Rep. Janet Yang Rohr

Declare's March 8, 2023 as International Women's Day. Reaffirms the State's commitment to pursue strategies that guarantee the basic human rights of women and girls, to promote meaningful and significant participation of women in all aspects of our society, to encourage equitable access to and healthcare for all women and girls, and to support policy initiatives that seek to achieve gender parity and empower all women.

Amends the Chicago Police and Chicago Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Establishes a presumption that a fireman or policeman who becomes disabled as a result of exposure to and contraction of COVID-19 was injured in the line of duty and is entitled to receive a duty disability benefit under the applicable Article of the Code. Specifies that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply retroactively to March 9, 2020, and any policeman or fireman who has been previously denied a duty disability benefit that would otherwise be entitled to a duty disability benefit under the amendatory Act shall be entitled to a retroactive duty disability benefit. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act. Provides that all State agencies and local governments shall consider whether compost products can be utilized in the land maintenance activity project when soliciting and reviewing bids for land maintenance activity projects. Provides that, if compost products can be used in the project, the State agency or local government must use compost products unless the compost products: (1) are not available within a reasonable period of time; (2) do not comply with existing purchasing standards; or (3) do not comply with federal or State health and safety standards. Provides that State agencies and local governments are encouraged to give priority to purchasing compost products from companies that produce compost products locally, are certified by a nationally recognized organization, and produce compost products that are derived from municipal solid waste compost programs.

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires health care professionals who have continuing education requirements to complete cultural competency training, which shall include information on sensitivity relating to and best practices for providing affirming care to people in the person's preferred language, people with disabilities, documented or undocumented immigrants, people who are intersex, people living with HIV, and people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Provides that for every license or registration renewal occurring on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a health care professional who has continuing education requirements must complete at least 5 hours in cultural competency training. Provides that for every license or registration renewal occurring on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person licensed or registered by the Department under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 and who has continuing education requirements must complete at least 10 hours in cultural competency training. Provides that these continuing education hours may count toward meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education. Provides for rulemaking. Effective January 1, 2024.

Creates the Carbon Dioxide Transport and Storage Protections Act. Provides that a sequestration operator may not exercise any authority to take or acquire any easement or title to any pore space or any portion of an area of review pursuant to the Eminent Domain Act. Provides that the sequestration operator is solely liable for any and all damage caused by the carbon dioxide transported to the sequestration facility for injection or sequestration, or otherwise under the sequestration operator's control, including damage caused by carbon dioxide released from the sequestration facility, regardless of who holds title to the carbon dioxide, the pore space, or the surface estate. Provides that in addition to any permit fees required by the Environmental Protection Act, sequestration operators and pipeline operators who transport or sequester carbon dioxide in the State must pay a fee each year to the State for deposit in the Carbon Transportation and Sequestration Readiness Fund established by this Act. Creates the Carbon Transportation and Sequestration Readiness Fund and makes a corresponding change to the State Finance Act. Provides for: training for carbon dioxide emergencies for emergency responders, medical personnel, residents, businesses, and other local entities. Makes a corresponding change to the Illinois Power Agency Act and the Public Utilities Act. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides for: setbacks from carbon dioxide pipelines; permitting required for carbon dioxide capture; prohibition of conducting any carbon sequestration operation without a permit; and permitting required for carbon sequestration. Provides that if the Environmental Protection Agency grants or denies a permit for capture of carbon dioxide or a permit for sequestration of carbon dioxide, any person may petition the Pollution Control Board within 35 days from the date of issuance of the Agency's decision for a hearing to contest the decision of the Agency. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the School Code's construction.

Creates the Literary and Justice for All Act. Provides that the State Board of Education shall adopt and make available to school districts a rubric by which districts may evaluate curricula and select and implement evidence-based, culturally inclusive core reading instruction programs, a template to develop literacy plans, and guidance on evidence-based practices. Requires the State Board to develop training opportunities in teaching reading and a comprehensive literacy plan for this State. Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program, the requirements to receive a Professional Educator License, taking a test in reading foundations for certain licensure, and the requirements for educators trained in other states or counties. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, all internships for school social workers must be paid internships. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to school districts to assist in the funding of these paid internships. Provides that the State Board of Education shall annually disseminate a request for applications to the grant program. Provides that higher priority shall be given to schools that demonstrate a shortage of school social workers, which is determined by the average ratio of school social workers to students in the target school district over the preceding 3 school years. Provides that the State Board of Education shall produce an annual report on the program. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to colleges and universities in this State to fund field placements for social workers. Provides that, subject to appropriation, colleges and universities shall annually disseminate a request for applications from students under the grant program. Provides that colleges and universities, upon receiving funding, shall provide applications to students eligible for this funding. Provides that a college or university shall give priority to applicants who are members of a racial minority. Provides that each college or university that receives funds shall provide an annual report to the Board of Higher Education, and the Board of Higher Education shall post those reports on the Board's website. Effective immediately.

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that the definition of "dog dealer" does not include a person who sells dogs at retail to the public. Provides that a person who sells dogs at retail to the public, shall not be considered an animal shelter under the Act. Defines "at retail to the public". Provides that the Illinois Department of Agriculture may refuse to issue or renew or may suspend or revoke a license for operating without a proper license under the Act.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that each bid or offer submitted on or after the effective date shall include a copy of the bidder's, offeror's, vendor's, or contractor's valid equal pay registration certificate if the bidder, offeror, vendor, or contractor is required to obtain an equal pay registration certificate.