Rep. Marcus Evans

Creates the Department of Early Childhood Act. Creates the Department of Early Childhood to begin operation on July 1, 2024 and transfers to it certain rights, powers, duties, and functions currently exercised by various agencies of State Government. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026 the Department of Early Childhood shall be the lead State agency for administering and providing early childhood education and care programs and services to children and families including: home-visiting services; early intervention services; preschool services; child care services; licensing for day care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes; and other early childhood education and care programs and administrative functions historically managed by the State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Children and Family Services. Makes conforming changes to various Acts including the Department of Human Services Act, the Illinois Early Learning Council Act, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Early Intervention Services System Act and the Children and Family Services Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that a veteran may submit an application for the homestead exemptions for veterans with disabilities to the chief county assessment officer with respect to a specific property before the veteran purchases the property. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Money Disposition Act. Provides that examiners of unclaimed property that is reported and remitted to the State Treasurer and custodians contracted by the State of Illinois to hold presumptively abandoned securities or virtual currency may deduct fees prior to remittance. Amends the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. Changes the definition of property presumed to be abandoned to a corporate bond (rather than a state or municipal bond). Provides that the address of the owner of other property where ownership vests in a beneficiary upon the death of the owner is presumed to be the address of the deceased owner if the address of the beneficiary is not known by the holder and cannot be determined otherwise. Requires the administrator to publish notice twice every year (rather than once every 6 months). Provides that, if a holder cannot liquidate virtual currency and cannot otherwise cause virtual currency to be liquidated, the holder shall promptly notify the administrator in writing and explain the reasons why the virtual currency cannot be liquidated. Allows the administrator to direct the holder to either (1) transfer the virtual currency that cannot be liquidated to a custodian selected by the administrator or (2) continue to hold the virtual currency until the administrator or the holder determines that the virtual currency can be liquidated or there is an indication of apparent owner interest. Provides that a provision regarding void agreements does not apply to an apparent owner's agreement with a CPA firm or with an affiliate of such firm under certain conditions. Makes other changes.

Creates the Transmission Efficiency and Cooperation Law within the Public Utilities Act. Provides that an incumbent electric transmission owner has the right to construct, own, and maintain an electric transmission line approved in a transmission plan that will connect to facilities that are owned by that incumbent electric transmission owner and that are or will be under the functional control of a regional transmission operator. Specifies that the right to construct, own, and maintain such an electric transmission line belongs individually and proportionally to each incumbent electric transmission owner, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing. Provides that proportionality shall be determined based on the location of the electric transmission line relative to each incumbent electric transmission owner's retail service territory. Authorizes an incumbent electric transmission owner to assign its right to construct, own, and maintain an electric transmission line to a transmission affiliate. Provides that an owner may notify the Illinois Commerce Commission that it will not construct any or all of the electric transmission line, and the Commission may grant permission and approval for the construction to another entity. Effective immediately.

Declares February 22, 2023 as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day in the State of Illinois in order to raise public awareness about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Acknowledges the critical importance of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy awareness to improve cardiovascular health. Urges the Governor to issue an annual proclamation recognizing the fourth Wednesday in February as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Creates the Due Process for Youth Oversight Commission (Commission) to oversee the creation and implementation of a youth's statutory right to counsel in abuse and neglect proceedings conducted in accordance with the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Requires the Commission to provide direction and operational phases for implementation statewide, provide status reports and recommendations to the General Assembly regarding implementation, and provide ongoing implementation and program oversight for 5 years after statewide transition is completed. Contains provisions concerning the Commission's membership; term limits; scheduled meetings; data support provided by the Department of Children and Family Services; Commission duties; and the date of the Commission's dissolution. Amends the Foster Children's Bill of Rights Act. Expands the rights afforded to every child placed in foster care to include the right to have a court appoint an attorney to represent the youth in any abuse or neglect case who will advocate for the youth's wishes and make recommendations to the court regarding the youth's care. Provides that this right applies to court proceedings pending or commenced on or after a date established by the Commission by administrative rule. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that immediately upon the filing of an abuse or neglect petition, the court shall appoint counsel for each minor who is the subject of that petition, unless the minor has already retained counsel. Provides that this requirement shall apply to court proceedings pending or commenced on or after a date established by the Commission by administrative rule. Provides that each respondent in any petition filed under the Act who is 8 years of age or older shall be furnished a written "Notice of Rights" at or before the first hearing at which the respondent appears. Provides that counsel appointed by a court to represent a minor in neglect or abuse proceedings shall have a minimum of one in-person contact with the minor prior to each hearing and at least one in-person contact every quarter. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Excludes from the definition of "abuse" obtaining, seeking, or facilitating lawful health care for a minor child by a parent or person in loco parentis. Requires the court to consider in determining parental responsibilities and parenting time a parent's affirmation of the child's gender identity or gender expression in a way that promotes the child's overall health and well-being. Allows a court to modify an order restricting parental responsibilities if it finds persistent, continuing interference with the child's ability to access lawful health care. Declares that a law of another state that authorizes the removal of a child from a parent or person acting as a parent based on the parent or person acting as a parent allowing a child to receive lawful health care is against the public policy of the State and shall not be enforced or applied in a case pending in a court in the State. Amends the Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. Provides that the presence of a child in the State for the purpose of obtaining lawful health care is sufficient to meet the jurisdiction of the State for an initial child custody determination for temporary emergency matters. Provides that the State is not an inconvenient forum if lawful health care to the child is at issue in which the law or policy of the other state that may take jurisdiction limits the ability of a parent or person acting as a parent to obtain lawful health care for the child. Effective immediately.

Mourns the death of Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough.

Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that any term or condition in any agreement that unnecessarily burdens a person's rights under the Act shall be null and void.

Urges support for the Family Roots Genealogy Pilot Program as it provides African American descendants of enslaved individuals the opportunity to trace their roots back to their ancestral homelands, to reconnect with their ancestral heritage, and to promote their well-being.