Rep. Barbara Hernandez

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that members of the Children of Incarcerated Parents Task Force shall be appointed by the Secretary of Human Services (rather than the Lieutenant Governor), unless otherwise indicated. Provides that the Department of Human Services (rather than the Lieutenant Governor) shall provide administrative and technical support to the Task Force and shall be responsible for administering its operations, appointing a chairperson, and ensuring that the requirements of the Task Force are met. Repeals a provision providing that an Article of the Code regarding the Task Force is repealed on January 1, 2022. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act to provide that if an individual's benefit year begins on or after March 8, 2020, but before the week following the last week of a disaster period established by the gubernatorial disaster proclamations in response to COVID-19, recovery by suit in the name of the People of the State of Illinois or recoupment from benefits payable to an individual for any week shall be permanently waived if the sum was received by the individual without fault on his or her part. Provides that, in cases of such permanent waiver of recovery or recoupment, the Director of Employment Security may not request the Comptroller or the Secretary of the Treasury to withhold a sum of benefits for which an individual is found to be ineligible. Effective immediately. Fiscal Note (Dept. of Employment Security) The legislation may have a fiscal impact on the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. The reported data indicates that for the programs payable under Illinois state law: (1) Fiscal Year 2019, non-fraudulent recovery totaled approximately $14,303,046.00; (2) Fiscal Year 2020, non-fraudulent recovery totaled approximately $16,552,059.00; and (3) First and Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2021, non-fraudulent recovery totaled approximately $10,147,378.00. Based on the above data, it appears the legislation could forgive $3.5 million to $5.1 million for each quarter the waiver provision remained in effect. While the system is generally designed to replenish the state’s Unemployment Trust Fund account by charging employers for benefits paid from the account, employers would not be directly charged for the forgiven overpayments as the bill is currently written.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to provide monthly supplemental payments of $279 to persons who receive federal Supplemental Security Income grants and to undocumented residents who have a disability and meet other criteria. Provides that the supplemental payments shall not be considered income for purposes of determining eligibility or the amount of assistance for any public aid benefit under State or federal law including, subject to federal approval, benefits provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or any housing voucher or rental subsidy provided under the Rental Housing Support Program Act or a similar locally funded rent subsidy program, or under the Housing Choice Voucher Program under Section 8 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937. Provides that the funding for the payments shall come from amounts collected under a specified provision of the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act and deposited into the Illinois Supplemental Payments for Supplemental Security Income Recipients Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury. Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Imposes an additional estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax on taxable transferred property valued at $4,000,000 or more. Provides that the additional tax shall be in an amount equal to 5% of the value of the transferred property. Requires the proceeds of the tax to be deposited into the Illinois Supplemental Payments for Supplemental Security Income Recipients Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to include the new special fund. Effective immediately.

Amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. Provides that an employer may not refuse to hire an individual or discipline an employee because results of an individual's drug test indicate the presence of THC on the part of that individual. Permits an employer to enforce a pre-employment drug testing policy, zero-tolerance drug testing policy, random drug testing policy, or a drug-free workplace policy or disciplining an employee for violating such policy, but provides than an employer may not take adverse action against an employee solely because of a positive drug test for cannabis unless the test result exceeds limits set forth in certain DUI provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Sets forth conditions under which an employer may discipline an employee for impairment. Provides that there is not a cause of action for any person against an employer for disciplining or terminating the employment of an individual when enforcing a compliant policy. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 410 ILCS 705/10-50 rep. Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Repeals provisions concerning employment and employer liability. Amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. Defines terms. Provides that discharge for the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol is permissible if the employee works in a safety sensitive position, if the employee demonstrates impairment, or if the test results for tetrahydrocannabinol exceeds the limits under specified provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Replaces references to "cannabis" with "tetrahydrocannabinol" and "premises" with "workplace". Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits an employer from enforcing a pre-employment drug testing policy, random drug testing policy, or a drug-free workplace policy or from disciplining an employee or withdrawing a job offer to an applicant for violating such policy if the policy is applied to employees working in safety sensitive positions. Removes the effective date. Makes other changes. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Deletes reference to: 410 ILCS 705/10-50 rep. Adds reference to: 410 ILCS 705/10-50 Further amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to create or imply a cause of action under the Act for any person against an employer for actions taken pursuant to an employer's workplace drug policy that complies with the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. Removes specified provisions concerning employment and employer liability. Removes the repeal provision. Amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits an employer from disciplining or discharging an employee whose use of a lawful product adversely affects or impairs the employee's job performance, conduct, or ability to safely perform the assigned job duties in the employer's workplace during working hours or hours the individual is on call or implementing and enforcing workplace policies regarding the possession, use, or impairment of lawful products in the employer's workplace during working hours or hours the individual is on call. Provides that specified provisions do not apply to any employer (rather than any employer that is a non-profit organization) that, as one of its primary purposes or objectives, discourages the use of one or more lawful products by the general public. Provides that the definition of "safety sensitive position" includes a position working for a law enforcement agency in a capacity that impacts the safety of others. Provides that the definition of "critical services and infrastructure" means physical and cyber systems and assets that are so vital to the public (rather than State) that their incapacity, compromise, or destruction (rather than incapacity or destruction) would have a debilitating impact on physical or economic security, public health, or safety. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that the term "safety sensitive position" includes a position that requires working around heavy machinery in a manufacturing facility.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an amount equal to the sum of (i) 8% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates and (ii) 9.11% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations shall be deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund (currently, an amount equal to the sum of (i) 6.06% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates and (ii) 6.85% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations shall be deposited into the Local Government Distributive Fund). Amends the State Revenue Sharing Act to provide that amounts paid into the Local Government Distributive Fund are appropriated on a continuing basis. Effective July 1, 2022.

Creates the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that the intent of the Act is for the requirements of the Act to apply equally to the governing board of each public institution of higher education in this State. Defines "governing board of each public institution of higher education" and "public institution of higher education". Adds provisions requiring each public institution of higher education to make emergency contraception available for purchase through at least one vending machine located on each campus under its jurisdiction; defines "emergency contraception". Sets forth minimum requirements concerning the packaging, storage, cost, and dispensing of the emergency contraception. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Excludes the board of trustees of a community college district and a public community college from the provisions concerning emergency contraception. Provides that the vending machine must be located in an area of campus where students can access the emergency contraception on weekends or after class hours and that the price of emergency contraception may not exceed $40. Pension Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4247, as amended by HA 2, will not impact any public pension fund or retirement system in the State of Illinois. Pension Note (Government Forecasting & Accountability) HB 4247 would not impact any public pension fund or retirement system in Illinois. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Removes references to community colleges and makes other changes to definitions related to public institutions of higher education. State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) This bill does not create a State mandate. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Illinois Board of Higher Education) The estimated first-year cost to the public universities from HB 4247, as amended by House Amendment #2, is $135,000. The estimated out-year costs total $20,000 annually.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that within 30 days after the date that a written request for a change order is submitted by a contractor to a State agency, if the State agency fails to either issue the change order with an agreement on price or give specified written notice to the contractor, then the contractor may stop work after giving written notice to the State agency at least 10 days before stopping work. Provides further requirements upon the occurrence of a State agency's failure to issue a change order with an agreement on price or give specified written notice to the contractor. Provides similar requirements for request for change orders submitted by a subcontractor to a contractor. Specifies that the provisions apply only to contracts for construction and construction-related services entered into by the Department of Transportation, the Capital Development Board, and public institutions of higher education, including contractors and subcontractors of those State entities. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that within 45 days after the date that a written request for a change order is submitted by a contractor to a State agency or within 45 days after the date that authorization for extra work is issued by a State agency to a contractor, the State agency shall either: (i) issue the change order with an agreement on price; (ii) agree on price for the authorization for extra work; (iii) counter on price in writing; (iv) give written notice to the contractor of the reasons why the change order is unreasonable; (v) accept a partial agreement on price on some of the terms of the change order or extra work; or (vi) explain in writing that an additional 30 days are necessary to make a determination. Provides that if an additional 30 days is requested, then, after the 30 additional days have elapsed, the State agency shall either: (i) issue the change order with an agreement on price; (ii) agree on price for the authorization for extra work; (iii) counter on price in writing; (iv) give written notice to the contractor of the reasons why the change order is unreasonable; (v) accept a partial agreement on price on some of the terms of the change order or extra work; or (vi) explain in writing that an additional 15 days are necessary to make a determination. Provides that if an additional 15 days is requested, then, after every 15 additional days that elapse, as necessary, the State agency shall perform one of the specified actions. Provides that the State agency shall report quarterly on its website the total number of times the State agency requested additional time to make a determination and the total number of times the State agency requested additional time for such determination for each contract. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, provides that the child support collected on behalf of a family shall be passed through to the family and disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance grant provided to the family under the program (rather than the first $100 of child support collected on behalf of a family in a month for one child and the first $200 of child support collected on behalf of a family in a month for 2 or more children shall be passed through to the family and disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance grant provided to the family under the program). Provides that beginning October 1, 2022 (rather than October 1, 2018) the Department of Human Services shall increase TANF grant amounts in effect on September 30, 2022 (rather than September 30, 2018) to at least 50% (rather than 30%) of the most recent United States Department of Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guidelines for each family size. Provides that beginning October 1, 2023 (rather than October 1, 2019), and each October 1 thereafter, the maximum benefit levels shall be annually adjusted to remain equal to at least 50% (rather than 30%) of the most recent poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for each family size. Effective October 1, 2022.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the earned income tax credit shall be: (i) 20% of the federal tax credit for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2023 and prior to January 1, 2024; (ii) 22% of the federal tax credit for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2024 and prior to January 1, 2025; and (iii) 25% of the federal tax credit for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1 2025. Provides that the earned income tax credit is available to persons who have attained the age of 18 but have not yet attained the age of 25 and to persons who are 65 years of age or older, without regard to any age requirements that would otherwise apply to individuals without a qualifying child under federal Internal Revenue Code. Extends the earned income tax credit to individuals filing a return using an individual taxpayer identification number. Creates a child dependent tax credit that shall be not less than $600 when combined with the taxpayer's earned income tax credit. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging. Provides that rates for homemaker services shall be increased to $26.52 beginning July 1, 2022 to sustain a minimum wage of $16 per hour for direct service workers. Provides that rates in subsequent State fiscal years shall be no lower than the rates in effect on July 1, 2022. Provides that providers of in-home services shall be required to certify to the Department on Aging that they remain in compliance with the mandated wage increase for direct service workers. Provides that fringe benefits, including, but not limited to, paid time off and payment for training, health insurance, travel, or transportation, shall not be reduced in relation to the rate increases described in the amendatory Act. Effective July 1, 2022.