Creates the Employee Background Fairness Act. Provides that an employer may not refuse to hire an individual and may not discharge an individual because of the individual's criminal history unless the individual has one or more convictions and there is a direct relationship between one of more of an individual's convictions and the specific employment sought. Prohibits retaliation for exercising rights under the Act. Provides that an individual denied or discharged from employment because of his or her criminal history in violation of the Act may recover from the employer in a civil action: (1) damages in the amount of $2,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater; (2) costs and reasonable attorney's fees as allowed by the court; and (3) any other appropriate relief, including punitive damages. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Governor Transition Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the orderly transition of the office of Governor.
Amends the Public Defender and Appointed Counsel Division of the Counties Code. Creates the Public Defender Quality Defense Task Force. Provides that the Task Force is established to: (i) examine the current caseload and determine the optimal caseload for public defenders in the State; (ii) examine the quality of legal services being offered to defendants by public defenders of the State; and (iii) make recommendations to improve the caseload of public defenders and quality of legal services offered by public defenders. Provides that the Task Force shall hold a minimum of 2 public hearings and at other times of its choosing. Provides that the Task Force shall prepare a report that summarizes its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study to the General Assembly and Governor no later than December 31, 2020. Repeals the provisions on December 31, 2021. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (Office of the State Appellate Defender) If the only responsibility to the Agency would be to provide space for meetings, the cost would be minimal because meetings could be held in our Chicago or Springfield office. If the Agency was responsible for administrative costs, travel reimbursement for board members, preparation of meeting materials or research and analysis, the cost could be significantly more. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Removes a requirement that the Governor appoint at least one Task Force member from the Legal Resources Division of the Office of the Cook County Public Defender. Provides that the Governor shall appoint 5 (rather than 3) public defenders or assistant public defenders to the Task Force from 5 (rather than 3) counties other than Cook County.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the owner or operator of any parking lot with 25 or more parking spaces shall maintain at least one parking space designated exclusively for use by veterans of the armed forces of the United States. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act. Provides that a permit for incidental taking under the Act shall not be required if a federal conservation agreement, including, but not limited to, a candidate conservation agreement, habitat conservation plan, or safe harbor agreement that includes conservation practices conducted in the State in effect and approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973. Provides that incidental taking of species that are listed as endangered or threatened by the State only and not listed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall follow the provisions under the Act. Provides that of the remaining appointed members, one member shall be a landowner representing the State's largest general farm organization. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 520 ILCS 10/5.5 520 ILCS 10/6 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act. Provides that a permit for incidental taking under the Act shall not be required: (1) on land that is subject to and for activities that are implemented in compliance with a federal Candidate Conservation Agreement or Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973; or (2) for covered conservation practices conducted in this State within a federal program authorized under a Conference Report under the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 on land subject to that program. Provides that upon an automatic listing of a federally-listed species, the Endangered Species Protection Board shall immediately publish a notice for a public hearing and conduct a hearing within 14 days of the automatic listing. Provides that the listing, delisting, or change of listing status for any non-federally listed species shall be made only after a public hearing. Effective immediately.
Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 25 ILCS 170/1 Adds reference to: 25 ILCS 170/2 from Ch. 63, par. 172 70 ILCS 2605/4.40 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Lobbyist Registration Act. Provides that the Act applies to any person or entity that lobbies the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes. Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. Provides that a sanitary district commissioner, officer, or employee may not appoint, hire, promote, advance, or advocate for the appointment, hiring, employment, promotion, or advancement, in or to a position in any sanitary district, any individual who is a relative of the sanitary district commissioner, officer, or employee and an individual may not be hired if an individual has been advocated for by a sanitary district commissioner, officer, or employee who is a relative of the individual. Prohibits individuals from serving under a related supervisor and from the process to hire, evaluate, or recommend a salary increase for relatives. Mandates certain disclosures relating to relatives. Requires revision of policies or handbooks no later than 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Excludes relatives who are serving in a volunteer capacity or who exclusively provide emergency, medical, firefighting, police services, or any charitable service to the sanitary district.
Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. In the definition of "Energy Efficiency Project", includes measures that decrease the heat rate in the generation of electricity. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In the definition of "energy efficiency", includes measures that decrease the heat rate in the generation of electricity. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 3501/825-65 20 ILCS 3855/1-10 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 3855/1-20 20 ILCS 3855/1-75 30 ILCS 105/5.891 new 220 ILCS 5/16-108 220 ILCS 5/16-111.5 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act, the State Finance Act, and the Public Utilities Act. Provides that this Act may be referred to as the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Act. Authorizes the procurement of renewable energy credits by electric utilities serving more than 300,000 retail customers as of January 1, 2019. Provides for the renewable energy credits to be related to new renewable energy resources installed at the site of electric generation that on January 1, 2019 burned coal as the primary fuel source. Provides for the Illinois Power Agency to manage the procurement of the credits. Establishes the requirements for eligibility for the credits. Requires the electric utilities to file a tariff for the billing and collection of a Coal to Solar Energy Storage Initiative Charge on each kilowatthour of electricity delivered to its delivery services customers within its service territory at specified rates and to deposit a percentage of its collections in the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Incentive and Plant Transition Fund. Establishes the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Incentive and Plant Transition Fund as a special fund in the State treasury to provide transitional support funding to coal-fueled electric utilities participating in the utilization of the renewable energy credits. Effective immediately.
Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. Provides that the board of commissioners of the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago shall: on or before July 1, 2021, divide the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago into 9 commissioner districts and assign the commissioner districts to reflect the results of the most recent federal decennial census; and thereafter, in the year following each federal decennial census, redistrict the commissioner districts to reflect the results of the most recent census. Provides that the commissioner districts shall be compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population to each other district. Provides that one commissioner shall be elected from each commissioner district for a term of 6 years and that the commissioner shall be a resident of the commissioner district from which he or she was elected. Provides that if the corporate limits of the District expands between redistrictings, the board of commissioners shall determine which commissioner district or districts the expanded territory will join until the next redistricting. Provides that the terms of all commissioners serving at the time of the 2022 general election shall continue until the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the month following the 2022 general election or until the 9 new commissioners are elected and qualified, whichever is later. Makes conforming changes. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the introduced bill with the following changes: Provides that the General Assembly (rather than the board of commissioners of the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago) shall divide the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago into 9 commissioner districts on or before July 1, 2021 and redistrict after each federal decennial census. Provides that a redistricting plan created shall be drawn to create crossover districts, coalition districts, or influence districts. Makes conforming changes.
Amends the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Minors and Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products Act. Changes the short title of the Act to the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Persons under 21 Years of Age and Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products Act. Prohibits the sale or furnishing of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, or alternative nicotine products to a person under 21 years of age. Prohibits the purchase of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, or alternative nicotine products by a person under 21 years of age. Makes changes regarding definitions, age verification, penalties, possession, and other matters. Repeals the Smokeless Tobacco Limitation Act. Amends other Acts to make conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2019. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Makes technical changes.
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the organization of the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice.