Rep. Marcus Evans

Creates the Commission on Youth Sports Act. Creates the Commission on Youth Sports. Provides that the purpose of the Commission is to research, study, and make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Department of Human Services concerning the following: (1) the creation of equitable, safe, and sustainable access for youth across the State to participate in sports that meet their skills and match their interests; (2) expanding integration of positive youth development in youth sports; and (3) and the promotion, development, expansion, hosting, and fostering of youth sports, youth sports programs, and youth sporting events and tournaments throughout the State. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission. Provides for membership; terms; meetings; and expenses. Provides that the Commission shall submit a report of its findings, research, and recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Department of Human Services on or before December 31, 2025, and each year thereafter. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. With respect to prerequisites to receiving a high school diploma, provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, agricultural education, agricultural business, or any other course that relates to agriculture satisfies the vocational education requirement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Innovations for Transportation Infrastructure Act. Provides that the Department of Transportation or the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority may use the design-build project delivery method for transportation facilities if the capital costs for transportation facilities delivered utilizing the design-build project delivery method or Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery method or Alternative Technical Concepts in a design-bid-build project delivery method do not for transportation facilities delivered by the Department, exceed the value of 20% of the projects annually programmed in (rather than $400 million of contracts awarded during) the Department's multi-year highway improvement program on an annual basis (rather than for any 5-year period). Removes language that provides that notwithstanding any other law, and as authority supplemental to its existing powers, the Department may use the Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery method for up to 2 transportation facilities per year. Effective immediately.

Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Requires a law enforcement agency to attempt to obtain a biological sample from closely related family members of the missing person or a personal item of the missing person beginning 30 days after the date of the missing person report (rather than within 30 days after receipt of a report). Provides that a law enforcement agency may not establish or maintain a policy that requires the observance of a waiting period before accepting a missing person report. Modifies the circumstances under which a law enforcement agency may not refuse to accept a missing person report. Requires a law enforcement agency to notify a person responsible for the missing person's welfare, or other specified individuals, about specified efforts to locate a missing person. Provides that, if a person remains missing for 30 days after the date of report, the law enforcement agency shall immediately (rather than may) generate a report of the missing person within NamUs, and the law enforcement agency shall (rather than may) attempt to obtain specified information and materials that have not been received. Modifies the follow-up action required by a law enforcement agency after creation of a missing person report. Modifies the definition of "high-risk missing person". Upon receipt of a missing person report (rather than immediately), requires the responding local law enforcement agency to enter all collected information relating to the missing person case in the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System and the National Crime Information Center. Makes other changes to reporting requirements. Modifies requirements for submission of fingerprints from unidentified remains for analysis as well as other requirements relating identified human remains. Provides that an assisting law enforcement agency, a medical examiner, a coroner, or the Illinois State Police may not close an unidentified person case until the individual has been identified and must keep the case active. Requires the coroner, medical examiner, or assisting law enforcement agency (rather than the coroner or medical examiner) to obtain a biological (rather than DNA) sample from an individual whose remains are not identifiable, and modifies how the sample may be analyzed and labeled. Makes other changes.

Amends the Nurse Agency Licensing Act. Provides that any person who violates any provision of the Act or the rules adopted under the Act shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per occurrence payable to the Department of Labor for the purpose of enforcing the Act (rather than a licensee or applicant who violates any provision of the Act or the rules adopted under the Act shall be subject to a civil penalty of $10,000 per occurrence).

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county recorder may not impose a fee for filing a restrictive covenant modification to an unlawful restrictive covenant (currently a county recorder may impose a fee for filing a restrictive covenant modification to an unlawful restrictive covenant in an amount not to exceed $10). Provides that a county recorder may not charge a fee for any copies of records necessary for filing a restrictive covenant modification to an unlawful restrictive covenant.

Amends the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act. Provides that every employer covered under the Act shall permit an employee or an employee's family or household member who is a victim or alleged victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any other crime of violence to utilize for personal use an employer-provided electronic device to document or communicate an act of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any other crime of violence committed against the employee or the employee's family or household member. Requires employers to grant an employee who is a victim or alleged victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any other crime of violence or an employee who has a family or household member who is a victim or alleged victim or domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any other crime of violence access to any photographs, voice or video recordings, sound recordings, or any other digital documents or communications stored on an employer-provided electronic device issued to the employee whenever such photographs, voice or video recordings, sound recordings, or other digital documents or communications are needed by the employee or the employee's family or household member during a criminal action or proceeding to establish or support an allegation of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any other crime of violence. Provides that, if an employee is seriously injured or incapacitated, the employer shall grant access to the described materials to a family or household member of the employee who requests access from the employer and whose interests are not adverse to the employee as it relates to the domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or other crime of violence. Provides that every employer covered by the Act shall post and keep posted, in conspicuous places where employees are employed, a notice, to be prepared or approved by the Director of Labor, explaining these provisions. Effective immediately.

Maddy summarySB 710 makes a technical change to the Illinois Financial Services Development Act. Specifically, it amends a section related to the short title of the act. This bill does not introduce new policies or directly affect specific groups, but rather updates existing legislative language.

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Authorizes an authorized representative to sign the disclosure required under the Act before any contract relating to the ownership or use of real property is entered into by the State or a unit of local government disclosing the interest of an owner or beneficiary in the real property. Authorizes disclosure by providing a copy of a proxy statement or other official corporate document filed with the federal Securities Exchange Commission or similar federal regulatory body within the previous calendar year disclosing the overall ownership of the limited liability company, corporation, or general partnership. Removes the requirement for additional disclosure for contracts for the ownership or use of real property for highway purposes by the Department of Transportation for any entity that is wholly or partially owned by another entity. Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Allows a party authorized to take property to file a complaint in circuit court if the owner is unable or unwilling to provide documentation required by the acquiring party to obtain sufficient title to the property, consummate the transaction, or comply with all legal requirements for the transaction. Eliminates the requirement that the Illinois Department of Transportation obtain Illinois Commerce Commission approval before bringing an action to acquire property needed for highway projects owned by utilities and railroads. Allows notice to property owners to be sent by entities other than the United States Postal Service if a company provides the same function as certified mail with return receipt. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to analyze the use of grant fund requests for a consolidation analysis or consolidation expenses in relation to the School District Reorganization Feasibility Studies. Requires the State Board to create a list of overlapping or bordering school districts with the most similar operating tax rates and percentage of adequacy funding per pupil. Requires the State Board to communicate to the superintendents and school boards of those school districts on the list that the State Board's analysis makes the school district a good candidate for the grant funds. Requires the school board to hold a public hearing to review the State Board's written communication and decide whether to apply for the grant funds. Requires the State Board to report to the General Assembly as to whether the school districts on the list applied for the grant funds, whether a grant was awarded, and what, if any, State Board action was taken in response to the grant-funded consolidation analysis. Requires the State Board to also provide to interested school districts a list of neutral parties to conduct an independent consolidation analysis with the grant funds.