Rep. Mike Crawford

Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Replaces references to the Community College Cannabis Vocational Pilot Program and the Community College Cannabis Vocational Training Pilot Program with references to the Community College Cannabis Vocational Training Program. Repeals provisions that would automatically repeal the Program on July 1, 2026. Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide grants from appropriations from the Cannabis Business Development Fund to community colleges licensed under the Community College Vocational Training Program, and requires the Department to adopt rules. Provides that the community colleges that received a license before the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be deemed to be licensed Responsible Vendor Program Training Providers and that such designation may be revoked for cause under rules adopted by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Equity in Long-term Care Quality Act and the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that funds generated from penalties imposed for non-compliance with minimum staffing standards shall be deposited into the Equity in Long-term Care Quality Fund. Sets forth requirements concerning the distribution of those moneys. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall establish a remote work policy for committed persons in the Department's custody to allow those persons to obtain gainful employment by private, approved employers. Establishes eligibility requirements for the program. Establishes conditions for employers who hire committed persons for remote work. Provides that a committed person may be terminated from the committed person's remote work employment at any time for any reason at the complete discretion of the Director of Corrections or the facility chief administrative officer, or their designees. Provides that all monetary compensation shall be directly deposited by the employer into the committed person's Illinois Department of Corrections account. Provides that the employer must pay the committed person employed remotely the same wage as the committed person's non-committed counterparts that work in the same role, have the same tenure, or as otherwise determined by Department policy. Provides that a committed person may appeal a decision to deny or withdraw approval to search for remote work, apply for remote work, or accept an offer for a remote work position or a decision to terminate them from a remote work position by submitting a written letter to the Deputy Director via the U.S. Postal Service or certified mail. Effective January 1, 2027.

Creates the Protective Medical Equipment Freedom Act. Provides that every individual has the right to wear protective medical equipment in any place of public accommodation where they have a lawful right to be without obligation to disclose health status or any other protected information, and no person, entity, or authority shall deny, restrict, or infringe upon this right. Operators and public officials shall not discriminate against or penalize medical device wearers for exercising their right to wear protective medical equipment. Discrimination under this Act includes, but is not limited to: denial of service; eviction from premises; any form of harassment to remove or refrain from wearing such equipment for any amount of time; and specified actions taken by employers. Sets forth provisions concerning protection against retaliation; exceptions for security requirements and operational safety; enforcement by the Attorney General; and penalties for violating the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that, within 120 days after the effective date of the amendatory provisions, each water purveyor shall develop a cybersecurity program that defines and implements organizational accountabilities and responsibilities for cyber risk management activities, and establishes policies, plans, processes, and procedures for identifying and mitigating cyber risk to its public community water system. Provides that, within certain time periods after the effective date of the amendatory provisions, a water purveyor shall create a cybersecurity incident reporting process; obtain a cybersecurity insurance policy that meets certain standards; reasonably conform to the most recent version of one or more of specified industry-recognized cybersecurity frameworks; submit a compliance report; submit an incident report; and submit an annual status report. Sets forth provisions concerning violations of the amendatory provisions and rulemaking abilities of the Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Commerce Commission. Makes other changes.

Creates the Enslavement Era Disclosure and Redress Act. Requires each contractor that participates in a competitive bid with the State to review its records for evidence of the contractor's or a related party's participation in slaveholding or the slave trade and to make certain disclosures with respect to that participation. Contains provisions concerning notice of public hearings following the disclosures. Provides that the Illinois Office of Equity shall appoint an administrator to oversee the program. Provides that each contractor that has disclosed participation in slaveholding or the slave trade shall provide the State with a statement of financial redress at the time of submitting its bid. Contains provisions creating a Redress Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Creates the Meaningful Human Review of Artificial Intelligence Act. Sets forth provisions prohibiting a State agency, or any entity acting on behalf of an agency, from utilizing or applying any automated decision-making system, directly or indirectly, without continuous meaningful human review when performing any of the agency's specified functions. Requires impact assessments to be performed by State agencies seeking to utilize or apply an automated decision-making system with continuous meaningful human review. Provides that the impact assessment shall include a description of the objectives of the automated decision-making system; an evaluation of the ability of the automated decision-making system to achieve its stated objectives; a specified description and evaluation of the objectives and development of the automated decision-making; testing of the automated decision-making system; and the notification mechanism or procedure, if any, by which individuals impacted by the utilization of the automated decision-making system may be notified of the use of such automated decision-making system and of the individual's personal data, and informed of their rights and options relating to such use. Requires submission of impact assessments to the Governor and General Assembly.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a law enforcement officer shall not wear any mask or neck gaiter while interacting with the public in the performance of the officer's duties, except for medical grade masks that are surgical or N95 respirators designed to prevent the transmission of airborne diseases and diseases, masks designed to protect against exposure to smoke during a state of emergency related to wildfires, or protective gear used by Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team officers necessary to protect their faces from harm while they perform their SWAT responsibilities. Provides that "mask" does not include a face shield if it does not conceal the wearer's face and does not include a clear mask that does not conceal the wearer's face. Provides that while executing law enforcement duties, a law enforcement officer shall display on the uniform that the officer wears: (i) the officer's name or badge number and (ii) the agency in which the officer is employed. Provides that the provisions do not apply to an officer while the officer is engaged in an undercover assignment. Provides that moneys from fines received for convictions under this provision shall be deposited into a special fund in the State treasury to be known as the Immigrant Family Services Fund and shall be used by the Department of Human Services to provide immigrant family services as determined by the Secretary of Human Services. Establishes penalties for violations. Defines terms. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the School Code. Creates the Out-of-School Time (OST) Advisory Council for the purpose of providing information and advice to the Governor and State agencies regarding State and federal policy and funding issues affecting out of school time programs. Sets forth membership, co-chairperson's and meetings. Provides that the OST Advisory Council shall: (1) provide information on the status of funding provided for OST programs in each fiscal year; (2) provide recommendations on legislative and administrative action needed to ensure that funding for before and after school programs is allocated promptly to qualified providers of OST programs; (3) provide information on the quality of services and accountability measures that are appropriate for school-age children and youth; (4) provide information regarding challenges faced by OST programs that impede the provision of the best possible services; (5) provide recommendations on the equitable reach of OST programs to ensure that the State has policies in place that promote access to the children and youth most in need of services; (6) make recommendations to the Governor and State agencies on reporting requirements, priority points, statewide evaluation, and licensure for OST programs; and (7) create and deliver to the Governor and General Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in OST and areas of growth for the future. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish a program of paid internships for students enrolled in educator preparation programs in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall establish and maintain a mentorship and recruitment program to develop and maintain interest in the school support personnel endorsement areas of school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, and speech-language pathologist. Sets forth provisions concerning the program. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish a school support personnel educator preparation scholarship program to annually award up to 250 scholarships for school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology. Sets forth provisions concerning the scholarship program. Provides that, to encourage Illinois students to enter the fields of school psychology, school counseling, school nursing, and school speech-language pathology and to continue to work in those fields in public schools in this State, the Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under a School Support Personnel Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Sets forth provisions concerning the Program. Effective immediately.