floor and compensation policies set forth in the Early Childhood Workforce Act, (ii) report quarterly up-to-date contact information for staff to the Department to allow the State Board of Education to communicate with the workers about their rights and supports available to them, (iii) supply the State Board of Education with current copies of its wage scales for classroom and support staff and other matters, and (iv) reconcile expenses quarterly and annually submit a year-end comprehensive financial report in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education. Imposes similar requirements on child care centers in a purchase of service contract with the Department of Human Services under its Child Care Assistance Program.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. In a provision requiring workers to be appropriately trained to provide services under the Community Care Program, provides that only training curriculum approved by the Department on Aging may be used to fulfill training requirements for workers who provide in-home services. Requires the curriculum to consist of 24 hours of pre-service training and 12 hours of annual in-service training. Provides that the Department shall only approve training curriculum that (i) has been developed with input from consumer and worker representatives, and (ii) requires comprehensive instruction by qualified instructors on the required competencies and training topics. Provides that changes to the competencies, curriculum topics, or instructor qualifications shall be made only with input and approval of the Home Care Worker Training Subcommittee of the Community Care Program Advisory Committee. Provides that no person may perform in-home services under a program authorized under the Act unless that person has received pre-service training and remains current on his or her annual in-service training. Provides that pre-service training hours and in-service training hours shall be paid at the worker's regular rate of pay. Provides that starting no later than July 1, 2024, workers who have met the requirements to perform in-home services and the records of trainings they have completed shall be placed on the Health Care Worker Registry maintained by the Department of Public Health. Creates the Home Care Worker Training Subcommittee within the Community Care Program Advisory Committee. Provides that the purpose of the Subcommittee is to address the challenges of recruiting, training, and retaining the home care workforce needed to meet growing demand. Sets forth the Subcommittee's membership and its responsibilities. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the utilities shall implement energy efficiency measures targeted at low-income households and the amount of expenditures in the utilities' annual energy efficiency program budget to implement these targeted measures shall be, at a minimum, proportional to the percentage of low-income customers within the utilities' service territory. Provides specified requirements for who qualifies as a low-income customer. Provides that a utility shall not disconnect service of: (1) low-income customers 65 years of age or older due to inability to afford the monthly bill; (2) low-income customers with children in the household under the age of 6 due to inability to afford the monthly bill; and (3) customers who have provided a medical certification exemption. Provides that if gas or electricity is used as the only source of space cooling, then a utility with over 100,000 residential customers may not terminate gas or electric utility service to the residential user, including all tenants of mastermetered apartment buildings: (1) on any day when the National Weather Service forecast for the following 24 hours covering the area of the utility in which the residence is located includes a forecast that the temperature or heat index will be 85 (rather than 95) degrees Fahrenheit or above; or (2) on any day preceding or during a holiday or weekend when a forecast indicates that the temperature or heat index will be 85 (rather than 95) degrees Fahrenheit or above during the holiday or weekend. Makes changes to provisions concerning: the Commission's annual report; notice of termination of service; utility credit reporting; consideration of attorney and expert compensation as an expense and intervenor compensation fund; prohibition against preference or prejudice to any corporation; proceedings, investigations, or hearings conducted by the Commission; complaints and notice; and automatic adjustment clause tariffs. Makes other and corresponding changes.