Rep. Rita Mayfield

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides legislative findings. Provides that a primary goal of the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center is to develop a strategic plan for nursing workforce in the State by selecting priorities to be addressed, including: (1) for license renewals beginning in 2024 and each renewal thereafter, to develop and require the completion of a supply survey of all licensed nurses at initial licensure and each license renewal thereafter; and (2) no later than 2026, to develop a nurse demand and employer survey to be collected biennially.

Creates the Digital Forgeries Act. Provides that an individual depicted in a digital forgery has a cause of action against any person who, without the consent of the depicted individual, knowingly distributes a digital forgery, creates a digital forgery with intent to distribute, or solicits the creation of a digital forgery with the intent to distribute: (1) in order to harass, extort, threaten, or cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; (2) with reckless disregard for whether such a creation, distribution, reproduction, or manipulation will cause physical, emotional, reputational, or economic harm to an individual falsely depicted; or (3) in order to incite violence or interfere with an official proceeding. Allows a prevailing plaintiff to be awarded damages, costs, and additional relief. Allows the court to grant injunctive relief maintaining the confidentiality of a plaintiff using a pseudonym.

Amends the Evaluation of Certified Employees Article of the School Code. With respect to a school district's teacher evaluation plan, provides that a teacher does not need to undergo the last evaluation cycle before the teacher retires if the teacher has notified the school district of the teacher's intent to retire. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Includes time served in a county jail as part of the minimum of 60 days of the sentence that must be served before the Director of Corrections may award discretionary earned sentence credit.

Amends the Sales Finance Agency Act. Provides that a licensee shall not assist a person or make loans to assist a person purchasing a canine or feline secured by: (1) a retail installment contract; (2) a retail charge agreement; or (3) the outstanding balance under a retail installment contract or a retail charge agreement. Amends the Predatory Loan Prevention Act and the Retail Installment Sales Act to make corresponding changes.

Amends the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. In a provision requiring a public safety employer to pay the entire premium of its health insurance plan for a public safety employee, the employee's spouse, and the employee's dependent children after the employee suffers a fatal or catastrophic injury in the line of duty, requires the employer to offer any individual who qualifies for such premium payments the choice of any health insurance plan available to currently employed full-time public safety employees.

Amends the Department of Employment Security Law. Directs the Department of Employment Security to work with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to identify employment opportunities in the State for persons who are in arrears in child support obligations.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that school districts shall provide instruction on the dangers of fentanyl. Specifies the elements of the instruction. Provides that students shall be assessed on the fentanyl instruction.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that the court shall not order any assessments, such as fees, fines, or administrative costs, except for assessments made in traffic, boating, or fish and game law, or municipal ordinance violations as provided in the Act, against a minor subject to the Minors Requiring Authoritative Intervention Article, Addicted Minors Article, or Delinquent Minors Article of the Act or against the minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Provides that, except for assessments made in traffic, boating, or fish and game law, or municipal ordinance violations as provided in the Act, any judgment, order, agreement, or other legally enforceable encumbrance directing a minor or his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian to pay assessments prior to the effective date of the amendatory Act is null, void, and not collectible if there remains a balance due, including interest, penalties, or collection fees. Provides that, if the court orders community service for the minor, community service shall not interfere with the school hours, school-related activities, or work commitments of the minor or the minor's parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Provides that, one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts shall report to the General Assembly: (1) the number of judgments, orders, agreements, or other legally enforceable encumbrances vacated pursuant to this provision in each judicial district; and (2) the total balances of fees, fines, and administrative costs vacated in each judicial district. Makes other changes. Amends various other Acts to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, in consultation with education stakeholders, the State Board of Education shall develop and adopt a comprehensive literacy plan for the State on or before October 1, 2023. Effective immediately.