Rep. Dan Didech

Creates the Protection of Dogs and Cats from Unnecessary Testing Act. Prohibits a testing facility from conducting a canine or feline toxicological experiment in the State, except for certain specified purposes. Provides that the prohibition does not apply to testing or experimentation conducted for the purpose of developing, manufacturing, or marketing any product intended for beneficial use in dogs or cats. Provides that the Attorney General or a State's Attorney in the county in which a violation occurred may bring an action in the name of the People of the State to enforce the provisions of the Act. Contains a severability provision. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $1,083,650 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for a grant to the University Center of Lake County for capital improvements. Effective July 1, 2023.

Urges the Administration of President Biden to publish without delay the Equal Rights Amendment as the Twenty-Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Urges Congress to pass a joint resolution affirming the Equal Rights Amendment as the Twenty-Eighth Amendment. Calls on other states to join in this action by passing the same or similar resolutions.

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Deletes provision requiring Central Management Services to prepare and submit the total quantity of annual reports printed, the total cost, and the cost per copy and the cost per page of the annual report of the State agency printed during the calendar year covered by the report. Amends the Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act, Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and the State Finance Act. Deletes obsolete funding. Amends the Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Act. Removes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity from the Act. Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, Unified Code of Corrections, Workers' Compensation Act. Repeals obsolete mandates. Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that in preparing the roster of approved certified independent arbitrators, the Chairman shall seek the advice and recommendation of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board at his or her discretion. Repeals obsolete mandate. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Library System Act. Provides that it is the policy of the State to encourage the improvement of free public libraries and to encourage cooperation among all types of libraries in promoting the sharing of library resources, including digital resources, and to encourage and protect the freedom of public libraries and library systems to acquire materials without external limitation and to be protected against attempts to ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to books or other materials. Provides that the State Librarian shall prescribe rules concerning the development of a written policy declaring the inherent authority of the public library or library system to prohibit the practice of banning specific books or resources. Provides that, in order to be eligible for State grants, a public library or library system shall develop a written policy prohibiting the practice of banning books within the public library or library system. Makes other changes.

Amends the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. Provides that a township officer may hold a position on the board of a not-for-profit corporation that is interested in a contract, work, or business of the township if: (1) the township officer is appointed by the governing body of the township to represent the interests of the township on a not-for-profit corporation's board, then the township officer may actively vote on matters involving either that board or the township, so long as the membership on the not-for-profit board is not a paid position; or (2) the township officer is not appointed to the governing body of a not-for-profit corporation by the governing body of the township, then the township officer may continue to serve, however, the township officer shall abstain from voting on an proposition before the township governing body directly involving the not-for-profit corporation and, for those matters, shall not be counted as present for the purposes of quorum of the township governing body.

Amends the Public Employee Disability Act. Provides that disability benefits under the Act are extended to eligible employees who suffer any illness.

Amends the Automatic Contract Renewal Act. Provides that the clear and conspicuous disclosure of an automatic renewal clause displayed during the contract formation process must require the consumer to affirmatively consent to the renewal terms. Provides for additional notice requirements concerning contracts that automatically renew for a specified term of more than one month unless the consumer cancels the contract. Provides for additional notice requirements concerning contracts that allow the consumer to accept a free gift or trial as part of an automatic renewal offer before the consumer makes any payment, or where such contract entitles the consumer to an introductory reduced, promotional, or discounted rate before the customer begins paying the full rate. Provides that a person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation that allows consumers to accept an automatic renewal or continuous service offer online shall allow a consumer to terminate the automatic renewal or continuous service exclusively online, at will, and without engaging any further steps that obstruct or delay the consumer's ability to terminate the automatic renewal or continuous service immediately. Defines "clear and conspicuous".

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to propose and the Pollution Control Board to adopt rules defining what microplastics are for purposes of regulating their presence in drinking water. Directs the Agency to propose and the Board to adopt rules establishing a standard methodology to be used in the testing of drinking water for microplastics, requirements for testing drinking water for microplastics, and standards for the accreditation by the Agency of qualified laboratories to analyze drinking water for microplastics. Provides that the Agency, if it deems doing so is appropriate, is to consider issuing a notification level to aid consumers in the interpretation of the results of drinking water testing.

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Deletes language providing that, to the extent that records or documents produced by a public body contain information that is claimed to be exempt from disclosure, the Public Access Counselor shall not further disclose that information. Provides instead that records or documents obtained by the Public Access Counselor from a public body for the purpose of addressing a request for review may not be disclosed to the public, including the requester, by the Public Access Counselor. Provides that such records, while in the possession of the Public Access Counselor, are exempt under the Act from disclosure by the Public Access Counselor.