Rep. Maurice West

Creates the Home for Good Act. Provides that the Home for Good Program is created as a statewide coordinated program designed to provide housing and services to persons released from an Illinois Department of Corrections facility on or after January 1, 2027 (targeted population). Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) shall be responsible for providing appropriate resources to potential applicants to acquire, develop, and rehabilitate permanent affordable housing units and transitional housing units that are designated exclusively for the targeted population. Provides that the granting and application process shall follow the existing program model of the Housing for Justice Involved Individuals Program. Requires IHDA to be responsible for providing site-based rental housing subsidies to community-based organizations who work with the targeted population. Requires the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), beginning January 1, 2027, to provide appropriate resources to community-based organizations who work with the targeted population. Provides that such resources shall be used to provide case management and reentry navigation services to Program participants; and to make supportive services available to Program participants. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, the Executive Director of ICJIA shall ensure that regional networks of participating community-based organizations and housing providers are established to collaborate and provide services and housing to the targeted population. Contains provisions requiring a housing needs assessment tool be administered to all individuals who are exiting Illinois Department of Corrections custody; that on January 1, 2027, or as soon thereafter as reasonably possible, the Executive Director of IHDA create a Home for Good Institute to provide training and technical assistance to community-based organizations who intend to acquire, develop, rehabilitate, or operate permanent and transitional housing units for the targeted population; the establishment of the Interagency Reentry Workgroup; the establishment of the Home for Good Advisory Committee; reporting requirements; rulemaking authority to implement the Act; and other matters. Effective immediately.

Commends The Baby Bank and all of its volunteers on its one millionth diaper distributed and wishes the organization continued success in addressing the essential needs of so many families in its communities.

Appropriates the amount of $350,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to Angelic Organics Learning Center, DBA Farmers Rising, for the purpose of costs associated with the purchase or maintenance, or both, of a truck, trailer, and other equipment for Farmers Rising’s Rockford mobile grocery store. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, each State's Attorney whose term begins after July 1, 2026 shall be compensated at the rate of 100% of the mean of the amount paid to the resident circuit judges in the county courthouse for the State's Attorney.. Provides that the State shall furnish 66 2/3% of the total annual compensation to be paid to each State's Attorney in the State based on the salary in effect on December 31, 1988, and 100% of the increases in salary taking effect after December 31, 1988. Provides that the amount shall be paid from the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund. Provides that the county shall be responsible for the State and federal income tax reporting and withholding and the employer contributions under the Illinois Pension Code.

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that all moneys payable from funds appropriated to the Department of Human Services in State Fiscal Year 2027 for assisted outpatient treatment related projects shall be distributed by the Department evenly across the 25 judicial circuit court jurisdictions. Provides that preference shall be given to projects that work to expand access or success for assisted outpatient treatment projects working with: (1) people who have a serious mental illness; or (2) the judicial circuit courts to assist those who are part of an assisted outpatient treatment program as a result of a court order. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, elected and appointed supervisors of assessments who began a term of office on or after December 1, 2026, shall be paid a salary in an amount equal to 80% of the amount paid to the State's Attorney of the county that employs the elected or appointed supervisor of assessments. Amends the Counties Code and the Clerks of Courts Act. Provides that, beginning December 1, 2026, the compensation of a coroner, a county treasurer, a county clerk, a recorder, an auditor, or a clerk of a circuit court shall be equal to 80% of the amount paid to the State's Attorney of the coroner's, county treasurer's, county clerk's, recorder's, or auditor' s county. Provides that, the State must pay 66 2/3% of each officer's annual salary. Provides that, beginning with fiscal year ending on June 30, 2027, the county clerk, recorder, auditor, coroner, and treasurer of each county, and the chief clerk of each county board of election commissioners, shall receive a stipend in the amount of $12,800, adjusted annually.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, no municipal official, municipal employee, or candidate for a municipal office shall engage in or permit the unauthorized use of any municipal property. Provides that no candidate for municipal office or political fundraising committee may use any municipal property or photographic or filmed image of municipal property for the purpose of influencing, in any way, the outcome of any election of any candidate for municipal office. Provides that specified expenditures made by political fundraising committees for the purpose of either financing communications expressly advocating for the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate for municipal office or soliciting funds for purpose of financing communications expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate for municipal office, if paid for and authorized by a candidate for municipal office or an authorized political committee of a candidate for municipal office or its agents, shall clearly state that the communication was paid for by the authorized political fundraising committee and shall contain a statement, either read by the candidate in a pre-recorded audio message or clearly printed, that the candidate has approved the communication.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that in the Articles governing employment, financial credit, and public accommodations it is a civil rights violation to use criteria or methods including practices, policies, and groups of practices or policies that has the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination prohibited under the Act. Changes the definition of "unlawful discrimination" to mean discrimination against a person, whether by purpose or effect, because of his or her actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, order of protection status, disability, military status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, reproductive health decisions, or unfavorable discharge from military service as those terms are defined in the Act.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that the State Board of Elections shall adopt rules setting forth standardized reporting protocols for election data. Provides that, no later than July 1, 2027, the State Board of Elections shall publish guidelines for compliance with standardization conventions for data fields related to election districts, precincts, polling places, and other election data. Provides for periodic audits of the election data subject to the standardized reporting protocols. Provides that, beginning with the 2028 general primary election, no less than 75 days before each election, every election authority shall ensure that all data reported by the election authority conforms to the data standardization requirements adopted by the Board.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that, in jurisdictions where in-precinct counting equipment is used, the election authority shall retabulate the total number of votes cast on 5% of the election day equipment used within the election jurisdiction (rather than votes cast in 5% of precincts within the election jurisdiction). Provides that the precincts and voting devices to be retabulated shall be selected after election day on a random basis by the State Board of Elections so that every device used in early voting and all equipment used on election day in the election jurisdiction has an equal mathematical chance of being selected (rather than providing that every precinct and every device used in early voting shall have an equal mathematical chance of being selected for retabulated).