Rep. Will Davis

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 alleviate the financial burden of student teaching and to encourage students to pursue teaching careers to alleviate this State's teacher shortage. Provides that to participate in the stipend program, an eligible student must be placed as a student teacher no later than June 1, 2025 or no later than June 1 each year thereafter. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students who qualify for the stipend program by July 1, 2025 and no later than July 1 each year thereafter and all eligible students shall be participants in the stipend program. Provides that no later than August 1, 2025 and no later than August 1 each year thereafter, 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 per semester for up to 2 consecutive semesters, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Provides that the educator preparation program shall distribute stipend funds using the standard methods for allocating State-based financial aid or as wages for employment to each eligible student in monthly installments. Sets forth additional provisions concerning the distribution of funds. Provides for rulemaking.

Creates the Endow Illinois Tax Credit Act. Provides that the Department of Revenue shall award income tax credits to taxpayers who provide an endowment gift to a permanent endowment fund during the taxable year and receive a certificate of receipt for that gift. Provides that the credit is equal to 25% of the endowment gift. Contains provisions setting forth maximum credit amounts. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to require an addition modification equal to the amount of any federal deduction claimed for an endowment gift for which a taxpayer receives a credit under the Endow Illinois Tax Credit Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Reaffirms commitment to the strengthening and deepening of the sister-state ties between the State of Illinois and Taiwan, R.O.C. Reaffirms support for the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) and supports Illinois businesses to refer to Taiwan, R.O.C. as Taiwan. Endorses Taiwan's efforts to secure the signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (ADTA), and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) with the United States and reiterates support for a closer economic and trade partnership between the State of Illinois and Taiwan. Expresses continued support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations that impact the health, safety, and well-being of the people of Taiwan and supports Taiwan's aspiration to make more contributions in international societies.

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.

Creates the Child Labor Law of 2024. Reinserts provisions of the Child Labor Law. Sets forth additional provisions concerning definitions; exemptions; employer requirements; restrictions on employment of minors; employment certificates; civil penalties; and criminal penalties. Repeals the Child Labor Law. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2025, except provisions concerning minors featured in vlogs and trust funds are effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school nurse or other designated person employed by a school district shall remove a tick from a student in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Public Health. After the tick has been removed, requires (i) the school nurse or other designated person to notify the parent or guardian of the student (and sets forth what the notice must state), (ii) the school to provide the parent or guardian with an information sheet from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Public Health regarding the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever and testing labs for ticks, and (iii) the school to preserve the tick for 72 hours so that the parent or guardian may send the tick to a lab for testing and provide information to the parent or guardian on how to send the tick to a lab for testing (but allows the parent or guardian to give the school permission to dispose of the tick before the 72-hour time period has expired). Provides that the Department of Public Health shall issue guidelines on how to remove a tick, publish those guidelines on the Department of Public Health's Internet website, and, in consultation with the State Board of Education, provide the guidelines to school districts. Provides that a school district and its employees and agents shall incur no liability, except for willful or wanton conduct, as a result of any injury arising from the removal of a tick if the removal of the tick followed the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Health. Effective July 1, 2024.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county may establish goals to promote minority-owned and operated businesses, women-owned and operated businesses, businesses owned and operated by persons with disabilities, and businesses located within the county.

Creates the Government Contract Retainage Act. Defines terms, including that "retainage" means a portion of money withheld from the payment of a contract for a specified period of time to ensure that a contractor or subcontractor finishes a construction project completely and finishes in the manner specified in the contract. Provides that interest shall accrue monthly on the first day of each month on retainage withheld by a governmental unit at a specified rate set by the State Treasurer. Requires retainage withheld by a governmental unit to be paid not more than 60 days after being retained, including interest accrued, unless the retainage was withheld on the last pay period of a project shall, which shall be paid not more than 120 days after being retained. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to implement a Child Care Collaboration Program by no later than July 1, 2024 to facilitate high quality collaborative programming between child care and other early care and education providers and funding streams in order to increase, through collaboration, the quality and quantity of early care and education for families in Illinois who are eligible to receive child care assistance under the Department's Child Care Assistance Program. Provides that to be eligible to participate in the Child Care Collaboration Program a provider must meet certain eligibility requirements, including: (i) be a profit or nonprofit early childhood center or licensed family child care home; (ii) receive or be eligible to receive child care assistance funding; and (iii) be a part of an existing or pending collaborative arrangement with a Head Start or Early Head Start Program or with a pre-kindergarten program funded by the Illinois State Board of Education through the Early Childhood Block Grant. Sets forth approvable models of collaboration and application requirements for providers seeking approval of their existing or proposed child care collaboration program. Provides that each eligible provider that receives Department approval of its existing or proposed child care collaboration program shall receive an annual contract from the Department that allows for the advance payment of child care services at a rate that is based on the license capacity of the program. Provides that a family's eligibility for collaboration services under the approved child care collaboration program shall be determined in accordance with all current child care rules, with certain exceptions, including, but not limited to: (1) a family's eligibility period for collaboration services shall be up to 36 months to coincide with the family's eligibility for a Head Start or Early Head Start Program or an early childhood or preschool program funded through the Early Childhood Block Grant; and (2) no child care co-payments shall be assigned or collected from the family. Effective immediately.