Rep. Marcus Evans

Creates the Counseling Compact Act. Provides that the State of Illinois enters into the Counseling Compact. Specifies that the Compact's purpose is to facilitate interstate practice of licensed professional counselors with the goal of improving public access to professional counseling services. Sets out provisions concerning the privilege to practice, obtaining a new home state license, active duty military personnel, telehealth, adverse actions, Counseling Compact Commission, data systems, rulemaking, oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement. Contains other provisions concerning the Commission, the Compact, and the procedures governing participating in and construction of the Compact. Amends the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act. Requires the Professional Counselor Licensing and Disciplinary Board to submit a report to the General Assembly with recommendations of any statutory changes and budgetary changes needed to comply with the requirements of the Counseling Compact. Requires the Board and Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to modify, if needed, Board and Department rules to comply with the requirements of the Counseling Compact. Provides that the changes to the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act are effective immediately.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that any renewal of a certified charter must include a union neutrality clause. Requires a union neutrality clause to be included in a charter school proposal. Defines "union neutrality clause". Effective immediately.

Creates the Freelance Worker Protection Act. Provides that freelance workers must be compensated by hiring parties for their services in a timely manner. Provides that whenever a hiring party retains the services of a freelance worker, the contract between the hiring party and the freelance worker shall be reduced to writing. Provides that no hiring party shall threaten, intimidate, discipline, harass, deny a work opportunity to, or discriminate against a freelance worker, or take any other action that penalizes a freelance worker for, or is reasonably likely to deter a freelance worker from, exercising or attempting to exercise any right guaranteed under the Act. Contains provisions concerning complaints to the Director of Labor; the powers and duties of the Director; civil actions brought by freelance workers; civil actions brought by the State; the scope of freelance worker contracts; a public awareness campaign; and surveys, information collection, and reporting requirements. Effective immediately.

Creates the Access to Public Health Data Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Children and Family Services shall, at the request of a local health department in Illinois, make any and all public health data related to residents of that local health department's jurisdiction available to that local health department for the purposes of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability. Provides that the Department of Public Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may adopt any rules necessary to implement the Act. Exempts specified information from inspection and copying under the Freedom of Information Act and makes a conforming change in that Act. Contains other provisions. Amends the Vital Records Act. Provides that no rule adopted by the Department of Public Health shall be construed as restricting access to vital records by any municipality, county, multicounty, public health district, or regional health officer recognized by the Department for the purposes described in specified provisions.

Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. Provides that an applicant may use an examination alternative to allow the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to ascertain the qualifications and fitness of candidates for a license to engage in the independent practice of clinical social work. Provides that the examination alternative shall consist of at least 2 years of supervised professional experience subsequent to obtaining the degree as established by rule. Provides that the examination alternative supervised professional experience shall be in addition to any other supervised clinical professional experience required for licensure. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, an applicant acquiring the examination alternative supervised professional experience must be a licensed social worker or licensed in this State for the practice of school social work prior to acquiring the supervised professional experience. Provides that the Department shall require that a qualified licensed clinical social work supervisor to complete at least 6 hours of continuing education training. Makes corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning kindergartens, provides that, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, each school board must establish a kindergarten with full-day attendance (instead of allowing a school board to establish a kindergarten with half-day attendance or with full-day attendance); makes related changes. Repeals another provision concerning kindergartens on July 1, 2023. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. In a provision concerning expedited licensure for service members and spouses, provides that a department shall waive any application, examination, or licensure fee for a service member or the service member's spouse. Removes references to fees.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.

Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. Provides that "recovered resources" means any material produced by or extracted from (i) the operation of district facilities or (ii) the use of district-owned real estate (currently, "recovered resources" means any material produced by or extracted from the operation of district facilities). Adds solar or wind energy as an example of recovered resources. Effective immediately.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Repeals the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004 on January 1, 2029 (rather than January 1, 2024). Amends the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Provides that all applicants and licensees shall provide a valid address and email address to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which serves as the address of record and email address of record, respectively, at the time of application for licensure or renewal of a license. Removes provisions providing that: any person who has providing canine odor detection services, or canine trainer services, for hire prior to January 1, 2005 is exempt from specified requirements and may be granted a private detective license if he or she meets other specified requirements; exhibits shall be certified without cost; and the Department shall maintain a roster. Provides that the original training certification form or a copy (rather than just the original form) shall be given to the employee when the employee's employment is terminated. Makes changes in provisions concerning: applications for licenses; forms; hearings and rehearings; subpoenas; the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Board; rules; and the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Makes corresponding and other changes. Provisions amending the Regulatory Sunset Act are effective immediately.