Rep. Joyce Mason

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that no later than December 31, 2022, and no later than December 31 of each year thereafter, the Department of Children and Family Services shall prepare and submit an annual report, covering the previous fiscal year, to the General Assembly regarding racial disparities for children and families involved in the child welfare system. Provides that the report shall be conducted by a research institution at a public university and must include, at a minimum, the following de-aggregated data by race as compared, where appropriate, to population-level data: (1) education success, health and behavioral health, housing, jobs or economic justice, criminal justice, and other key metrics that serve as indicators of child and family well-being and can measure socioeconomic conditions in communities; and (2) children and families involved in a safety plan, the number of protective custodies, the number of investigations of each type of abuse and neglect allegation described in a specified provision of the Illinois Administrative Code and the findings of such investigations, the number of Department recommended court filings for each allegation type, the number of intakes into the foster care system, placement settings, lengths of stay, and permanency outcomes.

Amends the School Code. Provides that sex education course material and instruction in grades 6 through 12 must include an age-appropriate discussion on sexting; defines "sexting". Provides that the discussion on sexting must include an exploration of: (i) the possible consequences of sexting, (ii) the identification of situations in which bullying or harassment result from sexting, (iii) the possible long-term consequences of sexting, (iv) the importance of using the Internet safely, (v) the identification of individuals in the school or community that may be contacted for assistance with issues, concerns, or problems, and (vi) the development of strategies for resisting peer pressure and for communicating in a positive manner. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 1 With respect to age-appropriate discussion about sexting, provides that a principal, teacher, school social worker, or counselor, or a trusted community leader (rather than a teacher, school social worker, or counselor or a police officer or community leader) are individuals whom students may contact for assistance with issues, concerns, or problems.

Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Allows a member to establish optional credit for up to 2 years of service as a teacher or administrator employed by a private school recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education, provided that the teacher (i) was certified under the law governing the certification of teachers at the time the service was rendered, (ii) applies in writing on or before June 30, 2023, (iii) supplies satisfactory evidence of the employment, (iv) completes at least 10 years of contributing service as a teacher, and (v) pays the required contribution. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 40 ILCS 5/16-158 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 16-158 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Further amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision that requires an employer to make an additional contribution to the System for certain salary increases greater than 6%, excludes salary increases resulting from teaching summer school on or after May 1, 2021 and before September 15, 2022. Effective immediately. Pension Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Government Forecasting & Accountability) SB 1646, as amended by HA 2, would reopen a window for teachers to apply for optional service credit for work done in approved private schools as teachers and administrators. The Teachers' Retirement System reports having 3,463 members who have applied for this private school credit in previous window openings, as described below. TRS estimates that the fiscal impact of this bill would be low, as the member must pay both the member and employer contributions, plus the actuarially assumed rate of interest to take advantage of this credit. The fiscal impact to TRS as a result of exempting summer school teaching from the 6% Final Average Salary Cap is unknown, as it is not known how many teachers would accrue pensionable salary in excess of 6% from the previous school year with the same employer via summer school teaching rendered between May 1, 2021 and September 15, 2022. Fiscal Note, House Floor Amendment No. 2 (Teachers Retirement System) Actuarial cost impact. SB 1646 as amended would have an unknown impact to TRS. Changes allowing optional service purchase under the bill are designed to be fully paid for by the related member contributions. Changes in required school district contributions would likely create some additional cost to the State of Illinois, but the total cost cannot be calculated without knowing the actual behavior of individual school districts and employees. Administrative cost impact. Administering the provisions of this bill would not increase the administrative costs ofTRS.

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force shall meet at least once every 2 months beginning July 1, 2021 (rather than beginning July 1, 2019). Effective immediately.

Creates the Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare Task Force Act. Creates the Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare Task Force within the Department of Children and Family Services. Requires the Task Force to examine the historical and current role of mandatory reporting and its impact on the racial and gender disparities of families involved with the Department of Children and Family Services; examine the underlying factors that bring families into contact with the Department and the factors that lead to child removal; review the Department's progress on the planning and implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act; examine the current processes and policies, data, and data collection methods for families involved simultaneously in the child welfare, juvenile justice, or criminal justice systems; explore policies and protocols for race-blind child protection screenings and child removal reviews; and other duties. Contains provisions concerning the composition of the Task Force and Task Force meetings. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly and the Governor within one year after the Task Force has its first meeting. Provides that the report shall contain policy recommendations that seek to prioritize preserving and reunifying families involved in the child welfare system, particularly Black families; reduce child welfare system involvement, particularly for Black families; and eliminate racial disproportionality in system involvement and the disproportionate impact of system involvement on families. Provides that the Task Force is dissolved, and the Act repealed, on January 1, 2024. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that the Task Force shall include one member (rather than 2 members) from an organization with expertise in the child welfare system that advocates to preserve and reunify families, appointed by the Governor's Office; 2 members who provide legal representation on behalf of the State of Illinois in child protection cases, one from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, appointed by the Governor's Office, and one from a State's Attorney's office outside of Cook County, appointed by the Governor's Office; and one member from a statewide organization advocating for the advancement of civil liberties for at least 80 years in Illinois, appointed by the Governor's Office. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall facilitate the prompt and timely collection and provision of data as requested by or on behalf of the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to explore policies and protocols that honor language, culture, and heritage in identity formation and familial relationships, including, but not limited to, race-blind child protection screenings and child removal reviews, as implemented in other jurisdictions around the United States, and to make recommendations for implementation in Illinois. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides that any data provided by the Department of Children and Family Services to the Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare Task Force shall not contain any personally identifiable information of any clients or families in accordance with the provisions of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

Creates the Domestic Violence Task Force Act. Creates the Domestic Violence Task Force to establish a consistent, uniform statewide system to protect victims and survivors of domestic violence, while holding offenders accountable. Contains requirements and responsibilities of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall be composed of specified members. Provides that the Family Violence Coordinating Council within the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority shall provide administrative support to the Task Force. Repeals the Act on September 1, 2027. Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Dedicates this Act to the memory of Colton Miller and the lives that have been lost as a result of domestic violence. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Provides that the Domestic Violence Task Force may also be referred to as Colton's Task Force. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes provision that the Domestic Violence Task Force shall review the need for special consideration for conditions of bail in cases involving domestic violence within the ongoing changes brought on by bail reform.

Amends the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act. Provides that victims and family members of victims of crimes of violence (in addition to victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, and gender violence) are subject to the provisions of the Act regarding unpaid leave and prohibited discriminatory acts. Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that victims of crimes of violence shall not be barred from collecting voluntary leave benefits. Defines terms. Makes other changes. House Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 820 ILCS 405/601 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with provisions identical to the bill as introduced except: (1) includes as a family or household member any individual whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship rather than a person whose close relationship with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship and (2) deletes provisions amending the Unemployment Insurance Act. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 820 ILCS 180/35 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with contents of the engrossed bill, but deletes provisions authorizing an employee to file a civil action.

Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. Adds e-cigarettes and other vapor devices as one of the educational areas the Comprehensive Health Education Program must include. Effective immediately.

Creates the Childhood Anaphylactic Policy Act. Requires the Department of Public Health, in consultation with the State Board of Education and the Department of Children and Family Services, to establish anaphylactic policies for school districts and day care centers. Requires the Department to create, distribute, and make available on its website informational materials regarding the policies. Contains requirements for the policies. Requires schools and day care centers to notify parents and guardians of the policies at least once each calendar year. Requires the policies to be forwarded to each school board of a school district, charter school, and day care center in the State within 6 months after the Act's effective date and to be implemented by those entities within 6 months after receiving the policies. Provides that the policies shall be updated at least once every 3 years. Contains other provisions. Effective July 1, 2021. House Floor Amendment No. 4 Deletes reference to: New Act Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.182 new 105 ILCS 5/22-30 105 ILCS 5/2-3.149 rep. 225 ILCS 10/5.11 new Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, to establish an anaphylactic policy for school districts. Also provides for consultation with the advisory committee established under the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. Sets forth what must be included in the policy. Requires school districts to notify parents and guardians about the policy at least once each calendar year. Requires the State Board to forward the policy to each school board within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Sets forth other requirements. Makes a related change in provisions concerning the administration and carrying of asthma medication and epinephrine injectors. Repeals provisions relating to food allergy guidelines. Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall require each licensed day care center, day care home, and group day care home to have a plan for anaphylactic shock to be followed for the prevention of anaphylaxis and during a medical emergency resulting from anaphylaxis. Requires specified child treatment plans to be kept and followed by the staff of a day care center, day care home, or group day care home. Requires each licensed day care center, day care home, and group day care home to have at least one staff member present at all times who has taken a training course in recognizing and responding to anaphylaxis. Contains other provisions. Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the Secretary of State to provide a disabilities motor decal or device to an expectant mother during her third trimester. Provides that a decal or device provided to an expectant mother shall be valid for no more than 90 days, and shall clearly set forth the date that the decal or device expires. Provides that a decal or device shall be issued only upon a showing by adequate documentation that the expectant mother has entered her third trimester.