Rep. Joyce Mason

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits unlawful use of an animal (currently, this provision only covers elephants) in a traveling animal act when he or she knowingly allows for the participation of an animal in a traveling animal act. Unlawful use of an animal in a traveling animal act is a Class A misdemeanor. Defines "animal". Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that of the federal funds received by the State for purposes related to the COVID-19 public health emergency, 25% of any such funds shall be allocated as grants to businesses with less than 50 employees. Provides eligibility requirements for businesses seeking to receive such grants. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall award grants in the amount of $5,000 to eligible businesses. Provides that a business shall only be eligible for one such grant. Requires the Department to publish the names of the businesses that are awarded grants on its Internet website. Provides for the adoption of rules.

Amends the evidence-based funding provisions of the School Code. Includes in the definition of "Organizational Unit" a State-approved charter school that has greater than or equal to 15% fewer low-income students than the school district in which the charter school is located. Requires the State Board of Education to determine how each funding variable within the evidence-based funding formula needs to be adjusted to accommodate the changes made by the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Creates the Pregnancy Expenses Act. Provides that a biological father of a child has a duty to pay 50% of the mother's pregnancy expenses. Provides that if a person seeks payment of pregnancy expenses by providing documentation of payments, medical expenses, and insurance premiums, the court shall, after review, order the payment of the pregnancy expenses. Amends the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015. Deletes language providing that a parentage judgment or order may direct either parent to pay the reasonable expenses incurred by either parent or the Department of Healthcare and Family Services related to the mother's pregnancy and the delivery of the child. Provides instead that the judgment or order may direct the biological father to pay 50% of pregnancy expenses, as defined in the Pregnancy Expenses Act, incurred by the mother or the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and that the court, in its discretion, may direct the biological father to pay more than 50% of pregnancy expenses. Effective immediately.

Amends the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act. Provides that any governmental or nongovernmental entity described under specified provisions or any entity that provides medical care or health services may distribute fentanyl test strips to the public to test for the presence of fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, or a drug adulterant within a controlled substance. Makes other changes. Amends the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act. Provides that "drug paraphernalia" does not include equipment, products, or materials to analyze or test for the presence of fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, or a drug adulterant within a controlled substance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Reduces the trailer flat weight tax for maximum loads of 3,000 pounds and less from $118 to $18. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Changes the repeal date for provisions authorizing natural gas surcharges to provide for recovery of costs associated with investments in qualifying infrastructure plants from December 31, 2023 to January 1, 2022.

Amends the School Code. Makes changes in the School Boards Article relating to policies addressing sexual abuse. In the Courses of Study Article, repeals the sex education, family life, and instruction on diseases provisions. Instead, sets forth comprehensive sex education requirements for course materials and instruction, requires the State Board of Education to post on its website comprehensive sex education resources for use in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade, provides for school disclosure, parental requests, and notice, allows a school district to collaborate with a local public health department to identify and designate a qualified employee of the local public health department as the school district's point of contact for the purposes of responding to inquiries and comments about course instruction and materials, requires the State Board to develop, maintain, and make publicly available State standards, and provides for rulemaking. Makes changes in the Chicago School District Article concerning AIDS training. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Makes changes in the School Boards Article relating to policies addressing sexual abuse. In the Courses of Study Article, repeals the sex education, family life, and instruction on diseases provisions. Instead, sets forth comprehensive personal health and safety education requirements for course materials and instruction, requires the State Board of Education to post on its website personal health and safety education resources for use in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade, provides for school disclosure, parental requests, and notice, allows a school district to collaborate with a local public health department to identify and designate a qualified employee of the local public health department as the school district's point of contact for the purposes of responding to inquiries and comments about course instruction and materials, requires the State Board to develop, maintain, and make publicly available State standards, and provides for rulemaking. Makes changes in the Chicago School District Article concerning AIDS training. Effective immediately. State Mandates Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity) HB 1736 (H-AM 1) does not create a State Mandate. Fiscal Note, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (State Board of Education) HB 1736 (H-AM 1) includes new requirements for the State Board of Education (Board) and school districts that will have a fiscal impact. This fiscal impact estimate only addresses known or estimated costs for the Board and not PreK-12 public school districts, other State agencies or other entities impacted by the amendments. The Board is tasked with adopting sex education standards by July 1, 2022, develop and maintain sex education resources, and provide technical assistance to school district as needed. ISBE anticipates needing to hire additional staff to implement the requirements of HB 1736 (H-AM 1). ISBE estimates the cost of implementing this amendment will be $1.45m in years 1 and 2 and $100,000 in future years.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that, in addition to other elements defining the offense, a person commits criminal sexual assault if that person commits an act of sexual penetration and is a physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 to practice medicine in all of its branches or licensed as a chiropractic physician under that Act and the victim is a patient under the physician or chiropractic physicians's care or to whom the physician or chiropractic physician has access due to his or her practice as a physician or chiropractic physician. Effective January 1, 2022.

Amends the Pawnbroker Regulation Act. Clarifies that it shall be unlawful for any pawnbroker to charge or collect a greater benefit or percentage upon money advanced, and for the use and forbearance thereof, than permitted under the Predatory Loan Prevention Act. Amends the Predatory Loan Prevention Act. Provides that the definition of "loan" includes transactions subject to the Pawnbroker Regulation Act. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for any person or entity to solicit, broker, or otherwise engage in any other activity intended to facilitate or result in, or that in fact facilitates or results in, the origination of a loan that violates the Act. Provides that it is a violation of the Act for any person or entity to advertise or cause to be advertised a loan that violates the Act. Provides that a violation of the Act by a person or entity licensed under the Pawnbroker Regulation Act shall subject the person or entity to discipline in accordance with that Act. Makes other changes. Effective June 1, 2023.