Rep. Dan Swanson

Urges the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Pritzker Administration to delay cuts to Direct Service Professional (DSP) service hours set to begin January 1,2026, until such time as the State is prepared to implement the "Zero Hour" Staffing Model, to protect the services depended on by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Appropriates $1,000,000 to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to fund the Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Program and make grants to reimburse universities for unfunded liabilities related to the Program. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. With respect to special education teacher scholarships, provides that up to 50 additional scholarships may be awarded each year to persons who qualify, subject to appropriation to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for this purpose.

Amends the Nursing Education Scholarship Law. Provides that beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, subject to appropriation from the General Revenue Fund and in addition to any other funds available to the Department of Public Health for nursing education scholarships, the Department may award additional nursing education scholarships. Removes a provision regarding nursing education scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic year. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryHB 4632 appropriates $500,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to fund the Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program. This program directly helps Illinois nurse educators who teach in nursing programs by repaying their qualifying student loans. The funding becomes available starting July 1, 2026, to support these educators in the state's healthcare workforce. The bill is a straightforward funding measure with no new policy requirements beyond the allocated resources.

Maddy summaryHB 4635 appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to fund nursing education scholarships. This bill directly affects nursing students in Illinois by providing financial support for their education. The funding becomes available starting July 1, 2026, and the bill specifies no additional eligibility requirements or program details beyond the appropriation amount and effective date. As a funding measure, it does not create new regulations or alter existing laws.

Maddy summaryHB 4493 is a procedural bill that corrects a technical error in the short title of Illinois' Military Veterans Assistance Act. It fixes a redundant "the the" typo in Section 0.01, ensuring the Act is properly cited as "the Military Veterans Assistance Act." This change has no impact on veterans' benefits or program requirements - only on the official legal reference. The bill does not alter any substantive policies or affect any individuals or groups.

Commends Ken McCracken, as well as Connie Flack, Ken and Rhonda McCracken, Kevin Devlin, Sid Carlson, and Knox County Sheriff Jack Harlan for their contributions to saving a man's life.

Recognizes the importance of Mound Bayou, Mississippi. Commends all persons involved in bring the Mound Bayou project to fruition. Urges all Illinois residents to reflect on the enduring impact of Mound Bayou as a symbol of Black excellence, economic sovereignty, and cultural pride.

Creates the Educator Health Insurance Task Force to study the feasibility of creating regional health insurance purchasing pools of school districts accessible to all public educators in school districts that have a population of less than 500,000.