Rep. Kam Buckner

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In provisions concerning aggregation of electrical load by municipalities, townships, and counties, provides that the report to assess how the aggregation of electrical load by municipalities, townships, and counties can be used to help meet the renewable energy goals outlined in the Act shall contain, at a minimum, an assessment of other states' utilization of load aggregation in meeting renewable energy goals, any known or expected barriers to (rather than in) utilizing load aggregation for meeting renewable energy goals, and recommendations for possible changes in State law necessary for electrical load aggregation to be a driver of new renewable energy project development. Provides that the annual report by the Illinois Power Agency shall include the number (rather than amount) of megawatt hours produced by renewable energy generation capacity physically located in Illinois for the preceding delivery year. Makes another change in the Illinois Procurement Code.

Amends the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2025, no person or entity shall manufacture, sell, deliver, hold, or offer for sale in commerce any cosmetic product that contains specified intentionally added ingredients. Provides an exception to the prohibition. Contains other provisions.

Amends the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act. Removes all references to and the definition of "small employer". Provides that the Act applies to employers with at least one employee (rather than employers with fewer than 25 employees). Requires the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Board to (i) establish annual automatic increases to the contribution rates and (ii) verify employee eligibility for auto-enrollment in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code and applicable federal and State laws. Makes changes regarding penalties for employers who fail, without reasonable cause, to enroll an employee in the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program (Program). Provides that, for purposes of the penalties, the Department of Revenue shall determine total employee count for employers using the annual average from employer-reported quarterly data. Provides that the Department may provide notice regarding penalties in an electronic format to be determined by the Department. Removes a provision authorizing the Department to implement the penalties 9 months after the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Board notifies the Director of Revenue that the Program has been implemented. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that the Act applies to employers with at least 5 employees, rather than at least one employee. (Current law applies to employers with fewer than 25 employees.) Provides that a small employer is an employer that employed less than 5 employees during any quarter of the previous calendar year, rather than less than 25 employees at any one time throughout the previous calendar year. Provides enrollment deadlines. Provides that small employers may, but are not required to, establish payroll deduction arrangements for retirement savings arrangements. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 820 ILCS 80/5 820 ILCS 80/30 820 ILCS 80/60 820 ILCS 80/85 Adds reference to: 820 ILCS 115/15 from Ch. 48, par. 39m-15 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Pension Note, House Floor Amendment No. 3 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) SB 208, as amended by HA 3, will not impact any public pension fund or retirement system in the State of Illinois. State Debt Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 3 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) SB 0208, as amended by House Amendment 3, would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Balanced Budget Note, House Floor Amendment No. 3 (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to Senate Bill 208, as amended by House Amendment 3, 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. Land Conveyance Appraisal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 3 (Dept. of Transportation) No land conveyances are included in Senate Bill 208, House Amendment #3; therefore, there are no appraisals to be filed. Housing Affordability Impact Note, House Floor Amendment No. 3 (Housing Development Authority) This bill will have no effect on the cost of constructing, purchasing, owning, or selling a single-family residence. Correctional Note, House Floor Amendment No. 3 (Dept of Corrections) Corrections Population Impact: None; Fiscal Impact: $68,984,327 over a ten-year period House Floor Amendment No. 4 Deletes reference to: 820 ILCS 115/15 Adds reference to: New Act 30 ILCS 105/5.990 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Requires employers to provide paid leave to employees for any purpose. Sets forth provisions regarding employer responsibilities, unlawful employer practices, and other matters. Provides that an employee who works in this State is entitled to earn and use a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period. Makes it unlawful for an employer to interfere with, restrain, deny, change scheduled work days or hours to avoid paid leave, or discipline an employee for the exercise of any right under the Act. Authorizes the Department of Labor to administer and enforce the Act. Provides for the imposition of civil penalties. Authorizes individuals to file civil actions with respect to violations. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Paid Leave for All Workers Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective January 1, 2024

Amends the Ballots Article of the Election Code. Provides that the governing body of a municipality may adopt, upon submission of a written statement by the municipality's election authority attesting to the administrative ability of the election authority to administer an election using a ranked ballot to the municipality's governing body, an ordinance requiring a ranked vote by mail ballot for municipal and township office candidates to be voted on in the consolidated election or consolidated primary election (rather than only the consolidated election). Provides that the governing body of a municipality may adopt an ordinance allowing any qualified voter to use a ranked vote by mail ballot for any municipal and township election. Sets forth provisions concerning ranked ballots for nonpartisan primary elections. Removes language providing that a ranked ballot shall only be for use by a qualified voter who either is a member of the United States military or will be outside of the United States on the consolidated primary election day and the consolidated election day.

Amends the Election Code. Creates the Rights of Voters Article. Prohibits the imposition or application of a voting qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure by the State or any locality in a manner that results in a denial or abridgment of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote based on race, color, or membership in a language minority. Provides that an election authority must provide election materials in the language of a single language minority if the area or part of an area of the election authority has more than 5% of its eligible voters or 10,000 eligible voters who are members of the single language minority and are unable to speak or understand English adequately to participate in the electoral process. Requires notice of certain changes in the election process and allows for a public comment period. Alternatively, allows the county board or board of election commissioners to submit proposed changes to the Attorney General for implementation. Prohibits the use of an at-large method of election in a manner that impairs the ability of members of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election. Creates the Voter Education and Outreach Fund as a special fund in the State treasury to deposit all penalties and charges related to violations of the provisions. Allows the Attorney General or a member of a language minority to commence a civil action in response to a violation of the provisions. Makes other changes. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Illinois Voting Protection Act.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that on and after: (1) December 31, 2024, all State-owned washing machines must contain a microfiber filtration system; (2) December 31, 2028, no person shall manufacture for sale in this State a washing machine that does not contain a microfiber filtration system; and (3) December 31, 2030, no person shall accept for sale in this State a washing machine that does not contain a microfiber filtration system. Defines terms.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person is not prohibited from photographing his or her own ballot at any time during the voting process or from viewing a photograph of a completed or partially completed ballot. Provides that any person who gives, promises to give, or receives any money or other valuable consideration in connection with the dissemination or viewing of a photograph of a completed or partially completed ballot is guilty of a Class 4 felony. Effective immediately.

Creates the Right to Know Act. Provides that an operator of a commercial website or online service that collects personally identifiable information through the Internet about individual customers residing in Illinois who use or visit its commercial website or online service shall notify those customers of certain specified information pertaining to its personal information sharing practices. Requires an operator to make available certain specified information upon disclosing a customer's personal information to a third party, and to provide an e-mail address or toll-free telephone number whereby customers may request or obtain that information. Provides for a data protection safety plan. Provides for a right of action to customers whose rights are violated under the Act. Provides that any waiver of the provisions of the Act or any agreement that does not comply with the applicable provisions of the Act shall be void and unenforceable. Provides that no provision of the Act shall be construed to conflict with or apply to certain specified provisions of federal law or certain interactions with State or local government. Provides findings and purpose. Defines terms.

Creates the Public Empowerment and Community Act and provides that the Act may be referred to as the PEACE Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and administer the PEACE Grant Pilot Program, subject to appropriation. Requires the Department to award annual grants to eligible grantees to create and strengthen community-based alternatives to law enforcement to lessen the reliance on law enforcement agencies as first responders to crisis situations unrelated to fire department or emergency medical service response. Provides that each grantee shall receive a minimum award of $250,000 per year and that the community-based alternatives may include, but are not limited to, mobile crisis response teams or community paramedicine programs. Requires the Department to prioritize grantees that propose interventions that serve historically marginalized populations and that serve communities with a demonstrated need for community-based alternatives to law enforcement. Contains provisions on grantee requirements and reports; a stakeholder workgroup; a public report by the Department; the Public Empowerment and Community Engagement Program Fund; and other matters. Provides that the Act is repealed on December 31, 2028. Amends the State Finance Act to include the Public Empowerment and Community Engagement Program Fund as a special fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that the Chicago Board of Education shall (rather than may), by majority vote, appoint a general superintendent of schools to serve pursuant to a performance-based contract for a term ending on June 30 of the third calendar year after the appointment. Provides that the general superintendent shall have all of the powers and duties of a chief executive officer as set forth in the Article. Effective immediately.