Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for any employer, employment agency, or labor organization to refuse to hire a qualified ex-offender solely because the qualified ex-offender has previously been convicted of one or more criminal offenses, or by reason of a finding of lack of good moral character when the finding is based solely upon the fact that the qualified ex-offender has previously been convicted of one or more criminal offenses. Contains provisions regarding factors an employer, employment agency, or labor organization can consider when making an employment determination relating to a person with a criminal record; exceptions to the prohibited conduct; new definitions; and other matters.
Sponsored bills
Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Provides that certain "victim-sensitive" interviews of a child who is alleged to be an abused child may not be conducted unless the interview is videotaped and audiotaped by the Department of Children and Family Services. Requires that the Department preserve those videotapes and audiotapes and other materials until all judgments in legal proceedings relating to the victim-sensitive interview are final and all direct and habeas corpus appeals are exhausted or such legal proceedings are barred by law. Provides for access to copies of the preserved materials by a party to a proceeding relating to the materials. Effective immediately.
Amends the Pretrial Services Act and the Probation and Probation Officers Act. Provides that for the purposes of administering the provisions of Public Act 95-773, known as the Cindy Bischof Law, all probation and court services departments are to be considered pretrial services agencies under the Pretrial Services Act and under the bail bond provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning violence prevention and conflict resolution education, changes language to provide that school districts shall provide for a period of not less than 3 weeks per calendar year on instruction in violence prevention and conflict resolution education for grades 6 through 12 (rather than grades 4 through 12) and may include the instruction in the social studies courses of study. Provides that school districts must provide in-service instruction for teachers to assist them in implementing the program. Provides that the State Board of Education shall adopt rules necessary for administration of the program. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that an inmate of a penal institution maintained by the State or a unit of local government may qualify for medical assistance only after he or she has ceased to be an inmate of such an institution, but the inmate may apply for medical assistance in advance of his or her discharge or release from the institution. Provides that a recipient of medical assistance who becomes an inmate of a penal institution may be permitted a period of up to 30 days in the institution without suspension or termination of eligibility for medical assistance. Provides that within a reasonable time after the discharge or release of a person who was an inmate of a penal institution, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall redetermine the person's eligibility for medical assistance. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Makes it a civil rights violation for an employer, employment agency, or labor organization to inquire into or to use the fact of a felony conviction as a basis to refuse to hire, to segregate, or to act with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges or conditions of employment if more than 10 years have elapsed since the person was convicted of the felony (if the person was sentenced to probation or conditional discharge rather than a term of imprisonment) or the person was released from incarceration for the felony (without regard to any period of parole or mandatory supervised release). Provides that the new provisions do not prohibit a State agency, unit of local government or school district, or private organization from requesting or using unsealed felony conviction information under State or federal laws or regulations that require criminal background checks in evaluating the qualifications and character of an employee or a prospective employee, nor do the new provisions prohibit an employer, employment agency, or labor organization from obtaining or using other information indicating that a person actually engaged in the conduct for which he or she was convicted.
Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that the record of an arrest or criminal charge which did not result in a conviction may not be considered by any private or public entity in employment matters, certification, licensing, revocation of certification or licensure, or registration. Provides that employers may not ask if an applicant has been the subject of an arrest or criminal charge which did not result in a conviction. Provides that an employer who by means of an inquiry made to the applicant or an employment application form, which fails to comply with these provisions, obtains from an applicant information that the applicant has had records expunged or sealed or has been the subject of an arrest or criminal charge which did not result in a conviction, is presumed to have based the decision to hire or not hire the applicant on the applicant's disclosure of this information. Provides that the presumption may be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence.
Amends the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Act. Provides that the administration of the Act is transferred to the Department of Human Services. Provides that the Response Officers of certain Departments shall collectively form the Interagency HIV/AIDS Prevention Team (IIHAPT). Provides that the IIHAPT must establish its own guidelines for operation. Sets for the responsibilities of the IIHAPT. Provides that the Department must partner with the Administrative Support Agency (ASA) to coordinate the response to HIV/AIDS in the African American Community. Sets forth duties of the ASA. Provides that the HIV/AIDS Response Review Panel must work with the ASA and IIHAPT to create and implement a comprehensive State-wide plan to reduce the HIV infection rate within the African American Community. Provides that the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Fund shall become a line item in the State's annual budget. Provides that the amount of $10,000,000 shall be deposited into the Fund at the beginning of each fiscal year and that this amount shall be reduced each year equal to the amount that is raised from other sources each year of the Fund's existence. Sets forth expenditures for the Fund. Makes other changes.
Amends the Public Funds Investment Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.
Amends the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.