Rep. Justin Slaughter

Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Removes language providing for the compensation of Clerks of the Circuit Court. Provides instead that the salary of a clerk of the circuit court elected or appointed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be set as a percentage of the salary of Judges of the Circuit Court and shall be in the following amounts: in counties where the population is less than 14,000, 55%; in counties where the population is 14,001 to 30,000, 60%; in counties where the population is 30,001 to 60,000, 65%; in counties where the population is 60,001 to 100,000, 70%; in counties where the population is 100,001 to 200,000, 75%; in counties where the population is 200,001 to 300,000, 80%; in counties where the population is 300,001 to 3,000,000, 85%; and in counties where the population is over 3,000,000, 90%. Requires the State to furnish 66 2/3% of the total annual salary to be paid to a clerk of the circuit court, and the county to furnish 33 1/3% of the total annual salary. Provides that if, on the effective date of the amendatory Act, the salary of a clerk is greater than the percentage of the circuit judges salary in the provisions, that circuit clerk's salary shall not be reduced.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that an applicant or licensee under the Act is not in violation of the Act or specified rules and shall not be subject to disciplinary action for operating a gaming device if operation of the gaming device is in compliance with and not considered gambling under the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for the creation of a Gaming Disparity Task Force to conduct a disparity and availability study. Provides that the Task Force shall compile, collect, or otherwise gather data necessary for the determination of the impact on minorities within the video gaming industry. Allows the Task Force to impose fees for the Task Force's operation collected by the Illinois Gaming Board on terminal operations that general more than $5,000,000, including for specified payments to a minority business enterprise-owed terminal operator. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes the definition of "gambling device" to include any vending or other electronic machine or device, including, without limitation, a machine or device that awards credits and contains a circuit, meter, or switch capable of removing and recording the removal of credits that is connected directly or indirectly to the Internet, either by cellular modem, hard wire, or wireless connection, or to a set of interconnected networked devices in order to participate in the game or contest or to receive or retrieve any data related to the device unless the connected device is a redemption vault and does not operate with a self-contained fill system that permits the operation of the device solely determined on a fee basis or the amount of revenue generated, but does not include a system based on time, number of spins or spin equivalent, or other nonrevenue based system, and automatically ceases to operate upon the completion of a pre-determined cycle. Provides that participants in a game of skill or chance where money or other things of value can be won but no payment or purchase is required to participate shall not be convicted of gambling except where participation in such game of skill or chance is accomplished using a gambling device prohibited by law. Provides that a gambling offense involving such a gambling device is a Class 4 felony. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that, if a public institution of higher education or a State agency uses a value-added reseller for the purchase of any information technology hardware under the Code, then that public institution of higher education or State agency may require the value-added reseller to include in its bid an attestation from the manufacturer of the goods stating that the manufacturer offers the goods for sale to all value-added resellers at substantially the same terms that apply to the bidder's purchase of the goods. Requires the Department of Innovation and Technology and the University of Illinois each to include those requirements when making at least one procurement of information technology hardware during State fiscal year 2025. Effective immediately.

Recognizes Joliet Junior College on the successful implementation of its 12x12x12 dual credit program. Commends the community college for continuing to inspire learning, transform lives, and strengthen communities. Encourages community colleges to pursue and implement similar dual credit programs of their own.

Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Act to restore protections for wetlands and small streams that were formerly protected from pollution and destruction by the Clean Water Act. Includes provisions concerning: exemptions; wetlands delineation, classification, notification, permits and veto; general permits; appeal of final decisions made by the Department of Natural Resources and judicial review; investigation and enforcement; and county authority. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Advisory Committee and establishes duties and rules for the Committee. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Fund. Provides for permit review fees. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall create a student teaching stipend program to reduce financial barriers into the teaching profession and increase the quality of the student teaching experience in order to better prepare teaching candidates for the classroom and increase teacher retention. Provides that to participate in the stipend program, an eligible student must be placed as a student teacher. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students who qualify for the stipend program by July 1. Provides that all eligible students shall be enrolled in the stipend program. Provides that subject to available appropriations, the Board shall disburse to each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each eligible student a stipend of up to $10,000 for one academic semester, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Sets forth provisions concerning funding if the amount appropriated for the program is insufficient to fund all eligible students. Provides that subject to available appropriations, the Board shall disburse to each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each eligible cooperating teacher a stipend of up to $1,500 per academic semester, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Provides that a cooperating teacher may receive professional development hours for completing cooperating teacher training that counts toward the cooperating teacher's license renewal or Gateways credential. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student or an eligible teacher from participating in the program or receiving a stipend from the program. Provides that, subject to available appropriations, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the State Board of Education shall report about and evaluate the program to the Governor and General Assembly on or before June 30, 2028 and each June 30 thereafter. Provides for rulemaking.

Creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Pilot Program Act. Creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Fund as a special fund in the State treasury and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Provides that the Fund shall be used by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to encourage and facilitate the employment of construction workforces located in underrepresented populations. Provides that applicants that are applying for a new utility-scale offshore wind project with the Illinois Power Agency shall file with the Department, as part of the applicant's application, an equity and inclusion plan. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In provisions concerning the procurement of renewable energy credits, provides that in addition to the amount of renewable energy credits to be procured from wind projects, the Illinois Power Agency shall procure at least 700,000 renewable energy credits, delivered annually for at least 20 years, from one new utility-scale offshore wind project. In provisions concerning the development of a long-term renewable resources procurement plan, provides that the total of renewable energy resources procured under the procurement plan shall be reduced for all retail customers based on the amount necessary to limit the annual estimated average net increase due to the costs of these resources included in the amounts paid by eligible retail customers in connection with electric service to no more than 4.25% of the amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers during the year ending May 31, 2009, and to no more than 4.5% of that amount as of the billing month following the expected date that a new utility-scale offshore wind project commences commercial operations and is expected to begin delivering power to the PJM Interconnection, LLC transmission grid. Provides that the Agency shall conduct at least one new utility-scale offshore wind procurement within 360 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Defines terms. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Defines terms. Provides that a group policy of accident and health insurance that provides coverage for hospital or medical treatment or services for illness on an expense-incurred basis and that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after January 1, 2025 shall provide coverage, without imposing any cost-sharing requirement, for clinical genetic testing for an inherited gene mutation for individuals with a personal or family history of cancer that is recommended by a health care professional; and evidence-based cancer imaging for individuals with an increased risk of cancer as recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice guidelines. Provides that the requirements do not apply to coverage of genetic testing or evidence-based cancer imaging to the extent such coverage would disqualify a high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health savings account pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.

Creates the Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office Act. Establishes the Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office. Provides that the Office may provide voluntary technical assistance, nonregulatory programs, and incentives, including grants, that increase the ability to anticipate, prepare for, mitigate, adapt to, and respond to hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to drought or the climate. Provides that the Director of Agriculture may promulgate rules necessary for the administration of the Office's assistance, programs, and incentives, including grants. Requires the Director or the Director's designee to conduct a study to examine greenhouse gas reduction and carbon sequestration opportunities in the agricultural sector and in agricultural land management in the State. Includes provisions regarding Office assistance, programs, and incentives; grants; a greenhouse gas offset program; rules; and other Office studies. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a municipality shall receive a waiver from paying a required match to a State grant of State moneys if the municipality meets all the other requirements needed for approval of the grant and submits documentation to the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, in a form and manner prescribed by the Office, that the municipality: (1) has a population under 25,000; (2) has over 13% of its residents under the federal poverty guidelines; (3) has had a negative fund balance within the past 5 years; or (4) has at least twice the debt compared to the retail market value of the municipality's real and personal property and moneys in the municipality's accounts. Effective July 1, 2025.