Rep. Maurice West

Amends the Stalking No Contact Order Act. Includes electronic communication in the definition of "contact". Amends the Civil No Contact Order Act. Provides that the court may provide relief in a civil no contact order by restraining the respondent from having any electronic communication with the petitioner. Amends the Internet Dating, Internet Child Care, Internet Senior Care, and Internet Home Care Safety Act. Changes the definition of "internet dating service" to remove the qualifier that such services be performed for a fee. Makes a corresponding change to the Dating Referral Services Act.

Amends various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois. Requires the governing board of each public university to provide to each enrolled student, at the time the student declares or changes his or her academic major or program of study, a report that contains relevant, independent, and accurate data related to the student's major or program of study and to the current occupational outlook associated with that major or program of study. Sets forth specific information the report must provide.

Creates the Garden Act. Provides for the right to cultivate a vegetable garden and permits State and local regulation. Defines "vegetable garden". Limits home rule powers.

Amends the Civil No Contact Order Act. Provides that any family or household member of a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration may file a petition for a civil no contact order. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Provides that a petition for a civil no contact order may be filed by a family or household member of a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration only after receiving consent from the victim. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Provides that a petition for a civil no contact order filed by a family or household member of a victim of non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration shall include a statement that the victim has consented to the family or household member filing the petition.

Amends the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Requires the Superintendent of the Illinois School for the Deaf to have a degree in educational administration, together with at least 10 years of experience in either deaf or hard of hearing education, the administration of deaf or hard of hearing education, or a combination of the 2 (rather than degrees in both educational administration and deaf education, together with at least 15 years of experience in either deaf education, the administration of deaf education, or a combination of the 2). Requires the Superintendent of the Illinois School of the Visually Impaired to have a degree in educational administration, together with at least 10 years of experience in either blind or visually impaired education, or a combination of the 2 (rather than degrees in both educational administration and blind and visually impaired education, the administration of blind or visually impaired education, or a combination of the 2). Effective immediately.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that a student whose 22nd birthday occurs during the school year is eligible for special education services through the end of the school year (rather than being eligible for services only until the day before his or her 22nd birthday). Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility shall be provided without discrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, domestic partner status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. Removes provisions stating that "infertility" means the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse or the inability to sustain a successful pregnancy. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a policy, contract, or certificate may not impose any exclusions, limitations, or other restrictions on coverage of fertility medications that are different from those imposed on any other prescription medications, nor may it impose any exclusions, limitations, or other restrictions on coverage of any fertility services based on a covered individual's participation in fertility services provided by or to a third party, nor may it impose deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, benefit maximums, waiting periods, or any other limitations on coverage for the diagnosis of infertility, treatment for infertility, and standard fertility preservation services, except as provided in the Section, that are different from those imposed upon benefits for services not related to infertility. Changes the definition of "infertility" to mean a disease, condition, or status characterized by: a failure to establish a pregnancy or to carry a pregnancy to live birth after 12 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse if the woman is 35 years of age or younger, or after 6 months of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse if the woman is over 35 years of age; a person's inability to reproduce either as a single individual or with a partner without medical intervention; or a licensed physician's findings based on a patient's medical, sexual, and reproductive history, age, physical findings, or diagnostic testing.

Amends the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 765 ILCS 1026/15-101 Adds reference to: New Act 5 ILCS 175/5-115 5 ILCS 175/5-120 5 ILCS 175/5-125 5 ILCS 175/10-130 755 ILCS 5/1-2.18 755 ILCS 5/1-2.25 new 755 ILCS 5/1-2.26 new 755 ILCS 5/6-5 755 ILCS 5/6-6 755 ILCS 5/8-1 755 ILCS 5/8-2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Electronic Wills and Remote Witnesses Act. Provides that an electronic will shall be executed by the testator or by some person in the testator's presence and at the testator's direction, and attested to in the testator's presence by 2 or more credible witnesses. Provides for the revocation of an electronic will. Provides that an electronic will is a digital asset and any person or business in possession of an electronic will is a custodian. Provides for certified copies. Provides that a person may witness any document, other than a will, using audio-video communication between the individual's signing the document and the witness. Provides for remote attestation for a will. Provides methods for determining a signer's or testator's identity. Provides for the verification of an electronic will when a petition to have an electronic will admitted to probate is filed. Provides for: admission of a paper copy of an electronic will; admission of a will attested to by a witness who is physically present; admission of a will attested to by a remote witness; and admission of a will signed under the Electronic Commerce Security Act. Provides that nothing prohibits any party from introducing evidence of fraud, forgery, compulsion, or other improper conduct which in the opinion of the court is deemed sufficient to invalidate the will when being admitted. Provides for: formal proof of a will with a remote witness; formal proof of an electronic will; and formal proof of a will witnessed under the Electronic Commerce Security Act. Makes corresponding changes in the Electronic Commerce Security Act and the Probate Act of 1975. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the engrossed bill, and makes the following change: In the Electronic Wills and Remote Witnesses Act, provides that, effective March 26, 2020 and ending 30 days after the expiration of the Governor's emergency declaration regarding COVID-19, a notarial act or an act of witnessing may be performed through means of 2-way audio-video communication technology that allows for direct contemporaneous interaction by sight and sound between the individual signing the document, the witness, and the notary public. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code to create the Mental Health Task Force for Communication, Intelligence, Empathy, Emotion, and Empowerment. Provides that the purpose of the task force is to explore and determine a method and program for all students in primary and secondary school to receive mandated mental health care. Sets forth the membership of the task force. Contains provisions concerning the intent of the program, the goals of mandated health care, and task force meetings, duties, and reporting. Repeals these provisions on January 1, 2023. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/22-90 new Adds reference to: 405 ILCS 49/5 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003. Provides that the Children's Mental Health Plan shall include recommendations for ensuring all Illinois youth receive mental health education and have access to mental health care in the school setting. Provides that in developing these recommendations, the Children's Mental Health Partnership shall consult with the State Board of Education, education practitioners, health care professionals, disability advocates, and other representatives as necessary to ensure the interests of all students are represented. Effective July 1, 2021.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that each public institution of higher education shall study and issue a report on the cost-saving methods and practices utilized by the public institution for improving students' timely access to required course materials and the affordability of required course materials. Sets forth the required areas of study that must be included in the report. Provides that the report from each public institution must be submitted to the Board of Higher Education or Illinois Community College Board no later than August 1, 2022. Provides that no later than February 1, 2023, the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall submit a joint report to the Governor and General Assembly that summarizes the findings from the reports submitted by public institutions. Requires the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board to post each institution's report and the joint report on their respective websites. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 110 ILCS 205/9.40 new Adds reference to: New Act Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Collaborative Study Act. Provides that the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force is created within the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Sets forth the membership of the task force. Provides that the duties of the task force are to (i) conduct a collaborative college course materials affordability and equitable access study, (ii) examine the cost-saving methods and practices utilized by public and private institutions of higher learning in this State and throughout the United States for improving students' equitable first-day-of-class access to required course materials and conduct an affordability comparison of providing students' course materials, including digital learning tools, and (iii) submit a report of its findings to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Contains provisions concerning meetings, expenses, Commission assistance, collaboration, and reporting. Dissolves the task force on March 31, 2024, and repeals the Act on March 31, 2025. Effective immediately.