Rep. Suzanne Ness

Amends the Township Code, Illinois Municipal Code, Downstate Forest Preserve District Act, Park District Code, Illinois Local Library Act, Public Library District Act of 1991, School Code, and Illinois Highway Code. Provides that specified contracts may be let to the lowest responsible bidder or the best value bidder (rather than to the lowest responsible bidder). Provides that "best value" means the result determined by a procurement method that considers price and other criteria reflecting an objective and quantifiable analysis. Includes examples of such analysis. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Adds reference to: 110 ILCS 805/3-27.1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Includes requirements for the resolution to include the identity of an officer or director of the bidder who is a family member of a board member, is a person with whom a board member maintains a close economic association, or is a person with whom a board member maintains a close political association. Defines terms. In the Township Code, Illinois Municipal Code, and the Illinois Highway Code, provides that, if an entity is eligible to be paid for or reimbursed, in whole or in part, with federal-aid funds, grants, or loans, and the provisions would result in the loss of those federal-aid funds, grants, or loans, then the contract is exempt from the requirements of the provisions in order to remain eligible for those federal-aid funds, grants, or loans. In the School Code provisions, adds language providing that a school board that awards a competitively bid contract in excess of $25,000 to a third party for non-instructional services currently performed by an employee or bargaining unit member may only award such a contract to the lowest responsible bidder. Amends the Public Community College Act making similar changes made to the other Acts in the bill. House Floor Amendment No. 4 Provides that, if an entity is eligible to be paid for or reimbursed, in whole or in part, with federal-aid funds, grants, or loans, and the letting of a contract to the best value bidder under the provisions would result in the loss of those federal-aid funds, grants, or loans, then the contract shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder (rather than the contract is exempt from the provisions).

Creates the Low-Wage Employer Cost Recoupment Act. Directs the Department of Labor to impose a surcharge upon employers that pay employees wages that are less than the amount that would disqualify a single person from being eligible for federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Imposes a surcharge in an amount equal to the annual value of the amount of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for which a single person would be eligible multiplied by the number of employees whose wages do not disqualify a person from eligibility for federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Effective immediately.

Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that beginning with the first payroll of the 103rd General Assembly, the compensation to be paid per year to members of the General Assembly, including additional sums payable per year to officers of the General Assembly, shall be paid at least monthly or may be paid semi-monthly at a member's request as agreed to by the Comptroller. Provides that members who resign before completing the entire term in office shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Provides that members completing the term of a vacancy shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person shall not hold an animal in the person's lap while operating a motor vehicle. Provides that a person who holds an animal in the person's lap while operating a motor vehicle is guilty of a petty offense and is subject to a fine of $50. Provides that a law enforcement officer shall not search or inspect a motor vehicle, its contents, the driver, or a passenger solely because the driver holds an animal on the lap or is suspected of doing so. Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Criminal Code.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Removes references to General Assembly members from provisions concerning funding for salaries of General Assembly members, judges, and legislative operations. Effective immediately.

Creates the Clean Jobs, Workforce and Contractor Equity Act. Creates the Equity and Empowerment in Clean Energy Advisory Board to administer the Clean Jobs Workforce Hubs Program, the Expanding Clean Energy Entrepreneurship and Contractor Incubator Network Program, the Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, and the Illinois Clean Energy Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Primes Contractor Accelerator. Creates the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund Act, the Community Energy, Climate, and Jobs Planning Act, the Energy Community Reinvestment Act, the Clean Energy Empowerment Zone Tax Credit Act, the Coal Severance Fee Act, the Building Energy Performance Standard Act, and the Public Utilities Intervenor Compensation Act. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to allow for emergency rulemaking. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Energy Community Reinvestment Fund, the Illinois Commerce Commission Intervenor Compensation Fund, and the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund. Amends the Electric Vehicle Act, the Energy Efficient Building Act, the Illinois Power Agency Act, the Illinois Income Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, the School Code, the Public Utilities Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Illinois Nuclear Facility Safety Act, and the Prevailing Wage Act by making changes to implement certain programs. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that a school district may offer its students a course on gun safety as part of its curriculum during the school day or as part of an after-school program. Provides that the State Board of Education may prepare and make available to school boards resources on gun safety that may be used as guidelines for the development of a course. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/27-23.15 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/27-2 from Ch. 122, par. 27-2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning instruction. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/27-2 Adds reference to: P.A. 102-466, Sec. 99 105 ILCS 5/10-22.6 from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6 105 ILCS 5/10-22.6a from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6a 105 ILCS 5/26A-15 105 ILCS 5/26A-20 105 ILCS 5/26A-25 105 ILCS 5/26A-30 105 ILCS 5/26A-40 105 ILCS 5/26A-45 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Adds bullying and the death of a family member as mitigating factors that a student may disclose during a suspension review hearing or expulsion hearing. If allegations of sexual violence or gender-based harassment (rather than only allegations of domestic violence) are made against the student subject to discipline during the suspension review hearing or expulsion hearing, prohibits the student subject to discipline or the student's representative from directly questioning or contacting the alleged victim. If a pupil will be absent from school for 2 or more consecutive weeks for treatment of the pupil's physical or mental health arising from domestic or sexual violence, requires a qualified employee (rather than an employee) from the pupil's domestic or sexual violence organization to provide written notice of the pupil's need for home instruction to the school district; defines "qualified employee", "domestic violence program", and "rape crises organization". Amends the Children and Students Who Are Parents, Expectant Parents, or Victims of Domestic or Sexual Violence Article of the School Code. Requires the Ensuring Success in School Task Force to include in its report recommendations for language to include in school and district policies (rather than to include model school and district policies in the report). Changes the date of the Task Force's report to January 1, 2024 (rather than June 30, 2024); repeals the provisions related to the Task Force on December 1, 2024 (rather than December 1, 2025). Makes other changes to the provisions concerning the review and revision of school district policies and procedures. Amends provisions concerning confidentiality. Sets forth additional requirements a school district must include in its policy concerning student confidentiality and the disclosure of information related to the imminent risk of serious physical injury or death of a student or another person. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2022, except that provisions concerning confidentiality take effect July 1, 2023. Senate Floor Amendment No. 3 In the provision about Task Force membership, provides that one member must represent a statewide organization of school social workers (rather than social workers). In the provision concerning confidentiality, provides that if disclosing an imminent risk of serious physical injury or death to a student or another person does not require disclosing confidential information about a student's status, then the student's status must not (instead of must) be shared.

Congratulates Terry Cosgrove on his retirement from serving as the president and CEO of Personal PAC. Further commends him for his years of dedicated service.

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.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that an applicant enrolled in a certificate program offered by a public community college is eligible for a Monetary Award Program grant until he or she completes the certificate program. Effective immediately.