Rep. Dan Didech

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of Route 25 in Aurora, running from Sullivan Road to Ashland Avenue, as the "SFC Ogden N. Thompson Memorial Highway" to honor a local soldier. The legislation directly affects the Illinois Department of Transportation, which is asked to install signs or plaques at appropriate locations to display the new name. It also requires that copies of the resolution be given to the family of the late Sergeant First Class Ogden N. Thompson, the Aurora Mayor, and the Secretary of Transportation. The bill serves as a commemorative measure recognizing Thompson's service and presumed death during the Korean War.

Amends the Gender Violence Act. Provides that "gender-related violence" means, among other meanings, contact between a sexual organ from which a condom has been removed and the intimate part of another who did not verbally consent to the condom being removed and contact between an intimate part of the person and a sexual organ of another from which the person removed a condom without verbal consent.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall create a student teaching stipend program to alleviate the financial burden of student teaching and to encourage students to pursue teaching careers to alleviate this State's teacher shortage. Provides that to participate in the stipend program, an eligible student must be placed as a student teacher no later than June 1, 2025 or no later than June 1 each year thereafter. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students who qualify for the stipend program by July 1, 2025 and no later than July 1 each year thereafter and all eligible students shall be participants in the stipend program. Provides that no later than August 1, 2025 and no later than August 1 each year thereafter, subject to available appropriations, the Board shall disburse to each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each eligible student a stipend of up to $10,000 per semester for up to 2 consecutive semesters, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Provides that the educator preparation program shall distribute stipend funds using the standard methods for allocating State-based financial aid or as wages for employment to each eligible student in monthly installments. Sets forth additional provisions concerning the distribution of funds. Provides for rulemaking.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that the provisions for prompt settlement of claims apply to private causes of action rather than just personal injury, property damage, wrongful death, or tort actions.

Congratulates the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, outgoing President Judge Megan Goldish, incoming President Joel B. Bruckman, and all members of its executive committee and board of managers on the 90th anniversary of its founding.

Provides that this amendatory Act may be referred to as the Vera, Vivian, and Amilia Kisliak Law to Support Victims of Domestic Violence. Amends the Community Mental Health Act. Defines "domestic violence". Provides that the governing body of a governmental unit that has established a community mental health board may pass a resolution authorizing a proposition asking whether the community mental health board shall provide services for victims of domestic violence in addition to providing mental health facilities and services. Provides that the community mental health board may, if authorized, perform such acts as may be necessary to provide services for victims of domestic violence. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. Provides that a network plan shall, at least annually, audit (instead of audit periodically) at least 25% of its provider directories for accuracy, make any corrections necessary, and retain documentation of the audit. Provides that the network plan shall submit the audit to the Department of Insurance (instead of to the Director of Insurance upon request). Provides that the Department shall make the audit publicly available. Provides that a network plan shall include in the print format provider directory (i) a detailed description of the process to dispute charges for out-of-network providers or facilities that were incorrectly listed as in-network prior to the provision of care and (ii) a telephone number and email address to dispute those charges. Makes changes to the information that must be provided in a network plan's electronic and print directory. Requires the Director to conduct random audits of the accuracy of provider directories for at least 10% of plans each year. Provides that a consumer who incurs a cost for inappropriate out-of-network charges for a provider, facility, or hospital that was listed as in-network prior to the provision of services may file a verified complaint with the Department, and the Department shall conduct an investigation of the verified complaint and determine whether the complaint is sufficient. Provides that, upon a finding of sufficiency, the Director shall have the authority to levy a fine for not less than the cost incurred by the consumer for inappropriate out-of-network charges for a provider, facility, or hospital that was listed in-network. Provides that the fines collected by the Director shall be remitted to the consumer.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Reenacts a provision concerning the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force repealed by Public Act 102-417. Changes the name of the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force to the Veterans' Services Task Force. Changes the frequency of Task Force meetings to at least twice a year and at any other times the Task Force deems necessary. Requires the Task Force to submit its report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 31, 2025. Repeals the provisions creating the Task Force on December 31, 2026. Effective immediately.

Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Provides that an electrical corporation which operates in the State shall upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems in order to achieve the State's decarbonization standards. Provides that an electrical corporation shall be adequately staffed and recruit, train, and retain further staff as needed. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall establish reasonable average and maximum target energization time periods. Provides that the Commission shall establish requirements for an electrical corporation to report to the Commission, at least annually, to track and improve electrical corporation performance. Provides that the Commission shall require an electrical corporation to establish a dedicated electrification team. Sets forth requirements for an electrical corporation to consider when engaging in the annual distribution planning process. Provides that, in its site evaluation and design process, the Commission shall require an electrical corporation to consider flexible interconnection to defer or mitigate energization-related grid upgrades, but, if the solutions cannot defer or mitigate an upgrade, the corporation may evaluate traditional system upgrades. Provides that an electrical corporation may recover costs. Effective immediately.

Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Removes language providing for the compensation of Clerks of the Circuit Court. Provides instead that the salary of a clerk of the circuit court elected or appointed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be set as a percentage of the salary of Judges of the Circuit Court and shall be in the following amounts: in counties where the population is less than 14,000, 55%; in counties where the population is 14,001 to 30,000, 60%; in counties where the population is 30,001 to 60,000, 65%; in counties where the population is 60,001 to 100,000, 70%; in counties where the population is 100,001 to 200,000, 75%; in counties where the population is 200,001 to 300,000, 80%; in counties where the population is 300,001 to 3,000,000, 85%; and in counties where the population is over 3,000,000, 90%. Requires the State to furnish 66 2/3% of the total annual salary to be paid to a clerk of the circuit court, and the county to furnish 33 1/3% of the total annual salary. Provides that if, on the effective date of the amendatory Act, the salary of a clerk is greater than the percentage of the circuit judges salary in the provisions, that circuit clerk's salary shall not be reduced.