Rep. Sonya Harper

Amends the School Code. In regard to the Whole Child Task Force, requires that the goals of the Task Force must also include (i) ensuring that historically disadvantaged males, including African American students and other students of color, receive academic equity and achieve academic excellence by considering whether to require that every school district's strategic plan focus on historically disadvantaged male students, including African American students and other students of color, as a specific student group to ensure educational equity and (ii) considering whether to establish a dedicated office within the State Board of Education to focus on the achievement of academic excellence and equity for historically disadvantaged males, including African American students and other students of color. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/22-90 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 435/2.1 from Ch. 122, par. 697.1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Vocational Education Act. Requires the Gender Equity Advisory Committee, on or before December 15, 2023, to submit recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, and State Board of Education on how school districts and the State Board of Education can better support historically disadvantaged males, including African American students and other students of color, to ensure educational equity. Makes that requirement inoperative on and after December 31, 2023.

Amends the Employee Sick Leave Act. Removes language exempting from coverage under the Act an employee of an employer subject to the provisions of Title II of the federal Railway Labor Act. House Committee Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Employee Sick Leave Act. Provides that the rights afforded under the Act serve as the minimum standard in a negotiated collective bargaining agreement.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education and the Department of Human Services to jointly establish and administer the Community Career Connections Program beginning with the 2022-2023 school year and continuing for a period of 2 school years. Provides that the Community Career Connections Program shall provide high school credits to eligible applicants in a participating school that receives a direct service professional certification. Requires the State Board of Education and the Department of Human Services to adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer the Community Career Connections Program. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.192 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.195 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and continuing for not less than 2 years, to make available a model program of study that incorporates the training and experience necessary to serve as a direct support professional. Requires the State Board, by July 1, 2023, to submit recommendations developed in consultation with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, organizations representing community-based providers serving children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and education practitioners, including, but not limited to, teachers, administrators, special education directors, and regional superintendents of schools, to the Department of Human Services for the training that would be required in order to be complete the model program of study.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that the Department of Veterans' Affairs shall establish a field office in each legislative district (rather than such field offices as it shall find necessary to enable it to perform its duties). House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 2805/3 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 2805/3.01 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that, subject to sufficient appropriations, the Department of Veterans' Affairs shall contract for a market research analysis of field services in this State. Provides that the analysis shall include the availability of veterans assistance commissions, veterans service organizations, and Department staff to assist veterans as well as the availability of nontraditional methods to deliver services through technology-based approaches. Provides that the analysis may use census data, as well as questionnaires, surveys, and town hall meetings to solicit input from veterans, their families, and other stakeholders. Provides that, within 18 months after sufficient appropriations, the Department shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly a recommended plan for the future delivery of services by the Department's Field Division, including the estimated cost of implementing the plan. Repeals the new provisions on December 31, 2023.

Amends the School Code. Requires the school board of each school district to grant full-time employees of the district 5 mental health days each school year at full pay. Provides that the employee is not required to provide a medical note or other documentation to use the mental health day. Provides that used and uncompensated mental health days are not eligible for pensionable service credit under the Illinois Pension Code. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/24-6.5 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/24-6 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning sick leave for full-time teachers and eligible employees, adds mental or behavioral health complications to the enumerated interpretations of sick leave. Adds that the school board may require a certificate from a mental health professional licensed in Illinois providing ongoing care or treatment to the teacher or employee. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/34-18.78 new Adds provisions to the bill as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that, in addition to any interpretation or definition included in a collective bargaining agreement or board of education or district policy, sick leave, or its equivalent, to which a teacher or other eligible employee is entitled shall be interpreted to include mental or behavioral health complications. Provides that, unless contrary to a collective bargaining agreement or board of education or district policy, the board may require a certificate from a mental health professional licensed in Illinois providing ongoing care or treatment to the teacher or employee as a basis for pay during leave after an absence of 3 days for mental or behavioral health complications. Effective immediately.

Creates the Apprentice Assistance and Support Services Pilot Program Act. Provides that the Department of Labor shall develop a 5 year Apprentice Assistance and Support Services Pilot Program. Specifies that the Pilot Program shall provide transportation assistance and a child care subsidy to eligible individuals participating in a qualified apprenticeship. Provides that no later than January 1, 2028, the Department shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly a report that evaluates the results of the Pilot Program and its effectiveness in assisting Program participants in entering the workforce or in obtaining better employment. Provides for the adoption of rules. Repeals Act on January 1, 2029. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Changes the name to the Act to the Job Training Assistance and Support Services Pilot Program Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (rather than the Department of Labor) shall develop the Pilot Program. Provides that the Department shall award grants to organizations to distribute subsidies to qualifying individuals. Provides that to be eligible for assistance under the Pilot Program, an individual is required to participate in a registered apprenticeship program, pre-apprenticeship program as defined by the United States Department of Labor, or work-based learning programs, such as an internship, paid work experience, transitional jobs training, on-the-job training, or incumbent worker programs administered by the Department. Provides that the assistance provided by the Pilot Program may include funds for transportation, child care, housing-related expenses, including, but not limited to, rent and utilities, transportation, child care, digital technology needs, education needs, mental health services, substance abuse services, income support, and work-related supplies that are not typically covered by programmatic supportive services.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education from developing, purchasing, or requiring a school district to administer, develop, or purchase a standardized assessment for students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 2, other than for diagnostic purposes. Prohibits the State Board of Education from providing funding for any standardized assessment of students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 2. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Changes the term "diagnostic purposes" to "diagnostic and screening purposes". Includes in the definition of diagnostic and screening purposes the determination of eligibility for special education, early intervention, bilingual education, dyslexia services, or other related educational services. Removes "child find" from the definition of diagnostic and screening purposes. Permits the State Board of Education to provide funding for any standardized assessment of students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 2 for diagnostic and screening purposes.

Amends the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act. As a part of the school lunch program, requires a school district to provide a plant-based school lunch option to those students who submit a prior request to the school district requesting a plant-based school lunch option. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Requires the plant-based school lunch option to comply with federal nutritional mandates. Changes the effective date from immediate to August 1, 2023.

Amends the School Code. Provides that school counseling services may include the promotion of career and technical education by assisting each student to determine an appropriate postsecondary plan based upon the student's skills, strengths, and goals and assisting the student to implement the best practices that improve career or workforce readiness after high school. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that the school counseling services of developing individual career plans with students and assisting all students with a college or postsecondary education plan includes planning for postsecondary education, as appropriate, and engaging in related and relevant career and technical education coursework in high school.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits a school district from withholding a student's grades, transcripts, or diploma because of an unpaid balance on the student's school account. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill, but clarifies that it applies to public high schools (rather than school districts). Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that at the end of each school year, the school district shall catalogue and report to the State Board of Education the total amount that remains unpaid by students due to the prohibition. Provides that on and after 3 years from the effective date of the amendatory Act, the prohibition provisions are inoperative.