Rep. Dave Vella

Maddy summaryThis bill is a memorial resolution honoring Officer Luis M. Huesca, a Chicago Police Department officer who was killed in the line of duty in April 2024. The text formally expresses the sadness of the Illinois House of Representatives regarding his death and extends condolences to his family, friends, and community. It also directs that a copy of the resolution be given to the Huesca family as a gesture of sympathy. This legislative action serves to acknowledge his service and sacrifice rather than to change laws or policies.

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Makes certain changes concerning estates that contain qualified farm property. Provides that, for the purposes of calculating the State Death Tax Credit, those estates are subject to an exemption of $6,000,000 (rather than an exclusion amount of $4,000,000), which shall be deducted from the net estate value after the net estate value is computed in accordance with the Act. Provides that the exemption shall be adjusted each year according to the increase in the Consumer Price Index. Makes changes concerning the calculation of the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount for those estates. Provides for a special use valuation to provide that the value of the qualified farm property shall be calculated without regard to certain limitations under the Internal Revenue Code. Makes changes concerning the definition of "qualified heir" to provide that a decedent's brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, or first cousin is also included.

Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision that reduces the amount of the pension for a Tier 2 firefighter who retires with at least 10 years of creditable service before attaining age 55, provides that the pension of a Tier 2 firefighter who is retiring after attaining age 50 with 20 or more years of creditable service shall not be reduced. Makes a conforming change. Provides that each annual increase for Tier 2 firefighters shall be increased on the January 1 occurring either on or after the attainment of age 55 (instead of age 60) or the first anniversary of the pension start date, whichever is later, and shall be calculated at 3% of the originally granted pension (instead of calculated at the lesser of 3% or one-half the annual unadjusted percentage increase in the consumer price index-u for a 12-month period ending in September preceding each November 1). Provides that the changes shall apply without regard to whether a Tier 2 firefighter is in active service under the Article on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a deduction for an amount equal to the amount included in the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income that is attributable to student loan repayment assistance received by the taxpayer during the taxable year from a qualified community foundation if the taxpayer is a qualified worker. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 299 is a technical amendment to the Green Cleaning Schools Act that updates the bill's short title. This change does not alter the existing requirements for schools to use environmentally friendly cleaning products. The legislation affects school districts and facilities currently covered by the Green Cleaning Schools Act. It is a procedural update intended to correct the official name of the law without changing its operational provisions.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall create a student teaching stipend program to alleviate the financial burden of student teaching and to encourage students to pursue teaching careers to alleviate this State's teacher shortage. Provides that to participate in the stipend program, an eligible student must be placed as a student teacher no later than June 1, 2025 or no later than June 1 each year thereafter. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students who qualify for the stipend program by July 1, 2025 and no later than July 1 each year thereafter and all eligible students shall be participants in the stipend program. Provides that no later than August 1, 2025 and no later than August 1 each year thereafter, subject to available appropriations, the Board shall disburse to each educator preparation program funds to distribute to each eligible student a stipend of up to $10,000 per semester for up to 2 consecutive semesters, plus additional funds to pay the direct costs of operating the stipend program. Provides that the educator preparation program shall distribute stipend funds using the standard methods for allocating State-based financial aid or as wages for employment to each eligible student in monthly installments. Sets forth additional provisions concerning the distribution of funds. Provides for rulemaking.

Amends the Dual Credit Quality Act. Makes changes concerning high school and community college partnership agreements, the Dual Credit Committee, instructor and other standards for dual credit courses, and the data in reports made by institutions of higher learning. Provides that a Dual Credit Instructor Endorsement Framework shall be developed through a committee involving collaboration between the Illinois Community College Board and the State Board of Education by December 31, 2024. Sets forth the membership of the committee. Provides that the Framework shall establish criteria for evaluating instructors on the basis of academic credentials, progress toward academic credentials, equivalent experience, or some combination of these. Sets forth what the criteria shall include and what the Framework may do. Effective immediately.

Creates the Illinois Caregiver Assistance and Resource Portal Act. Requires the Department on Aging, in consultation with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs, to be responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Illinois Caregiver Assistance and Resource Portal (Portal). Provides that the Portal shall serve as a centralized and trusted online platform offering a wide range of resources related to caregiving, including, but not limited to: (1) information on State and federal programs, benefits, and resources on caregiving, long-term care, and at-home care for Illinois residents who are 50 years of age or older; (2) educational materials, articles, and videos on caregiving best practices; and (3) accommodations for users with different language preferences, ensuring the information is accessible to diverse audiences. Sets forth additional resources and information that the Portal may feature, such as information on caregiving resources, home and community-based services that support family caregivers, nursing home care, services and programs offered by Area Agencies on Aging, relevant health care and financial assistance programs, and local support group opportunities for caregivers. Requires the Portal to be designed to be user-friendly and accessible to individuals of all ages and abilities and to include features such as search functionality, language accessibility, and compatibility with assistive technologies to ensure that a diverse range of caregivers can use it. Contains provisions concerning required outreach and promotional campaign efforts to raise awareness of the Portal, reporting requirements, and State and federal funding for the Portal. Requires the Portal to be implemented one year after the effective date of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Clerks of Courts Act. Removes language providing for the compensation of Clerks of the Circuit Court. Provides instead that the salary of a clerk of the circuit court elected or appointed after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be set as a percentage of the salary of Judges of the Circuit Court and shall be in the following amounts: in counties where the population is less than 14,000, 55%; in counties where the population is 14,001 to 30,000, 60%; in counties where the population is 30,001 to 60,000, 65%; in counties where the population is 60,001 to 100,000, 70%; in counties where the population is 100,001 to 200,000, 75%; in counties where the population is 200,001 to 300,000, 80%; in counties where the population is 300,001 to 3,000,000, 85%; and in counties where the population is over 3,000,000, 90%. Requires the State to furnish 66 2/3% of the total annual salary to be paid to a clerk of the circuit court, and the county to furnish 33 1/3% of the total annual salary. Provides that if, on the effective date of the amendatory Act, the salary of a clerk is greater than the percentage of the circuit judges salary in the provisions, that circuit clerk's salary shall not be reduced.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning the conviction of certain offenses as grounds for disqualification for licensure or suspension or revocation of a license, includes the sex offense of abuse by an educator or authority figure under the definition of "sex or other offense". Amends the Sex Offenses Article of Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits abuse by an educator or authority figure if that person holds a position of trust, authority, or supervision in relation to a student in a school, the student is at least 18 years of age, the person is at least 4 years older than the student, and the person either (1) commits an act of sexual conduct with the student or (2) commits an act of sexual penetration with the student. Provides that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual conduct is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. Provides that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual penetration is a Class 4 felony for the first offense and a Class 3 felony for a second or subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. Provides that consent of the victim is not a defense to abuse by an educator or authority figure.