Rep. Maurice West

Amends the School Code. Requires school districts with a population of 3,000 or more students to interview a minimum percentage of minority candidates for teaching positions. Exempts teaching positions within an English as a Second Language program from the requirement. Sets forth the formula for the school district to use to calculate the minimum percentage required. Provides that if the school district is unable to interview the required minimum percentage of minority candidates for 2 consecutive years, the school district must implement a program for school district employees interested in obtaining a Professional Educator License. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Treasurer Act. Makes changes concerning the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program. Provides that the State Treasurer may make supplementary deposits to children in financially insecure households if sufficient funds are available. Provides that the State Treasurer shall annually prepare a report that includes a summary of the Program operations for the preceding fiscal year, including, among other items, the rate of seed deposits claimed, and, to the extent data is reported and available, the racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic data of beneficiaries and of children in financially insecure households who may receive automatic bonus deposits. Provides that such other information that is relevant to make a full disclosure of the operations of the Program and Fund may also be reported. Makes conforming changes.

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 Unified Code of Corrections. In provisions concerning intradivisional transfers, provides that persons committed to Department of Corrections facilities or Department of Juvenile Justice facilities may make a request to be transferred to another facility at every 6 months.

Amends the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Act. Defines "law enforcement officer" or "officer" as any person employed by a unit of local government (rather than a county, municipality, or township) or an Illinois public university as a policeman, peace officer or in some like position involving the enforcement of the law and protection of the public interest at the risk of that person's life. Provides that "unit of local government" has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution. Effective immediately.

Amends the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act. In provisions concerning written collaborative agreements, deletes a provision prohibiting a prescribing psychologist from prescribing medications to patients who are less than 17 years of age or over 65 years of age. Provides that no prescriptive authority for any Schedule II opioid shall be delegated. Provides that after the collaborating physician files a notice delegating authority to prescribe any nonnarcotic, nonopioid Schedule II through V controlled substances (rather than any nonnarcotic Schedule III through V controlled substances), the licensed clinical psychologist shall be eligible to register for a mid-level practitioner controlled substance license under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Defines "opioid". Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the second Monday in October of each year (currently, the last Monday in September) shall be a holiday to be known as Indigenous Peoples Day to be observed throughout the State (currently, not a holiday). Removes Columbus Day as a holiday and a commemorative date. Amends the Election Code, the Illinois Procurement Code, the School Code, and the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act to make changes to provide for Indigenous Peoples Day as a State holiday and the removal of Columbus Day as a State holiday. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Election Code. Provides that each election precinct shall contain 1,200 voters (currently, 500 voters in counties, 600 voters in a municipality with a board of election commissioners and fewer than 500,000 inhabitants, or 400 voters in a municipality with a board of election commissioners and more than 500,000 inhabitants). Makes corresponding and other changes. In provisions concerning the county board of a county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, removes language providing that an election precinct with more than 600 voters may be divided. Provides that a county board may (rather than shall) at specified meetings, redivide, consolidate, or readjust (rather than redivide or readjust) election precincts to meet the 1,200 voters per precinct standard. In provisions concerning a municipality with a board of election commissioners, provides that a city with over 500,000 residents may (rather than shall) rearrange its precincts within 90 days of a presidential election or at any time when the number of votes cast exceeds 1,200 (rather than equals 600) to meet the 1,200 voters per precinct standard. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, beginning on July 1, 2022, breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, and breast pump kits are exempt from the taxes imposed under those Acts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that anything said or done during or in preparation for a restorative justice practice or as a follow-up to that practice, or the fact that the practice has been planned or convened, is privileged and cannot be referred to, used, or admitted in any civil, criminal, juvenile, or administrative proceeding unless the privilege is waived, during the proceeding or in writing, by the party or parties protected by the privilege. Provides that the legitimacy of a restorative justice practice, if challenged in any civil, juvenile, criminal, or administrative proceeding, shall be determined by a judge. Provides that the privilege does not apply when: (1) disclosure is necessary to prevent death, great bodily harm, or the commission of a crime; (2) necessary to comply with another law; or (3) a court, tribunal, or administrative body requires a report on a restorative justice practice, but such report shall be limited to the fact that a practice has taken place, an opinion regarding the success of the practice, and whether further restorative justice practices are expected. Effective immediately.