Rep. Justin Slaughter

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that any person criminally prosecuted and incarcerated for 30 days or longer prior to trial for one or more felonies by the State which he or she did not commit may file a petition for a certificate of innocence. Provides that the petitioner must prove that: the petitioner was incarcerated prior to trial in a prosecution that resulted in an acquittal or dismissal; the prosecution did not result in a conviction of a lesser included offense; the petitioner is innocent of the charges on which the petitioner's pretrial detention was based, or the charges did not constitute a felony or misdemeanor; and the petitioner did not by his or her own conduct voluntarily cause or bring about the charges that resulted in his or her pretrial incarceration. Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that a person who has been issued a certificate of innocence may file a claim against the State for time unjustly served in pretrial incarceration in a county jail. Provides that the Court of Claims 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 (rather than "the amount of the award is at the discretion of the court; and provided, the court shall make no award in excess of the following amounts: for imprisonment of 5 years or less, not more than $85,350; for imprisonment of 14 years or less but over 5 years, not more than $170,000; for imprisonment of over 14 years, not more than $199,150"). Provides that the court shall include the number of years the person was imprisoned awaiting trial in its determination and an additional $25,000 for each year served on parole, probation, or registered as a sex offender after imprisonment. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, all internships for school social workers must be paid internships. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to school districts to assist in the funding of these paid internships. Provides that the State Board of Education shall annually disseminate a request for applications to the grant program. Provides that higher priority shall be given to schools that demonstrate a shortage of school social workers, which is determined by the average ratio of school social workers to students in the target school district over the preceding 3 school years. Provides that the State Board of Education shall produce an annual report on the program. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to colleges and universities in this State to fund field placements for social workers. Provides that, subject to appropriation, colleges and universities shall annually disseminate a request for applications from students under the grant program. Provides that colleges and universities, upon receiving funding, shall provide applications to students eligible for this funding. Provides that a college or university shall give priority to applicants who are members of a racial minority. Provides that each college or university that receives funds shall provide an annual report to the Board of Higher Education, and the Board of Higher Education shall post those reports on the Board's website. Effective immediately.

Amends the Cigarette Tax Act. Makes changes concerning the distribution of moneys collected pursuant to (i) the Cigarette Tax Act, (ii) the Cigarette Use Tax Act, and (iii) the tax imposed on little cigars under the Tobacco Products Tax Act of 1995. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Changes all references in the General Provisions Article and the Abused, Neglected or Dependent Minors Article of the Act from "reasonable efforts" to "active efforts". Defines "active efforts" as efforts that are affirmative, active, thorough, timely and intended to maintain or reunite a child with the child's family and represent a higher standard of conduct than reasonable efforts. Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that a person shall not be considered an unfit person for the sole reason that the Department of Children and Family Services or its assign has been found to have not made active efforts as defined in the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 during any period during the pendency of the case at hand.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that if the minor has multiple delinquency petitions filed against him or her, remaining petitions pending against the minor respondent shall be adjudicated within 120 (rather than 160) days from the date on which a finding relative to the first petition prosecuted is rendered. Restructures the provisions concerning alleged delinquent minors and pretrial detention of alleged delinquent minors.

Amends the Department of Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Revenue shall develop an automated filing process to allow individuals who are eligible for the federal and State earned income tax credit but who earn less than the federal income tax filing thresholds to easily claim their State earned income tax credit with support from the Department of Human Services, the Department of Employment Security, and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Effective immediately.

Amends the Labor Dispute Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Creates the Police Department Promotion Act. Requires municipal police departments and sheriff departments to make promotions in accordance with the Act. Requires the preparation and publishing of promotion lists. Sets components that may be included in the promotion process. Sets requirements for written examinations, the award of seniority points, the award of ascertained merit points, subjective evaluations, and the award of veterans' preferences. Sets penalties for violations of the Act. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Contains other provisions. Amends the Counties Code and Illinois Municipal Code to make conforming changes. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Changes the definition of "supervisor". Provides that, in police units, if employees consist of sworn officers serving as shift commander or below, each shift commander, regardless of sworn rank, is a "supervisor" if he or she is responsible for several police officers, one or more units or teams, or an entire shift. Provides that, if there is no sworn rank between that of chief or sheriff and the highest ranked sworn shift commander, the employer may designate a single exempt shift commander position on each shift as a "supervisor". Specifies that each sworn or exempt rank above that of a designated exempt shift commander is a "supervisor".

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that the court shall not order any assessments, such as fees, fines, or administrative costs, except for assessments made in traffic, boating, or fish and game law, or municipal ordinance violations as provided in the Act, against a minor subject to the Minors Requiring Authoritative Intervention Article, Addicted Minors Article, or Delinquent Minors Article of the Act or against the minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Provides that, except for assessments made in traffic, boating, or fish and game law, or municipal ordinance violations as provided in the Act, any judgment, order, agreement, or other legally enforceable encumbrance directing a minor or his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian to pay assessments prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act is null, void, and not collectible if there remains a balance due, including interest, penalties, or collection fees. Provides that, if the court orders community service for the minor, community service shall not interfere with the school hours, school-related activities, or work commitments of the minor or the minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Provides that the court shall not order a minor or the minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian to pay costs relating to any sentencing order, including any fee, fine, or administrative cost authorized under certain provisions of the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the inability of a minor, or minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian, to cover the costs associated with an appropriate sentencing order shall not be the basis for the court to enter a sentencing order incongruent with the court's findings regarding the offense on which the minor was adjudicated or the mitigating factors. Provides that, one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts shall report to the General Assembly: (1) the number of judgments, orders, agreements, or other legally enforceable encumbrances vacated pursuant to this provision in each judicial district; and (2) the total balances of fees, fines, and administrative costs vacated in each judicial district. Makes other changes. Amends other Acts to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.