Rep. Marcus Evans

Urges the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to continue taking appropriate action to facilitate equitable access to adolescent and adult vaccinations, including establishing appropriate programs and initiatives to raise public awareness on the importance of adolescent and adult vaccinations. Urges the IDPH to continue working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in-state healthcare providers, and patients to implement an effective and actionable state immunization strategy that includes adult immunizations. Urges the IDPH to continue increasing community resilience to communicable and other emerging disease threats. Urges the IDPH to continue determining goals on which to center the immunization plan. Urges the IDPH to continue exploring federal funding opportunities and partnerships to support vaccine awareness and access programs aligned with the goals established in the state immunization strategy.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Permits the operation of an all-terrain vehicle that meets certain criteria on any street, roadway, or highway in the State, unless the highway is an interstate system, is near a grade-separated portion of the highway, is within a municipality, or has a posted speed limit higher than 45 miles per hour. Provides that an all-terrain vehicle must be registered with the Secretary of State if the all-terrain vehicle is operated on roads within the State. Provides for the distribution of registration fees. Outlines the vehicle equipment requirements for the operation of an all-terrain vehicle on a roadway. Establishes that a township, county, or other unit of local government may authorize, by ordinance or resolution, the operation of all-terrain vehicles on roadways under its jurisdiction if the unit of local government determines that the public safety will not be jeopardized. Requires a non-highway vehicle that is manufactured not to exceed 40 miles per hour to have a slow moving emblem on the rear of the non-highway vehicle. Provides that the Department of Transportation may authorize the operation of all-terrain vehicles on the roadways under its jurisdiction if the Department determines that the public safety will not be jeopardized. Allows a unit of local government or the Department to restrict the types of all-terrain vehicles that are authorized to be used on its streets. Provides that a unit of local government that permits the use of an all-terrain vehicle on its roadways shall not be deemed liable for crashes involving the use of an all-terrain vehicle on its roadways. Makes other changes.

Creates the Worker Freedom of Speech Act. Provides that an employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee may not discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize, threaten to discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize, or take any adverse employment action against an employee: (1) because the employee declines to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting or declines to receive or listen to communications from the employer or the agent, representative, or designee of the employer if the meeting or communication is to communicate the opinion of the employer about religious or political matters; (2) as a means of inducing an employee to attend or participate in meetings or receive or listen to communications; or (3) because the employee, or a person acting on behalf of the employee, makes a good faith report, orally or in writing, of a violation or a suspected violation of the Act. Provides for a private right of action to enforce the provisions of the Act. Sets forth the duties and powers of the Department of Labor under the Act. Provides that, within 30 days after the effective date of the Act, an employer shall post and keep posted a notice of employee rights under the Act where employee notices are customarily placed. Provides for exceptions under the Act.

Amends the County Department of Corrections Division of the Counties Code, the Unified Code of Corrections, and the County Jail Act. Provides that, upon the release of a prisoner or committed person from a county correctional institution, county jail, or Department of Corrections correctional institution or facility, the sheriff, warden, or Department shall provide the prisoner or committed person with an opioid antagonist if the prisoner was incarcerated for drug-related charges or was identified as having a substance abuse disorder.

Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Provides that an electrical corporation which operates in the State shall upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems in order to achieve the State's decarbonization standards. Provides that an electrical corporation shall be adequately staffed and recruit, train, and retain further staff as needed. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall establish reasonable average and maximum target energization time periods. Provides that the Commission shall establish requirements for an electrical corporation to report to the Commission, at least annually, to track and improve electrical corporation performance. Provides that the Commission shall require an electrical corporation to establish a dedicated electrification team. Sets forth requirements for an electrical corporation to consider when engaging in the annual distribution planning process. Provides that, in its site evaluation and design process, the Commission shall require an electrical corporation to consider flexible interconnection to defer or mitigate energization-related grid upgrades, but, if the solutions cannot defer or mitigate an upgrade, the corporation may evaluate traditional system upgrades. Provides that an electrical corporation may recover costs. Effective immediately.

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that an applicant or licensee under the Act is not in violation of the Act or specified rules and shall not be subject to disciplinary action for operating a gaming device if operation of the gaming device is in compliance with and not considered gambling under the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides for the creation of a Gaming Disparity Task Force to conduct a disparity and availability study. Provides that the Task Force shall compile, collect, or otherwise gather data necessary for the determination of the impact on minorities within the video gaming industry. Allows the Task Force to impose fees for the Task Force's operation collected by the Illinois Gaming Board on terminal operations that general more than $5,000,000, including for specified payments to a minority business enterprise-owed terminal operator. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes the definition of "gambling device" to include any vending or other electronic machine or device, including, without limitation, a machine or device that awards credits and contains a circuit, meter, or switch capable of removing and recording the removal of credits that is connected directly or indirectly to the Internet, either by cellular modem, hard wire, or wireless connection, or to a set of interconnected networked devices in order to participate in the game or contest or to receive or retrieve any data related to the device unless the connected device is a redemption vault and does not operate with a self-contained fill system that permits the operation of the device solely determined on a fee basis or the amount of revenue generated, but does not include a system based on time, number of spins or spin equivalent, or other nonrevenue based system, and automatically ceases to operate upon the completion of a pre-determined cycle. Provides that participants in a game of skill or chance where money or other things of value can be won but no payment or purchase is required to participate shall not be convicted of gambling except where participation in such game of skill or chance is accomplished using a gambling device prohibited by law. Provides that a gambling offense involving such a gambling device is a Class 4 felony. Effective immediately.

Amends the One Day Rest In Seven Act. Provides that the calculation of required rest days does not include any time that the employee is on call. Provides that an employee who voluntarily agrees to work on a day of rest must be paid at his or her regular hourly rate or, if applicable, at the overtime wage rate as required by the Illinois Minimum Wage Law. Provides that every employer shall permit its employees who are scheduled or expected to work (rather than are to work) for 7 1/2 continuous hours at least 20 minutes for a meal period beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period. Provides that any employer, or agent or officer of an employer, has violated the Act if he or she discharges, takes an adverse action against, or in any other manner discriminates against any employee because that employee has exercised a right under the Act. Provides that the Director of Labor may (rather than shall) grant long term and short permits authorizing the employment of persons on days of rest. Makes changes in provisions concerning definitions; posting requirements; recordkeeping; and civil offenses. Makes other changes.

Declares an immediate Black student enrollment crisis in the State of Illinois until enrollment at its flagship University of Illinois and all other Illinois higher education institutions reach a suitable number of Black enrolled students. Urges all Illinois higher education institutions to immediately establish an office/department with ample personnel to specifically and aggressively work in the area of Black student recruitment, immediate enrollment, and scholarships. Urges the Governor to utilize his executive powers to immediately direct funds toward emergency enrollment outreach and completion programs for Black student enrollment increases at Illinois higher education institutions.

Calls upon elected officials at local, state, and federal levels to stand with the UPS Teamsters in their efforts to collectively bargain for fair wages, safe working conditions, affordable healthcare, and the dignified retirement that they rightfully have earned while working for UPS. Calls on the federal government to respect the UPS Teamsters rights to collectively bargain, including the right to withhold their labor. Calls on elected officials at local, state, and federal levels to demonstrate their support by signing on to an open letter to rank-and-file Teamsters at UPS expressing that government has no role to play in collective bargaining between workers and their employer and therefore no elected individual or government entity should attempt to insert themselves into the collective bargaining process or participate in any attempted resolution of a new contract that is not first voted upon and ratified by rank-and-file UPS Teamsters prior to such government-related intervention.

Urges Portillo's to honor the wishes of its food distribution workers who have voted to join a union and bargain collectively for the betterment of themselves and their families. Urges all State elected officials to stand with Portillo's food distribution workers that voted to unionize for better working conditions, livable wages, and access to basic sick time benefits. Urges Portillo's to respect the constitutional rights of its workers in Illinois to bargain collectively. Commends and acknowledges the decision made by Portillo's food distribution workers in Addison to unionize and join the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, AFL-CIO.