Rep. Mary Beth Canty

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning the conviction of certain offenses as grounds for disqualification for licensure or suspension or revocation of a license, includes the sex offense of abuse by an educator or authority figure under the definition of "sex or other offense". Amends the Sex Offenses Article of Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits abuse by an educator or authority figure if that person holds a position of trust, authority, or supervision in relation to a student in a school, the student is at least 18 years of age, the person is at least 4 years older than the student, and the person either (1) commits an act of sexual conduct with the student or (2) commits an act of sexual penetration with the student. Provides that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual conduct is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. Provides that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual penetration is a Class 4 felony for the first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. Provides that consent of the victim is not a defense to abuse by an educator or authority figure.

Declares an immediate Black student enrollment crisis in the State of Illinois until enrollment at its flagship University of Illinois and all other Illinois higher education institutions reach a suitable number of Black enrolled students. Urges all Illinois higher education institutions to immediately establish an office/department with ample personnel to specifically and aggressively work in the area of Black student recruitment, immediate enrollment, and scholarships. Urges the Governor to utilize his executive powers to immediately direct funds toward emergency enrollment outreach and completion programs for Black student enrollment increases at Illinois higher education institutions.

Amends the State Comptroller Act. Provides an exception for vendors to receive payment by non-electronic means. Provides that outstanding liabilities as of June 30, payable from appropriations which have otherwise expired and interest penalties payable on those liabilities under the State Prompt Payment Act, may be paid out of the expiring appropriations during the 4-month period ending at the close of business on October 31 of each year, without regard to the fiscal year in which the payment is made. Amends the Prompt Payment Act. Removes provisions concerning payments made under the Public Aid Code. Provides that when a State official or agency responsible for administering a contract receives a bill or invoice from a contractor, that State official or agency shall electronically confirm the date on which the bill or invoice was received within 5 business days of receipt, and shall transmit any approved amount to the Comptroller within 30 days of receipt. Amends the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. Provides that a pre-qualification requirement may include consideration of past performance in administering grants if past performance failed to meet performance goals, indicators, and milestones. Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that all claims against the State founded upon any contract entered into with the State of Illinois, except that undisputed individual claims below $2,500 resulting from lapsed appropriations do not fall under the jurisdiction of Court of Claims. State agencies may pay undisputed individual claims below $2,500 resulting from lapsed appropriations from current fiscal year appropriations. Sets forth that the provisions are not intended to prohibit more frequent reporting to assess items such as service needs, gaps, or capacity. Sets forth other provisions concerning grant agreement specifications, separate accounts for State grant funds, expenditures prior to grant execution and reporting requirements.

Declares June 9, 2024 as Race Amity Day. Invites communities across the United States of America to join in introspection and reflection on the beauty and richness of the diverse peoples of this great nation while reaching out with a spirit of amity toward one another on Race Amity Day.

Amends the Elevator Safety and Regulation Act. Defines "temporary certificate of operation" as a temporary certificate of operation issued by the Administrator or the Local Administrator that permits the temporary use of a conveyance by the general public for a limited time of 30 days while minor repairs or upgrades are being completed if it is determined by the Administrator or the Local Administrator that the conveyance's use will not jeopardize the safety and health of those using or working on the conveyance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Transportation Choices Act. Requires, by January 1, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency, after consultation with the Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), to establish a schedule of greenhouse gas targets for greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector in the State. Requires the Department and MPOs to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions analysis and determine if their applicable planning document will result in meeting their greenhouse gas targets. Requires the Department and MPOs to perform a greenhouse gas emissions analysis prior to including a roadway capacity expansion project in an applicable planning document. Requires, by January 1, 2028 and every 3 years thereafter, the Department to prepare a comprehensive report on statewide transportation greenhouse gas reduction accomplishments and challenges and to make recommendations for any legislative action that would assist the Department and MPOs in meeting their greenhouse gas targets. Requires the Department and MPOs to calculate a climate equity accessibility score prior to including any project that has an anticipated cost of $30,000,000 or more in an applicable planning document or as a greenhouse gas mitigation measure. Requires the Department and MPOs to provide early and continuous opportunities for public participation in the transportation planning process. Requires, beginning June 30, 2025, the Department and MPOs to establish a social cost of carbon and use the social cost of carbon in their planning documents and planning activities. Establishes the Greenhouse Gas in Transportation Working Group. Provides that the specified requirements of the provisions shall commence with projects included in applicable planning documents filed on or after January 1, 2027. Makes other changes. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency to calculate a social cost of carbon and makes other changes.

Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Act to restore protections for wetlands and small streams that were formerly protected from pollution and destruction by the Clean Water Act. Includes provisions concerning: exemptions; wetlands delineation, classification, notification, permits and veto; general permits; appeal of final decisions made by the Department of Natural Resources and judicial review; investigation and enforcement; and county authority. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Advisory Committee and establishes duties and rules for the Committee. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Fund. Provides for permit review fees. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Uniform Crime Reporting Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency shall publish monthly on its website, and submit to the Illinois State Police in a form, manner, and frequency as required by the Illinois State Police, the following information that occurred in the law enforcement agency's jurisdiction: (1) how many homicides occurred in a month based on the time of death of a victim; (2) how many of the homicides had an alleged perpetrator arrested and charged; and (3) how many homicides are considered cleared or closed for a reason other than the arrest and charging of an alleged perpetrator. Provides that information required to be published on a law enforcement agency's website must be published on the website by the end of the month following the reporting month. Effective January 1, 2025.

Creates the Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act. Provides for the review of the case file of open unresolved murders. Defines "open unresolved murder" as any criminal activity in which death occurred more than 3 years prior to the date of the application for review of the case file under the Act, for which all probative investigative leads have been exhausted, and for which no likely perpetrator has been identified. Provides that the person or persons performing the review shall not have previously investigated the murder. Provides that only one case review shall be undertaken at any one time with respect to the same murder victim. Provides that each law enforcement agency shall develop a written application to be used for persons to request a case file review. Provides that the applicable agency shall conduct a full reinvestigation of the murder if the review of the case file concludes that a full reinvestigation of the murder would result in probative investigative leads. Provides for the compilation and publication of specified information and statistics regarding open unresolved murders by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Provides that each law enforcement agency shall employ or designate a minimum number of family liaison officers proportionate to the average number of homicides in the agency's jurisdiction within the previous 5 years of the date of employment with the maximum ratio of 40 homicides per each family liaison officer employed. Each agency may establish a lower ratio for hiring of family liaison officers. Establishes the duties and training for family liaison officers. Amends the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Downstate Police and Downstate Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Establishes a presumption that a firefighter or police officer 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 police officer or firefighter 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.