Rep. Will Guzzardi

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that "employer" includes any person employing one (instead of 15) or more employees within Illinois during 20 or more calendar weeks within the calendar year of or preceding the alleged violation. Provides that "employer" does not include any place of worship with respect to the employment of individuals of a particular religion to perform work connected with the carrying on by the place of worship of its activities. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds an effective date of July 1, 2020.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Requires the Illinois Community College Board to establish and administer a manufacturing training grant program. Provides that to qualify for a grant, a community college district and a public high school located in that district must jointly establish a collaborative regional partnership with workforce development organizations, regional economic development organizations, and economic development officials in the district, along with manufacturers, healthcare service providers, and innovative technology businesses that have a presence in the district, to provide a manufacturing training program. Requires a grant recipient to provide the Board with a plan that meets certain requirements. Requires the Board to establish an advisory board for the program; sets forth the membership and duties of the advisory board. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that the Illinois Community College Board shall establish and administer a 21st Century Employment grant program (rather than a manufacturing training grant program). Provides that in awarding grants under the program, the Board must give priority to plans that demonstrate a formal articulation agreement between a public high school and a community college district. Provides that the plan must support a seamless transition into higher education and career opportunities and must outline the college credit and on-the-job training hours that will transfer from the high school to a community college. Adds to the membership of the advisory board. Makes other changes. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Makes the 21st Century Employment grant program subject to appropriation.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for purposes of determining eligibility and the amount of assistance under the Code, the Department of Human Services and local governmental units shall exclude from consideration, for a period of no more than 60 months, any financial assistance, including wages, cash transfers, or gifts, that is provided to a person who is enrolled in a program or research project that is not funded with general revenue funds and that is intended to investigate the impacts of policies or programs designed to reduce poverty, promote social mobility, or increase financial stability for Illinois residents if there is an explicit plan to collect data and evaluate the program or initiative that is developed prior to participants in the study being enrolled in the program and if a research team has been identified to oversee the evaluation. Requires the Department to seek all necessary federal approvals or waivers to implement the provisions of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the Asian American Family Commission Act. Creates the Asian American Family Commission. Provides for the appointment of members to the Commission and terms of membership. Provides that members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for Commission-related expenses. Provides for the appointment of liaisons from specified State agencies to serve as ex officio members of the Commission. Provides that the Office of the Governor, in cooperation with the State agencies appointing liaisons to the Commission, shall provide administrative support to the Commission. Provides for funding to the Commission. Requires the Commission to annually report to the Governor and the General Assembly.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code, the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to require coverage for hearing instruments and related services for all individuals 65 years of age and older when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument. Provides that an insurer shall provide coverage for hearing instruments subject to certain restrictions. Provides that an insurer shall not be required to pay a claim if the insured filed such a claim 24 months prior to the date of filing the claim with the insurer and the claim was paid by any insurer. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 305 ILCS 5/5-16.8 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Provides that an insurer shall offer, for an additional premium and subject to the insurer's standard of insurability, optional coverage or optional reimbursement for hearing instruments and related services for all individuals (rather than the requiring the insurer to provide coverage for hearing instruments and related services for all individuals 65 years of age or older) when a hearing care professional prescribes a hearing instrument to augment communication. Provides a maximum of $2,500 (rather $1,500) for the hearing instrument and related services every 24 months. Provides that nothing in the provisions precludes an insured from selecting a more expensive hearing instrument as his or her own expense. Removes language providing that an insurer shall not be required to pay a claim filed by its insured for the payment of the cost of a hearing instrument if less than 24 months before the date of the claim its insured filed a claim for payment of the cost of the hearing instrument and the claim was paid by the insurer. Removes provisions amending the Illinois Public Aid Code. House Floor Amendment No. 3 In provisions amending the Illinois Insurance Code, provides that nothing in the provisions precludes an insured from selecting a hearing instrument that costs more than the amount covered by a plan of accident and health insurance or a managed care plan and paying the uncovered cost at his or her own expense (rather than a more expensive hearing instrument at his or her own expense). Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 In provisions amending the Illinois Insurance Code, provides that a "hearing care professional" may also mean a licensed hearing instrument dispenser. Provides that the provisions shall not be construed to require a group policy to provide coverage if the group is unable to meet mandatory minimum participation requirements set by the insurer.

Amends the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Act. Provides that an active drycleaning facility that has previously received or is currently receiving reimbursement for the costs of a remedial action shall maintain continuous financial assurance for environmental liability coverage in the amount of at least $500,000 until the earlier of (i) January 1, 2030 (currently, January 1, 2020) or (ii) the date the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council determines the drycleaning facility is an inactive drycleaning facility. Extends the repeal date for specified fee and tax provisions of the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Act to January 1, 2030 (currently, January 1, 2020). Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 415 ILCS 5/22.57 415 ILCS 135/5 415 ILCS 135/10 415 ILCS 135/25 415 ILCS 135/40 415 ILCS 135/50 415 ILCS 135/55 415 ILCS 135/60 415 ILCS 135/65 415 ILCS 135/69 415 ILCS 135/69.5 new 415 ILCS 135/77 new 415 ILCS 135/12 new 415 ILCS 135/31 new 415 ILCS 135/45 415 ILCS 135/85 415 ILCS 135/15 rep. 415 ILCS 135/20 rep. 415 ILCS 135/30 rep. 415 ILCS 135/75 rep. 415 ILCS 135/80 rep. Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Act. Provides for the transfer of the powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council to the Environmental Protection Agency. Makes corresponding changes. Makes corresponding changes, including providing that an owner or operator of a drycleaning facility may purchase specified insurance under the Act through the effective date of the amendatory Act (currently, there is no end date) and providing that financial assurance shall be offered for claims arising before July 1, 2020 (currently, there is no end date). Provides that during any fiscal year, no more than $600,000 shall be appropriated to the Agency from the Fund for administrative expenses, except for (i) any costs of complying with Title XVII of the Environmental Protection Act or (ii) any costs incurred by the Agency in performing investigative or remedial actions. Makes changes to provisions concerning the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund, powers and duties of the Council, remedial action accounts, drycleaning facility licenses and license fees, a drycleaning solvent tax, civil penalties, and audits and reports. Adds provisions concerning termination of contract with the Fund Administrator, criminal penalties, and review of final Council decisions. Changes the repeal date for specified fee and tax provisions from January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2030. Repeals provisions concerning creation of the Council, Council rules, audits and reports, and the adjustment of fees and taxes. Makes other changes. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Makes changes to provisions concerning training requirements for a person who operates a perchloroethylene drycleaning machine. Effective July 1, 2020, except that the language in the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Act concerning transfer of Council functions to the Agency, termination of contract with the Fund administrator, the insurance account, the eventual repeal of specified fee and tax provisions, and the repeal of provisions regarding the adjustment of fees and taxes take effect immediately.

Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Provides that the term "student" within the definition of "educational employee" or "employee" as used in the Act excludes (rather than includes) graduate students who are research assistants primarily performing duties that involve research, graduate assistants primarily performing duties that are pre-professional, graduate students who are teaching assistants primarily performing duties that involve the delivery and support of instruction, or any other graduate assistants. Effective immediately. Correctional Note (Dept of Corrections) There is no fiscal or population impact on the department. Judicial Note (Admin Office of the Illinois Courts) This legislation would neither increase nor decrease the number of judges needed in the State of Illinois. Pension Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 253 amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act in a way that does not affect any pension system. State Debt Impact Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) This bill would not change the amount of authorization for any type of State-issued or State-supported bond, and, therefore, would not affect the level of State indebtedness. Fiscal Note (Dept of Labor) This legislation has no fiscal impact on the Department of Labor. Land Conveyance Appraisal Note (Dept. of Transportation) No land conveyances are included in this bill; therefore, there are no appraisals to be filed. Housing Affordability Impact Note (Housing Development Authority) This bill will have no effect on the cost of constructing, purchasing, owning, or selling a single-family residence. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate Home Rule Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not pre-empt home rule authority. Balanced Budget Note (Office of Management and Budget) Please be advised that the Balanced Budget Note Act does not apply to this bill, as it is not a supplemental appropriation that increases or decreases appropriations. Under the Act, a balanced budget note must be prepared only for bills that change a general funds appropriation for the fiscal year in which the new bill is enacted. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Changes the effective date of the Act to January 1, 2020 (rather than effective immediately).

Amends the Homelessness Prevention Act. Changes certain types of assistance grantees shall offer households to prevent homelessness as follows: (1) payment of a rent or mortgage arrearage (rather than payment of a rent or mortgage arrearage in an amount established as necessary to defeat the eviction or foreclosure, but shall in no event be greater than 3 months of rental or mortgage arrears); (2) payment of a security deposit (rather than payment of a rent deposit or security deposit and payment of not more than 2 months rent or mortgage payments); and (3) payment of rent or mortgage. Provides that in no case shall the total assistance for a household be greater than the equivalent of 6 months of rent or mortgage payments. Provides that, on an annual basis, a grantee's administrative costs and case management expenses shall not exceed 15% of the grant amount it receives.

Amends the University of Illinois Trustees Act. Provides that in order to determine residency status of a potential or current student trustee, the student must provide evidence of the student's Illinois domicile for at least the previous 6 months and either (i) evidence of the student's current, valid Illinois driver's license or Illinois Identification Card or (ii) evidence of the student's valid Illinois voter registration (instead of having evidence of the student's Illinois domicile, Illinois driver's license, and Illinois voter registration positively demonstrate residency). Effective January 1, 2020.

Amends the Chicago Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. For school years beginning on or after July 1, 2019, increases to 120 days (instead of 100 days) the amount of days a service retirement pensioner who is re-employed as a teacher may work without having his or her pension cancelled. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.