Creates the Illinois New Business Owner Act. Provides that no application for a license for any State or local department, agency, board, or commission shall be denied or acted on adversely by reason of the applicant having been previously convicted of one or more criminal offenses or by reason of a finding of lack of good moral character, except if certain determinations are made. Provides certain factors to be considered concerning a previous criminal conviction. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: New Act Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 2105/2105-131 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Defines "mitigating factors" for the purposes of provisions concerning the licensure, certification, or registration of applicants with criminal convictions. Provides that mitigating factors are not a bar to licensure, instead they provide guidance for the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation when considering licensure, registration, or certification for an applicant with criminal history. Provides that the Department, upon a finding that an applicant for a license, certificate, or registration was previously convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that may be grounds for refusing to issue a license or certificate or to grant a registration, shall consider the circumstances surrounding the offense or offenses. Provides that the Department shall consider any mitigating factors from the point of arrest or indictment when determined to be appropriate. Makes other changes.
Sponsored bills
Creates the Lead in Schools Reporting Act. Provides that on an annual basis the Department of Public Health, in coordination with local departments of public health serving the City of Chicago, shall conduct specified lead testing at public school facilities within the City. Provides that the results from such testing shall be transmitted to the State Board of Education. Provides that the Department shall notify the Board if a detected lead level meets a level that the Department deems unsafe. Amends the School Code. Provides that school report cards for cities with populations in excess of 500,000 shall include lead testing results and that students in such districts may transfer from one attendance center to another attendance center within or outside of the district if any lead levels at his or her current attendance center meets a level that the Department deems unsafe. Makes other changes to provisions concerning transfers to specified attendance centers. Fiscal Note (State Board of Education) House Bill 242 is estimated to have a fiscal impact of $5,000 on the Illinois State Board of Education's budget for information technology development and project costs to collect and report the required data for lead levels at each individual school district organized under Article 34 of the Illinois School Code. State Mandates Fiscal Note (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate.
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.
Amends the Jury Act. Provides that except as otherwise specifically provided by statute, no person who is qualified and able to serve as a juror may be excluded from jury service in any court of this State on the basis of, among other things, sexual orientation.
Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that if a hospital has a gestational surrogacy contract on file for a gestational surrogate or has otherwise received the gestational surrogacy contract from a gestational surrogate, the hospital may not deny an intended parent entry into the delivery room where the gestational surrogate is being induced or in labor. Provides exceptions if: medical personnel determine that the gestational surrogate's life or health could be jeopardized; the gestational surrogacy contract prohibits an intended parent from being present; or medical personnel determine there is other good cause to prohibit an intended parent from being present, including, but not limited to, if the intended parent is causing a disturbance or other security concerns. Defines terms. Effective immediately.
Amends the Chicago Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that service retirement pensions shall begin on the effective date of termination as reflected in the records of the Employer. Provides that upon certification of a member's termination (instead of cancellation of his teaching certificate) and on written application, a teacher shall be paid a refund. Provides that to obtain a refund for a member who has completed the minimum term of service required to establish eligibility for a pension, the member must execute and deliver to the Board a written acknowledgment of forfeiture of all service credit and rights to pension payments (instead of a written receipt and acknowledgment). Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
Creates the Hotel and Casino Employee Safety Act. Requires hotels and casinos to adopt anti-sexual harassment policies and make panic buttons available to certain employees. Prohibits retaliation against an employee for using a panic button, availing himself or herself of the protections afforded by an anti-sexual harassment policy, or disclosing, reporting, or testifying about violations of the Act. Provides remedies for noncompliance. Limits home rule powers. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with provisions substantially similar to the introduced bill with the following changes: defines the terms "casino employer" and "hotel employer"; provides for the utilization of a safety device rather than a panic button; requires time off to be granted to file criminal complaints rather than sign police complaints; removes requirement that anti-harassment policies be posted in Polish; limits economic damage awards to $350 per incident; deletes the home rule preemption; provides that before a representative of employees may bring a claim on behalf of employees, the employer must be given 15 calendar days within which to correct the violation. Effective July 1, 2020. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Adds a definition. Defines the term "sexual assault" to mean: (1) an act of sexual conduct, as defined in Section 11-0.1 of the Criminal Code of 2012; or (2) any act of sexual penetration, as defined in Section 11-0.1 of the Criminal Code of 2012 and includes, without limitation, acts prohibited under Sections 11-1.20 through 11-1.60 of the Criminal Code of 2012. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: New Act 5 ILCS 140/7.5 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15 710 ILCS 5/1 from Ch. 10, par. 101 775 ILCS 5/1-103 from Ch. 68, par. 1-103 775 ILCS 5/2-101 from Ch. 68, par. 2-101 775 ILCS 5/2-102 from Ch. 68, par. 2-102 775 ILCS 5/2-108 new 775 ILCS 5/2-109 new 775 ILCS 5/2-110 new 775 ILCS 5/7-109.1 from Ch. 68, par. 7-109.1 775 ILCS 5/7A-102 from Ch. 68, par. 7A-102 775 ILCS 5/8-109 from Ch. 68, par. 8-109 775 ILCS 5/8-109.1 new 820 ILCS 180/5 820 ILCS 180/10 820 ILCS 180/15 820 ILCS 180/20 820 ILCS 180/25 820 ILCS 180/30 820 ILCS 180/45 5 ILCS 420/4A-101 from Ch. 127, par. 604A-101 5 ILCS 420/4A-101.5 new 5 ILCS 420/4A-102 from Ch. 127, par. 604A-102 5 ILCS 420/4A-105 from Ch. 127, par. 604A-105 5 ILCS 420/4A-106 from Ch. 127, par. 604A-106 5 ILCS 420/4A-106.5 new 5 ILCS 420/4A-107 from Ch. 127, par. 604A-107 5 ILCS 420/4A-108 5 ILCS 430/5-10.5 5 ILCS 430/20-5 5 ILCS 430/20-10 5 ILCS 430/20-50 5 ILCS 430/20-63 new 5 ILCS 430/25-5 5 ILCS 430/25-10 5 ILCS 430/25-50 5 ILCS 430/25-63 new 5 ILCS 430/70-5 25 ILCS 170/4.7 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the engrossed bill, and makes the following changes: Creates the Workplace Transparency Act. Limits the terms of employment agreements that restrict specified employee rights with respect to allegations of unlawful conduct. Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Division of Professional Regulation of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must exchange information with the Department of Human Rights regarding recommendations received regarding a licensee or candidate for licensure who has committed a civil rights violation that may lead to the refusal, suspension, or revocation of a license from the Division of Professional Regulation. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Requires the Department of Human Rights to adopt a model sexual harassment prevention training program and provides that all employers shall use the model or establish a training program that equals or exceeds the minimum standards provided by the model. Makes other changes concerning: definitions; procedures following an employer's failure to post required notices; employer disclosure requirements, and bar and restaurant sexual harassment policies and prevention training. Makes a corresponding change in the Freedom of Information Act. Creates the Sexual Harassment Victim Representation Act. Provides that in any proceeding in which a victim who is a member of a union has accused a perpetrator who is a member of the same union, the victim and the perpetrator may not be represented in the proceeding by the same union representative. Amends the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act. Defines "gender violence" and makes the Act applicable in instances of gender violence. Amends the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Modifies the disclosure of economic interests Article to provide for separate provisions concerning statements of economic interests to be filed with the Secretary of State and the county clerk respectively. Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act and the Lobbyist Registration Act to require annual participation in harassment and discrimination prevention training. Further amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Makes changes concerning: rights of persons subjected to discrimination, harassment, or sexual harassment; jurisdiction and duties of Executive Inspectors General, the Executive Ethics Commission, the Legislative Inspector General, and the Legislative Ethics Commission; complaint process, reporting, and independent review of allegations of sexual harassment made against an elected official; and other matters. Contains severability language. Effective January 1, 2020, except (i) the Hotel and Casino Employee Safety Act takes effect July 1, 2020; and (ii) the changes to the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, and the Lobbyist Registration Act take effect immediately.
Amends the School Code. Provides that every public elementary school shall include in its 6th, 7th, or 8th grade curriculum, beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, at least one semester of civics education; specifies course content requirements and requires the education to be in accordance with Illinois Learning Standards for social science. Allows school districts to consult with civics education stakeholders, as deemed appropriate by the State Board of Education. Allows school districts to utilize private funding available for the purposes of offering civics education. Effective July 1, 2019. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year (rather than the 2019-2020 school year), every public elementary school shall include in its 6th, 7th, or 8th grade curriculum at least one semester of civics education. Changes the effective date of the Act to July 1, 2020 (rather than July 1, 2019).