Rep. Lilian Jiménez

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Community Housing Reintegration Fund. Provides that moneys in the Fund may be used to provide housing-related costs for eligible persons who are either (i) transitioning out of congregate long-term care settings into less restrictive independent and community-based housing or (ii) facing impending placement in a congregate long-term care facility due to lack of affordable accessible housing. Amends the Property Tax Code. Increases the real estate transfer tax from $0.50 per $500 of valuation to $0.75 per $500 in valuation. Provides that a portion of the proceeds from the real estate transfer tax shall be deposited into the Community Housing Reintegration Fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Creates emergency rulemaking procedures for the student teaching stipend program. Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Authorizes a person to establish optional credit for periods of service as a student teacher under a specified provision of the Board of Higher Education Act. In provisions requiring an additional employer contribution for certain salary increases greater than 6%, provides that the System shall exclude any stipends paid to an eligible cooperating teacher under the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Creates the student teaching stipend program. Defines terms. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of Higher Education of all eligible students and eligible cooperating teachers who qualify for the stipend program. Creates requirements for the disbursement of stipend funds under the program. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student from participating in the stipend program or from receiving a stipend from the stipend program. Requires an eligible cooperating teacher who receives a stipend to complete specific training. Requires the Board to issue a report in collaboration with the State Board of Education evaluating the impact of the stipend program. Permits the Board to adopt emergency rules regarding the administration of the stipend program in certain circumstances subject to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $3,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Secretary of State for a recurring, permanent grant program for Illinois academic libraries. These grants shall be applied toward Open Education Resources. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Real Estate License Act of 2000. Requires a licensee representing a seller of residential real estate to share information on the property with any licensees representing prospective buyers, respond to inquiries from any licensees representing prospective buyers, make the property available for showing to prospective buyers, and, within one calendar day of the start date of any brokerage agreement authorizing the licensee to sell the client's property, publicly advertise or market the listed property for sale on an Internet platform or website accessible to the public and any real estate licensees representing prospective buyers unless the seller completes and signs a disclosure and opt-out form prescribed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Effective immediately.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that when an unaccompanied minor in the custody of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement placed in a facility in the State has been subjected to parental abuse or neglect as defined in the Act or subjected to the parental actions and omissions listed in the Act, a representative of the minor may file a petition for a dependency order with the court in the judicial circuit where the minor is placed. Describes the contents of the petition. Provides that the statements in the petition may be made upon information and belief. Provides that the petition must not name the minor's parent as a respondent. Provides that the petition must state clearly that parental rights may not be terminated through these proceedings. Provides that the court shall schedule a hearing within 35 days after the petition is filed, unless a motion is made for an immediate hearing because the minor is approaching 18 years of age or other emergent circumstances, in which case the court shall schedule the hearing within 7 days. Provides that, if the court finds the statements in the petition are supported by a preponderance of the evidence, the court shall find the minor dependent on the court. Provides that a minor found dependent on the court is eligible for oversight and services by the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that, upon request, the court may also issue an order establishing the minor's eligibility for classification as a special immigrant juvenile under federal law. Provides that the order may be entered at any time following the filing of the petition or at the hearing. Provides that the court shall not alter the minor's custody status or placement unless the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides specific consent. Provides that the court may retain jurisdiction over the minor until the minor attains 18 years of age or until further order of the court. Defines "dependent on the court".

Urges the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Pritzker Administration to delay cuts to Direct Service Professional (DSP) service hours set to begin January 1,2026, until such time as the State is prepared to implement the "Zero Hour" Staffing Model, to protect the services depended on by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Condemns President Donald Trump's effort to freeze funds for affordable childcare. Calls for the immediate release of all congressionally appropriated childcare funds.

Maddy summaryHB 576 amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. It makes a technical change specifically to a section concerning the short title of the Act.

Amends the Illinois Trust Code. Requires a trustee to maintain, for a minimum of 7 years after the termination of the trust, a copy of the governing trust instrument under which the trustee was authorized to act at the time the trust terminated. Amends the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. Provides that property held in an account or plan, including a health savings account, that qualifies for tax deferral under the United States income tax law, is presumed abandoned 20 years after the account was opened. Requires State agencies to report final compensation due a State employee to the Treasurer's Office as unclaimed property if the employee dies while employed. Requires a holder who holds property presumed abandoned to hold the property in trust for the benefit of the State Treasurer on behalf of the owner from and after the date the property is presumed abandoned. Requires that the State Treasurer provide written notice to a State agency and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget of property presumed to be abandoned and allegedly owned by the State agency before it can be escheated to the State's General Revenue Fund if the property remains unclaimed after one year. Creates authority for the Secretary of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to order a regulated person under the Act to immediately report and remit property subject to the Act if the Secretary determines that the action is necessary to protect the interest of an owner. Establishes a procedure regulating agreements between an owner or apparent owner and a finder to locate or recover property held by the State Treasurer. Requires a finder to be licensed by the State Treasurer and creates qualifications to be so licensed. Makes definitions. Makes other changes. The Treasurer is authorized to adopt rules as necessary to implement the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Establishes reimbursement rates for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for all group or individual policies of accident and health insurance or managed care plans that are amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 or for any contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer. Requires a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 or any contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer to cover certain medically necessary mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. Provides that, if the Department of Insurance determines that an insurer or a contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer has violated a provision concerning mental health and substance use parity, the Department shall by order assess a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation. Excludes certain health care plans serving Medicaid populations who are enrolled under the Illinois Public Aid Code or under the Children's Health Insurance Program Act from provisions concerning mental health and substance use parity. Requires the Department to review the impact of the proposed mental health and substance abuse mandate on network adequacy for mental health and substance use disorder treatment and access to affordable mental health and substance use care. Permits the Department to examine out-of-network utilization and out-of-pocket costs for insureds for mental health and substance use treatment and services for all plans to compare with in-network utilization. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, and the School Code to require coverage under those provisions. Effective immediately.