Rep. Marcus Evans

Amends the School Code. Provides that, when hiring physical education, music, and visual arts educators, school districts must prioritize the hiring of educators who hold a teaching license and endorsement in those content areas. Provides that, if a school district is unable to hire a qualified candidate, the district may then hire a candidate who holds a valid professional educator license on a short-term basis. Provides that the professional educator license applicant must pass the content area test for which they are assigned to teach within one calendar year of the employment start date. Provides that, in order to retain employment for subsequent school years, the employee must complete 18 hours of course work in the content area in which they are teaching within 3 calendar years of their employment start date. Provides that in case of a reduction in force, districts may follow their local contract language for filling positions.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In the definition of "child welfare services", provides that one of the purposes of the Department of Children and Family Services is to place children in suitable permanent family arrangements (rather than in suitable adoptive homes), in cases where restoration to the biological family is not safe, possible, or appropriate. Removes language providing that one of the purposes of the Department's child welfare services is to assure safe and adequate care of children away from their homes, in cases where the child cannot be returned home or cannot be placed for adoption. Repeals a provision requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to establish the Governor's Youth Services Initiative.

Amends the Vital Records Act. In provisions concerning the search of death certificates for service members, replaces references to active duty or retired service members with references to active duty service members or veterans. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that if gas or electricity is used as the only source of space cooling or to control or operate the only space cooling equipment at a residence, then a utility may not terminate gas or electric utility service to a residential user for nonpayment of bills: (1) on any day when the National Weather Service forecast for the following 24 hours covering the area of the utility in which the residence is located includes a forecast that the temperature will be 85 degrees (rather than 95 degrees) Fahrenheit or above; (2) on any day preceding a holiday or weekend when the National Weather Service for the following 24 hours covering the area of the utility in which the residence is located includes a forecast that the temperature will be 85 degrees (rather than 95 degrees) Fahrenheit or above during the holiday or weekend; or (3) when the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat watch, heat advisory, or excessive heat warning covering the area of the utility in which the residence is located.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Defines "disablement technology" as any instrument, device, machine, or equipment, whether software or hardware, that can be used to disable the starter of a motor vehicle, prevent fuel from flowing to the engine, prevent electricity from flowing to the engine, or otherwise prevent the vehicle from being started or driven by a person. Provides that disablement technology shall not be used as an aid to the physical retrieval of a vehicle as part of repossession or as a consequence for nonpayment under a retail installment contract or other instrument. Provides that a violation is an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a consumer whose vehicle is subject to the activation of disablement technology may bring an action against an activating person or entity for damages of $1,000 per month per violation plus actual damages and attorney's fees. Provides that disablement technology may be offered for sale or sold only for antitheft purposes, either on its own or for an additional fee in connection with the purchase of a motor vehicle. Requires a motor vehicle dealer that sells a motor vehicle containing disablement technology to comply with specified requirements. Provides that data generated or stored by disablement technology as the result of a consumer's vehicle usage is the personal property of the consumer, and the consumer is entitled to all profits and other benefits flowing from the sharing or sale of the data. Provides that data generated or stored by disablement technology that is installed in a consumer's vehicle, and data transmitted by or through the disablement technology that relates to the consumer or the consumer's use of a motor vehicle, may not be sold or otherwise shared with any third parties except as required by federal, State, or local law, or required by court order. Makes a corresponding change in the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Reproductive Liberty and Justice Act. Amends the Equity and Representation in Health Care Act. Expands the definition of "medical facility" to include a reproductive health center established at a nonprofit community health center. Makes other changes. Amends the Birth Center Licensing Act. Makes changes to the definition of "birth center". Provides that a birth center and any licensed provider of abortion and birth control services on-site may be co-located at the same facility. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules for licensing and designating co-located facilities to provide specified essential reproductive health care services. Contains other provisions. Amends the Licensed Certified Professional Midwife Practice Act. Provides that a licensed certified professional midwife may provide out-of-hospital care to a childbearing individual who has had a previous cesarean section, if authorized by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Removes language prohibiting a licensed certified professional midwife from (1) performing an abortion or (2) knowingly accepting responsibility for prenatal or intrapartum care of a client with alcohol abuse or drug addiction. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Removes from the definition of "neglected child" any child who is a newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance. Makes corresponding changes to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, the Adoption Act, and the Vital Records Act. Contains provisions concerning CAPTA notifications and prohibited disclosures regarding the results of a toxicology test administered on a newborn or pregnant person. Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. Contains provisions concerning Plans of Safe Care. Amends the Medical Patient Rights Act. Provides that a patient has the right for a physician and other health care service providers to administer specified medical tests without disclosing the results of the test to a law enforcement agency or to the Department of Children and Family Services. Amends the Illinois Health and Hazardous Substances Registry Act. Makes changes to the definition of "adverse pregnancy outcome". Contains provisions concerning certificates of birth resulting in stillbirth. Makes other changes.

Declares the State of Illinois should take the lead on issues of Pan-Africanism, citizenship in Africa, and reparatory justice, and the State should champion the Eighth Pan-African Congress Part 1 (8PAC1) and its agenda to develop a continental-wide diaspora citizenship plan, establish the African Diaspora as the 6th Region of the African Union (AU), and determine a permanent headquarters for the 6th Region. Calls upon the State to immediately, through its African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission (ADCRC), provide matrilineal and patrilineal DNA testing through African ancestry to determine the ancestral lineages and territories of origin of its Black residents so that they can seek citizenship in their ancestral homelands, if so desired. Calls upon the State to become the first to conduct a repatriation census in preparation for honoring President Abraham Lincoln's desire for voluntary repatriation with compensation and to make conducting the repatriation census its immediate priority.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning October 1, 2023 (rather than October 1, 2018), the Department of Human Services shall increase Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grant amounts in effect on September 30, 2023 (rather than September 30, 2018) to at least 50% (rather than 30%) of the most recent United States Department of Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guidelines for each family size. Provides that beginning October 1, 2024 (rather than October 1, 2019), and each October 1 thereafter, the maximum benefit levels shall be annually adjusted to remain equal to at least 50% (rather than 30%) of the most recent federal poverty guidelines for each family size. Effective October 1, 2023.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for the purpose of removing barriers to the timely and equitable treatment of hepatitis C, prior authorization mandates and utilization management controls shall not be imposed under the fee-for-service and managed care medical assistance programs on any FDA-approved direct-acting antivirals for the treatment of hepatitis C that are listed as preferred on the Illinois Medicaid Preferred Drug List.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Healthy Illinois for All Law. Provides that by July 1, 2023, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may provide medical services to noncitizens 19 years of age through 41 years of age who (i) are not eligible for medical assistance due to their not meeting the otherwise applicable provisions under the Code concerning citizenship requirements and (ii) have income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level plus 5% for the applicable family size as determined under applicable federal law and regulations. Provide that persons eligible for medical services under the amendatory Act shall receive benefits identical to the benefits provided under the Health Benefits Service Package as that term is defined in the Code. Requires the Department to establish by rule the medical services available, the standards for eligibility, and other conditions of participation for persons eligible to receive medical services under the amendatory Act. Requires any such rules to be at least as restrictive as the rules for medical assistance. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Department emergency rulemaking authority to implement the amendatory Act. Effective July 1, 2023.