Rep. Will Guzzardi

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to annually include information about the Child Care Assistance Program and the federal dependent care allowance in the language that schools are required to provide to students eligible for Monetary Award Program grants. Specifies the information that must be included. Provides that an institution of higher learning that participates in the Monetary Award Program shall provide, at a minimum, the information to all students who are enrolled, or who are accepted for enrollment and are intending to enroll, and who have been identified by the Commission as Monetary Award Program-eligible at the institution. Provides that an institution of higher learning shall also provide the information to any student identified by the institution of higher learning as a student with dependents. Provides that an institution of higher learning may designate a public benefits liaison or single point person to assist students in taking the necessary steps to obtain public benefits if eligible. Requires the Commission to adopt rules to implement the provisions on or before October 1, 2020. Effective immediately.

Amends the Blind Vendors Act. Renames the Act the Vending Facilities Act. Provides that priority shall be given to blind vendors in the operation of 50% of the vending facilities on State property (rather than priority shall be given to blind vendors in the operation of vending facilities on State property). Requires each State agency controlling State property or parts thereof where vending machines or vending facilities are located to implement an aspirational goal of awarding contracts representing 50% of the vending machines or vending facilities under its control to minority-owned or women-owned businesses. Provides that each State-operated facility that has 6 or more vending machines under its control shall award at least 2 contracts for vending, where practical. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act apply to written contracts or agreements entered into on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act; and that any written contract or agreement in place prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act between a State agency and the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind shall be maintained and fully adhered to including any moneys paid to individual vending facilities. Defines terms. Provides that to ensure adequate competition and to encourage new participants, all written contracts or agreements for vending machines or vending facilities shall be limited to a 5-year term. Effective immediately.

Urges the Federal government to increase the national minimum wage.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Contains a declaration of policy and intent. Requires the Department of Human Services, in partnership with specified State agencies, to develop and implement a plan to phase out, by July 1, 2024, authorizations under the Minimum Wage Law to pay an employee with a disability less than the minimum wage. Requires the Department to consult with specified organizations when implementing the phase-out plan. Requires the Secretary of Human Services to submit reports to the Governor and the General Assembly on the benchmarks and status of achieving the outcomes included in the phase-out plan and recommendations for funding levels or other resources necessary to implement the phase-out plan. Amends the Department of Labor Law. Prohibits the Director of Labor from authorizing a work activities center or other sheltered workshop to pay an employee who has a disability less than the minimum wage unless certain requirements are met. Amends the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities Law. Requires the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities to commission an independent study of the phase-out plan; determine whether the plans are having their intended effects; and make recommendations for possible changes in State law or policy regarding the employment of individuals with disabilities. Requires the Council to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by July 1, 2023. Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Provides that the State of Illinois shall not fund any entity that pays individuals less than the minimum wage under a certificate issued by the United States Department of Labor that authorizes Community Rehabilitation Programs to pay individuals less than the wage otherwise required for the individuals under federal law. Effective immediately, except that the provisions amending the Minimum Wage Law take effect July 1, 2024.

Amends the Downstate Police and Chicago Police Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that for a person who first becomes a police officer on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, none of the benefits provided in those Articles shall be paid to any person who is convicted of any felony (instead of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with his or her service as a police officer). Provides that none of the benefits provided for in those Articles shall be paid to any person who otherwise would receive a survivor benefit who is convicted of any felony (instead of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with his or her service as a police officer) if the benefit results from the service of a police officer who first becomes a police officer on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Makes conforming and other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in supplying medical assistance, to provide for the legally authorized services of persons licensed under the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act as clinical professional counselors.

Amends the Collection Agency Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may discipline a licensee if a finding is made by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection that a licensee violated the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act or its rules.

Creates the Pharmaceutical Recovery Act. Requires covered manufacturers to, no later than July 1, 2021 or 6 months after becoming a covered manufacturer, whichever is later, participate in an approved drug take-back program or have established and implemented a drug take-back program independently or as part of a group of covered manufacturers. Provides requirements for the drug take-back program and for manufacturer program operators. Requires each manufacturer program operator to submit a proposal for the establishment and implementation of a drug take-back program to the Environmental Protection Agency for review and approval. Contains provisions regarding changes or modifications to drug take-back programs, promotion of drug take-back programs, annual reports, funding, and reimbursement. Requires covered manufacturers and manufacturer program operators to submit an annual $5,000 registration fee. Provides civil penalties. Creates the Pharmaceutical Take-Back Reimbursement Program Fund and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act. Contains other provisions. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that proprietary information submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency under the Pharmaceutical Recovery Act is exempt from inspection and copying under the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a home rule municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000 may restructure the rates of an existing real estate transfer tax to specified amounts. Provides that if the municipality increases the real estate transfer tax rates as provided in this subsection, then of the entire proceeds received from the real estate transfer tax, 75% shall be dedicated to the city's general budget and 25% shall be dedicated to housing and services to combat homelessness.

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the Department of State Police shall create and maintain a database that a person can voluntarily apply to in order to be barred from purchasing a firearm. Provides that the application shall be notarized and submitted to the Department, in a form and manner prescribed by the Department. Provides that a person shall remain on the database until he or she submits a notarized withdrawal application. Provides that the withdrawal application shall automatically be approved and become effective 7 days after receipt by the Department. Provides that the Department has authority to deny an application for or to revoke and seize a Firearm Owner's Identification Card previously issued under the Act only if the Department finds that the applicant or the person to whom such card was issued is or was at the time of issuance a person who voluntarily registers on the Department's voluntary do not sell to database.