Rep. Sonya Harper

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to consider certain mitigating factors and evidence of rehabilitation for certain applicants of licenses, certificates, and registrations. Requires the Department, upon denial of a license, certificate, or registration, to provide the applicant certain information concerning the denial. Provides that no application for licensure or registration shall be denied by reason of a finding of lack of good moral character when the finding is based solely upon the fact that the applicant has one or more previous convictions. Provides that the Department shall not require applicants to report certain criminal history information and the Department shall not consider the information. Provides that on May 1 of each year, the Department shall prepare, publicly announce, and publish certain statistical information. Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Includes applications for license, certification, and registration that must contain specific language which states that the applicant is not obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest and entities authorized to grant professional licenses, certifications, and registrations that may not ask if an applicant has had records expunged or sealed. Provides that certain sealed or impounded felony records shall not be disseminated in connection with an application for a professional or business license, except specified health care worker licenses. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Extends the inoperative clause date for a pilot program in Cook County waiving the fee to be paid for a petition to expunge or seal records of arrests resulting in release without charging or arrests or charges not initiated by arrest resulting in acquittal, dismissal, or conviction when the conviction was reversed or vacated. Extends inoperative date to on and after January 1, 2019 (rather than on and after January 1, 2018). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a municipality shall not enter into any new contracts, but may extend a contract or renew a contract, with any other unit of local government, by intergovernmental agreement or otherwise, or with any business or person relating to the collecting and final disposition of general construction or demolition debris. Provides that a municipality shall not provide by ordinance for any methods that award a franchise for the collection or final disposition of general construction or demolition debris. Provides that, in municipalities with a population under 1,000,000, a franchise shall not be awarded to any private entity for the collection of general construction or demolition debris from residential or non-residential locations. Provides that a franchise entered into before the effective date of the amendatory Act may be renewed or extended irrespective of whether the franchise or contract automatically renews or is amended.

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 race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, order of protection status, disability, military status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or unfavorable discharge from military service.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a violation for an employer to impose as a condition of obtaining or retaining employment any term or condition that requires a person to violate or forgo a sincerely held practice of his or her religion including the wearing of any attire, clothing, or facial hair in accordance with the requirements of his or her religion. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that when the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, or criminal sexual abuse may be commenced at any time regardless as to whether corroborating physical evidence is available or an individual who is required to report an alleged or suspected commission of any of these offenses under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act fails to do so. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires a public school, including a charter school, to provide reasonable accommodations to a lactating pupil on a school campus to express breast milk, breastfeed an infant child, or address other needs related to breastfeeding. Sets forth what reasonable accommodations include. Provides that (i) a lactating pupil on a school campus must be provided a reasonable amount of time to accommodate her need to express breast milk or breastfeed an infant child, (ii) a public school shall provide the reasonable accommodations only if there is at least one lactating pupil on the school campus, (iii) a public school may use an existing facility to meet the requirements, and (iv) a pupil may not incur an academic penalty as a result of her use, during the school day, of the reasonable accommodations and must be provided the opportunity to make up any work missed due to such use. Sets forth a complaint procedure.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Deletes a provision that requires Department of Juvenile Justice personnel who are hired by the Department and who participate or assist in the rehabilitative and vocational training of delinquent youths, supervise the daily activities involving direct and continuing responsibility for the youth's security, welfare and development, or participate in the personal rehabilitation of delinquent youth by training, supervising, and assisting lower level personnel who perform these duties to have a bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in criminal justice, education, psychology, social work, or a closely related social science or other bachelor's or advanced degree with at least 2 years' experience in the field of juvenile matters. Requires those persons to only have any bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited college or university. Provides that the Department shall, by regular (rather than certified) mail and telephone or electronic message, notify the parent, guardian, or nearest relative of any person committed to the Department of his or her physical location and any change of his or her physical location. Amends the Illinois Pension Code to make conforming changes.

Congratulates Mary Pat Palumbo on 47 years of service as a teacher at Bridgeport Catholic Academy.

Recognizes Dr. Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago as they celebrate 35 years of being a successful arts program.