Rep. Kelly Burke

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall establish a Local Chamber of Commerce Business Program for the purpose of providing grants to certified local chambers of commerce. Provides that grant moneys may be used to market and develop the service area of the chamber of commerce for the purpose of generating local, county, and State business taxes and to provide small businesses with professional development, business guidance, and best practices for sustainability. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 220 is a technical amendment to the Citizen Participation Act that updates the bill's short title. This change does not alter the actual rules or procedures for citizen participation in government meetings. The legislation is intended solely to correct the official name of the existing law. No new policies or obligations are created by this bill.

Maddy summaryHB 303 is a technical amendment to the College and Career Success for All Students Act that updates the short title of a specific section within the law. This change does not alter any existing policies, funding, or programs but simply corrects the official name used to reference the legislation. The bill affects only the legal text of the act and has no direct impact on students, schools, or other stakeholders. It is currently in the legislative process and has not yet been enacted into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Early Childhood Education Act to establish a framework for early childhood education in Illinois. A specific provision within the legislation ensures that the rights, benefits, and employment status of state employees and their agencies remain unchanged by the new act. It explicitly states that the law does not affect existing personnel codes, labor relations, collective bargaining agreements, or pension plans. The bill was signed into law and became effective on June 25, 2024, with some provisions taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Creates the Neighborhood Concert Tax Act. Provides for a 2% tax on admission tickets to organized for-profit concerts in public parks. Establishes the Neighborhood Concert Tax Fund to be a repository for the tax proceeds. Provides for disbursement of 100% of the proceeds to the park district that hosted the concert to subsidize programs of the park district that ordinarily require a fee for participation. Defines terms. Makes corresponding additions to the State Finance Act. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 613, titled REVENUE-TECH, is a technical amendment to the Illinois Hydraulic Fracturing Tax Act that updates the bill's short title. This change does not alter any tax rates, regulations, or financial obligations for oil and gas companies or other stakeholders. Instead, it serves as a minor clerical adjustment to ensure the legislation's official name is correctly recorded within the state code.

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that a local school council shall have and exercise the power and duty to contract with the Chicago Police Department to have police officers or school resource officers on school grounds. Effective immediately.

Amends the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Act. Provides that a local government that has submitted a distressed location project as defined by Department of Natural Resources rule shall be eligible for assistance up to 100% for the acquisition of open space lands and for capital development and improvement projects on distressed location projects. Provides that no less than 10% of the amount appropriated under the Act in any fiscal year shall be made available as grants to distressed communities.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. In a provision requiring the Department on Aging to require an annual audit from all personal assistant and home care aide vendors contracting with the Department, provides that the annual audit shall assure that each audited vendor's procedures are in compliance with the Department's financial reporting guidelines requiring an 80% or higher employee wage and benefits cost split and an administrative cost split of no more than 20% (rather than an administrative and employee wage and benefits cost split as defined in administrative rules). Provides that subject to federal approval, on and after January 1, 2025, rates for homemaker services shall be increased to $32.75 to sustain a minimum wage of $20 per hour for direct service workers. Provides that rates in subsequent State fiscal years shall be no lower than $32.75 upon federal approval. Requires providers of in-home services to be required to certify to the Department that they remain in compliance with the mandated wage increase for direct service workers. Provides that fringe benefits, including, but not limited to, paid time off and payment for training, health insurance, travel, or transportation, shall not be reduced in relation to the rate increases. Provides that subject to federal approval, on and after January 1, 2025, the Department shall pay a rate add-on under the Community Care Program to those in-home service provider agencies that attest and document their direct service workers attend paid, quarterly, in-person training sessions to fulfill the in-service training requirements. Provides that the add-on shall be 1% of the homemaker services rate. Requires the Department to adopt rules.

Declares May 18 through May 24, 2024 as Safe Boating Week in the State of Illinois. Urges all those who boat to practice safe boating habits and wear a life jacket at all times while boating.